The Plan of Salvation Involves Google And Our Favorite Crackpot Prophet

 

Our favorite crackpot self-appointed prophet is back again with a little blurb in his weekly letter to his 100 Caucasians and some in Africa. In it, he talks about how Google has been vital to his so-called gospel and to the plan of salvation. 

Apparently, when God was creating the foundations of the world he made a place in it for Bwana Bob to rise up in the perilous end times and for Google to be created, both at the same time. Seriously people, how else could God get this message across than by using Bwana Bob and Google! Jesus be damned, it is about Bwana Bob and Google, the two greatest gospel messengers in several millennia! this reminds me of the malarkey that the church used to say about the printing press and air flight technology. The printing press was invented so Herbert Armstrong could write books and articles and airplanes were created so Armstrong could fly to world leaders and talk about "a strong hand from someplace".Isn't the church sooooo special!

The Great Bwana writes:

We have promoted information on church history, the true Church of God, and God’s plan of salvation around the world through our Google campaign as part of the work we are doing to assist in fulfilling Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:19-20, and Romans 11:25.

Imagine talking about a plan of salvation that does not focus on Jesus. Well, that's the message from Bwana Bob. 

Of course, like any conspiracy-laden COG leader, there are conspiracies floating around meant to discredit Bwana Bob's amazing work and Google is part of the demonic process! 

The Great Bwana to Africa and 100 Caucasins is also twitterpated over the number of "impressions" he has for his site.

As far as our Google campaigns go, we are doing very well. We have now reached over 523,894,002 impressions. That means computers (including ‘smart phones’) around the world have been reached over one-half billion times with parts of the good news for those who put in various search terms. 

 

In the past twelve months, we have made 154,423,552 computer/cellphone impressions through our Google campaign, which is over 12 million per month! And, we were able to do this without increasing our spending for this, but by basically working with Google representatives to improve the reach of our campaigns. 

 

It seems like never before in Church of God history have so few reached so many with so little resources. God has blessed the tithes and offerings we have received to give a witness to multiple millions around the world.

Like everything else from Bwana Bob, you need to take this information with a grain of salt. It sure looks impressive to see over 150 million "impressions" and to Bwana Bob, each and every one as a person who saw the gospel message he thinks he promotes. It doesn't mean they looked at it, it means it just popped up in an ad on what every device they're using. That's some gospel outreach there, Bobby! Truly astounding! Impressions usually never engage viewers, and that's what is happening to Bwana Bbo. People ignore him and rarely click through to actually read an ENTIRE article.

Here is what an impression looks like: 

Impressions are the most basic, utterly mundane interaction you can have with a page. In fact, it’s hardly even an interaction. An impression is a view. When your ad loads and displays in front of a user, that is one impression.

What’s the point of impressions? Well, you can’t have clicks without impressions. Users need to see your ads before they can decide whether or not to click them.

This is typically referred to as CPM, or Cost Per Mille, where Mille means thousand. So if you’re paying for $1.50 CPM, $1.50 will earn you 1,000 impressions on your ads. One thousand people will see your ads, and all you had to do was pay under two dollars.

Fun fact: mille is Latin for “thousand” and is the root of the word millennium.

Some advertisers will pay you for a certain number of impressions. This works the opposite way; you pull in views, and the advertiser will pay you per thousand, typically in the sub-$1 range. This is because it’s incredibly easy to get views, but it’s hard to get anything out of them. The Difference Between Website Impressions and Clicks

And more:

Page Impressions (also: impressions or page views, abbreviated as PI) is a term used in web analytics. It refers to the display or page view of an entire HTML document in a browser. Therefore PIs are also frequently called contacts. If page impressions are registered, it is generally not assigned to a specific user. A user can view multiple pages and create multiple page impressions. 

 

Since it is not possible to make a clear statement about specific user behavior with the help of page impressions, (as it constitutes a quantitative analysis), metrics such as unique visits or visitors are preferred as the basis for traffic analyses for quality web analytics. Page Impressions

Things are not rosy with Bwana Bob and Google though. He imagines they are trying to thwart his ministry:

That said, our Google campaign has been facing difficulties as Google keeps changing its rules on ads. Google is now more and more restricting religious advertising as well as the content of such advertisements. Today, we got more emails from Google showing their biases against “Religious beliefs” in advertising. 

 

Google also seems to think that asking a question is an “unreliable” claim and has suspended at least one of our campaigns because of this. While we have worked with Google on this before, the time may come when this door to reach people may be fully shut–before the coming prophesied famine of word in Amos 8:11-12. However, until such time, we still hope to reach multiple millions more through our Google and other campaigns. 

Poor Bwana! Everyone is always picking on him! It is getting bad when even Google sees that he is spreading false teachings! 

Repent Bob Thiel! Set your people free!

 

 

Why Does Our Crackpot Prophet Continue To Use Norm Edwards As Validation?

 

One would think that after being set apart by God as the foundations of the world were laid out and the plan of salvation was being developed, our illustrious self-appointed prophet in these perilous end times would not need to continually try and prove his prophethood status. Each year he must trout Norm Edwards as some kind of authority on prophets. Two erroneously wrong individuals do not make it right.

Norm Edwards was like the Great Bwaana to Africa and his 100 Caucasians. He left the church in a spirit of rebellion to start his own group because he knew MORE than those he was rebelling against. Norm did have one good thing going for him: he put what he believed into action and started a recovery center for recovering addicts.

Norm had a fan following of dissident members in Pasadena during the WCG upheaval and afterward with The Servant News and lately with Shepherds Voice.

The Great Bwana starts off by letting us know that Edwards was a former member of the Global Church of God (another rebellious COG splinter group). That right there makes Norm 100% legitimate...NOT!

The bouncing Bwana starts off with this from Edwards:

“… I [an angel] am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10).

With dozens of New Testament Scriptures explaining and encouraging the ongoing prophecy in the New Testament and with no scriptures clearly declaring its end, one must conclude that prophets and prophecy are something that God wants for His Church today!

Implementing These Truths

In this 21 st century, most who call themselves Christian neither observe the Sabbath nor seek prophets or prophecies in their congregations. A few teach and practice one or the other. Only a tiny fraction accepts both.

The single biggest difficulty in acquiring any truth, no matter how valuable, is overcoming our own human pride. It is very difficult to accept that we have been wrong about something for many years— especially when we have been right on other things. The lessons of the books of Kings and Chronicles come to mind. Each king’s life is frequently summed up in a single statement— explaining what he did right and where he fell short. If we hunger and thirst for God as King David did (Psalm 63:1; 107:9), we can receive all that he has for us—and obtain a good report (Acts 22:12; Hebrews 11:2, 39).

Right off the bat, Bwana Bob fails Norm's standards for a prophet. Bwana Bob is one of the most prideful people the church has seen in decades! 

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness(1 John 1:9).

Beyond our personal decision to accept a biblical truth, we find difficulty dealing with Christian friends with whom we will differ. From our long friendships, we see each other as fellow believers. But our difference in Biblical understanding raises the questions in each person’s mind: If I do this and they do that, am I wrong? Are they wrong? Should I continue to fellowship with them?

Finally, for members of a church group with a doctrinal statement that is decades or centuries old, growth is rarely quick or even possible. Both religious and civil leaders struggle with prophets today for the same reason they did in the Old and New Testaments. The prophets speak for God, not for the religious or civil leaders of the day. People who always prophesy what the leaders want are probably false prophets.

Strike two for Bwana Bob. He does NOT speak for God! That is a fact. God doesn't deal in maybe's, could be's, and possibles, all hallmarks of the sad little ministry of Bwana Bob. 

This writer heard a church leader put forth this argument against prophets in the church: “If there are real prophets today, then we could ask them and know for sure when Christ will come back. But the Bible says that no man knows that time, so there cannot be prophets today.” We should never underestimate God. He is quite able to not answer the questions we do not need answered now. Jesus already explained this leader’s question:

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:6-8).

Individual believers can choose to accept and practice the Scriptural truth about prophets quietly. But if they speak openly and often, they will probably be required to depart for a new congregation. This takes faith to “walk in the wilderness” until new believing friends are established. …

One can quietly come to understand that God grants the gift of prophecy today and continue to fellowship and serve with the same brethren. But when a believer receives a prophecy in a church meeting (1 Corinthians 1 4:30) or makes important life decisions based on a current prophesy, then division often arises. Is this person hearing from God? Should we take action on what he says?

Bwana Bob does not have the gift of prophecy. This is a well-understood fact that the ENTIRE leadership of the Living Church of God understands as do 99.98% of LCG members. That is why LCG turned their backs on Bwana Bob en masse!

A little later Bwana Bo says this:

A while back, Norman Edwards also wrote an article Need Prophets More than Prophecy where he went through additional scriptures. Here are some items from that article:

Do people today have faith that God is able to prophecy through people in their congregations?

1Jo 4:1-2 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

Note: If there were no true prophets, there would be no need to “test the spirits”—because every prophet would be a “false prophet”. But because there are both true prophets and false prophets, we need to “test the spirits”.

Rev 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants — things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

The last book of the Bible is a prophecy inspired by Christ, given to the apostle and prophet named John.

Rev 10:7 But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

There is no Old Testament prophecy about a “seventh angel” and very little about a “mystery of God”.

Rev 10:10-11 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And he said to me, “You must prophesy againabout many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

Here an angel is commanding John (or some end-time fulfillment of him) to prophesy. It does not say what he is to prophesy, but it will be given to the prophets when they need it. …Yes, God might choose to give one of them the gift of prophecy, but since most such groups and their schools do not seek out prophetic gifts, they rarely receive them. Notice these important passages:

Matt 23:37-39 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! “See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ “

Matt 21:24-27 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John — where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

If there was no prophet greater than John the Baptist (Matt 11:9-11) and if the leaders of his day refused to recognize him, what makes us think that the leaders of our day will recognize any true prophets today? 

 Then the Great Bwana opens his mouth and sticks his foot in, as usual:

Norman Edwards was the editor for Shepherd’s Voice magazine. He is not part of the Continuing Church of God, where, I function as its human leader (and am an ordained prophet; the only known such ordained prophet in any legitimate Church of God group).

Complete balderdash! Bwana Bob is no more a prophet than Dave Pack is. In fact, they are both the same, unrepentant spiritual abusers. 

While Norman Edwards and I have long disagreed about aspects of church governance and various matters of doctrine, we both agree that many who are in or claim to be in the Church of God (COG) wrongly do not accept that God has any prophets today and that Laodicean pride gets in the way. We also agree that most have severe difficulty identifying one who really is a prophet because of various unscriptural biases and improper criteria that they have. 

Talking about Laodicean pride - Bwana Bob is its poster boy!  

Because of false prophets in a couple of COG-related groups (PCG and CGPfK come to immediate mind, but there are others) and a disbelief in prophets by most of the COG groups, the non-Philadelphian COGs have a lot of severe prophetic misunderstandings.

Bwana Bob needs to include the improperly named "continuing" Church of "god" in that list of COG's. Never have we seen such severe prophetic misunderstandings!

Bitter Bwana Bob then drags LCG and UCG into the list supposedly claiming he is a real prophet. Both groups categorically deny he is a modern-day prophet!

Some will come up with their preferred rationale as why not to agree with the position of the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) on these matters. Yet not only is CCOG’s position biblical, it should be noted that leaders in the Living Church of God and/or the United Church of God confirmed to me personally that I was biblically correct on nearly all of the above points, despite the fact that their respective churches hold to several of the errors pointed out above. Those who rely too much on a compromised ministry (Ezekiel 34:7-10) to teach them prophecy that is not truly in accordance with scripture need to realize that according to Jesus’ words in Revelation 2 & 3 and Luke 21, only relatively few Christians will be protected from the hour of trial that will come upon the whole world.

Such a load of crap! Such a load!

As Norman Edward’s article points out, it is scriptural to now have prophets according to the New Testament. But many who truly believe that they live by the word of God have discounted or overlooked what the Bible actually teaches and/or have been influenced by others who have done the same or worse. The COG has at least one demonstrably true prophet today, yet most in the greater COG world seem to be able to ignore the truth about that, like most ignored John the Baptist and others in their day.

LOL! So when we laugh at and mock Bwana Bob's self-appointment as a prophet we are being like those in John the Baptist's time! Hilarious! 

Pride is a bigger problem for Christians than most realize. People, including Christians, have a hard time admitting that they were wrong.

Again, never has the church had a more prideful man than we have in Bwana Bob today. That alone has turned off thousands of people, particularly in LCG. They knew his pride got the better of him and refused to follow him into his nuttiness. 

Now, let me add that because Herbert W. Armstrong said there were no prophets in the old Worldwide Church of God when he was alive, many have falsely concluded that there could not be any legitimate prophets in the Church of God beyond New Testament times. But that is wrong. 

Just like Gerald Flurry having to edit HWA's writing to validate himself as a prophet, the Great Bwana does the same thing. HWA would have kicked Bwana Bob to the curb so fast that his head would still e spinning.

The great Bwana ends with this:

Do not let pride or preconceived ideas get in the way of you accepting biblical truth. That, according to Jesus, is actually the biggest problem for most Christians in the end time per Revelation 3:14-22–most Christians refuse to fully “hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:22).

The biggest problem with COG members in this period of time is that there are far too many liars and self-appointed prophets and apostles who have set themselves WITHOUT God's permission and are outright liars and religious frauds. The people in these false groups need to wake up and leave these degenerate churches and find the peace that passes all understanding. It will never be found in these groups, especially in Bwana Bob's lackluster personality cult.

WIll you truly hear and take the proper steps related to matters such as prophets?

Not when it comes from your mouth! Get on your knees and repent you lying false prophet! 

Gerald Weston Sends Mixed Messages On Race And Interracial Marriage

Gerald Weston has a new article up on race and interracial marriage that he feels Living Church of God members need to insider. One would think that in 2023 that this would not be an issue in the church, particularly the interracial marriage part.

Reading his article he comes across as being ok with interracial marriage when those people enter the church and with race relations between all ethnicities. But then as he goes through the article he talks about racial purity of nations in ancient times and in times to come in their kingdom. The entire article sends a mixed message, one that I doubt he intended.

He starts off with this:

What is God’s mind on the subject of marriage and race? The subject is complex, emotional, and often controversial. Furthermore, no matter how one approaches it, it can be a no-win subject. To say nothing offends some. To say anything will offend others. 

 

God is love. Satan is hate-filled and wishes to divide mankind in general, and those whom God has called in particular. We all see things from our own background and perspective, and this subject is very personal. But, contrary to what some imagine, it is not something affecting one’s own nation only. It is a worldwide issue, and the body of Christ is found all over the world. It is in no way limited to any one country or group of people, and it even goes beyond what we might think of as “race.”

In many parts of the world, such as Africa, tribal differences are important. Heritage is highly respected. Xhosa and Zulu wedding customs are different and a marriage crossing these lines would likely concern both families. So, too, among the Dhlous and Kikuyus in Kenya, and the Hutus and Tutsis of Rwanda and Burundi. Additionally, some areas of the world have very little mixing of races and ethnicities, while other areas—such as the Caribbean and parts of South America—have long had significant mixing. And everywhere in the world we find individuals who are already of mixed tribe and race, including many of us reading this article. 

 

Mixed marriages involving tribe, ethnicity, race, and religion are not new. It is evident from Scripture that mixed marriages have taken place since ancient times. It is also evident that God “made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). Yet the issue goes deeper than that, as shown in the remainder of the verse. We must guard against overreacting to or neglecting what is a sensitive and complex subject with many variables.

Not much to disagree with there.

Then the mixed messages start:

So, what is the Church to do? How are we to guide our members to see as God sees and to make wise decisions? I am going to be very open in this article, trusting that those who are guided by God’s Spirit will understand.

Something must have happened in LCG that stirs this up again, This is not the first time LCG has had to deal with this over the years. 

Marrying outside of one’s tribe, race, ethnicity, or culture presents challenges, as many studies demonstrate. Some think interracial marriage is only considered an “issue” by white people. This is patently false, as I have observed firsthand, both in the United States and elsewhere. Therefore, if someone can be called racist for opposing an intertribal or interracial marriage, then that emotionally inciting accusation can be made toward people of all races, ethnicities, and tribes around the world. But does such an accusation simplify the problem or only exacerbate this sensitive issue?

Are there LCG members who are against interracial marriage? Are their ministers? And, why does the ministry need to deal with this at all when new members start attending?

Further complicating the issue is the fact that some couples prior to coming into the Church are already of mixed tribes, races, cultures, and even religions, and few of us are of what we might refer to as a single ethnicity. Our approach to the subject must take this into account. Not only do we strive not to offend such dear brethren, but we also do not want to make any children from these marriages feel awkward. They and their families are cherished members of our spiritual family in the Body of Christ, and we sincerely do not want to risk complicating or adding further complication to their lives. 

 

In my personal memory—including nearly six decades in the Church of God—the Church has never counseled married couples of mixed races to separate. The Church recognizes that they are validly married in God’s sight just as much as any other married couple. 

All of these niceties quickly fade away as Weston questions whether or not LCG needs to "encourage" marriages over racial and ethnic divides.  

But, at a time when many around the world are strongly encouraging mixed marriages, should we encourage marrying across broad racial or ethnic divides? How should we deal with this complex and emotional subject? To answer these questions, we must lay aside personal opinions and the “wisdom” of this world and look instead to the mind of God as revealed in the pages of His word.

Then HWA and the two trees appear:

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong took us back, time and again, to the two trees. One symbolizes looking to God to understand right and wrong. The other symbolizes mankind using the “here is how I see it” approach to making choices in life. The choice between the two trees in the garden sounds simple enough, but was it? Is it now? 

 

The prince of the power of the air is still ruling on earth, directing the course of this world, and working in “the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). Sadly, some by their actions presume that the ministry, the Church, and—by extension—the Bible and God Himself are out of date and the world is “ahead of the Church” in some areas. Are we to look to “the course of this world,” as directed by the “prince of the power of the air,” for answers? Can mankind outvote, outsmart, or outreason God? 

More mixed messages. Interracial marriage is not wrong, but we discourage it. 

The Church’s approach has long been that mixed marriages are not sin, but marrying across broad racial, ethnic, or tribal differences is generally discouraged. We have not always applied this approach consistently, to be sure, and we have made our share of mistakes. But the approach itself has been consistent for decades and it remains our approach, which brings us to an important question: Is the world ahead of the Church?

Weston then says the world around us is bombarding us with mixed marriages and it's not a good thing:

The world around us is certainly stepping up its promotion of mixed marriages, but the promotion is not new. For those who remember, ask yourself: What was the 1958 musical South Pacific about? What about the 1961 movie West Side Story, recently remade by Steven Spielberg? These extremely popular productions, scored with beautiful music, stir the audience’s emotions to accept a particular theme: Personal attraction supplants consideration of family heritage. 

 

Different approaches to forming a family were promoted on stage, in films, and in the media even before anyone reading this article was born, though often subtle in presentation. And aren’t subtle messages more easily overlooked and accepted? Once the subtleties are accepted, the heat is turned up and the advertising becomes incrementally more blatant. And video, music, and print are almost never so explicit as to say, “Do this.” Instead, ideas are promoted by flooding us with example after example, until we think, Everyone is doing it, so it must be O.K.—in fact, it must be good. 

 

What do you see in television and magazine ads? Even innocuous HGTV programs showing home remodeling feature interracial couples far more often than we see them in day-to-day life. Why? Why do producers and directors go out of their way to seek out those couples and feature them?

One cannot help but notice after the BLM protests started how mixed couples are shown a lot more in TV shows and commercials. Weston tries to place blame on the world as more enlightened than the church.

Weston then asks, Is It a Sin?

Many on each side of this subject engage in a never-ending battle of dueling Bible passages, each looking for a “silver bullet” verse that proves, in their opinion, that their side is right. For instance, those who firmly believe interracial marriage is a sin may cite Nehemiah 13 as evidence, ignoring that the context makes it plain that the main issue was religion and cultural degradation (vv. 26–27). As another example, on the other side of the issue, those who believe race should never be a consideration may cite 1 Corinthians 7:39, claiming that marrying “in the Lord” is the only factor, making the same error in handling the Bible as those who use verses like Romans 14:5 to falsely claim it is up to the individual to determine Sabbaths and Holy Days, ignoring anything else the Bible might say on the matter. 

 

Most such verse “exchanges” go similarly, and even when the error in interpretation is pointed out, it seems to change no one’s mind on either side of the question. Consequently, I will not attempt in this article to address every single verse someone might present to “prove” his or her point. It only promotes debate and tends to settle the question for no one. 

 

Instead, we need to follow Jesus’ own example by stepping back to get a larger picture of the mind of God on the issues involved. Let me explain what I mean. 

 

In my 2017 sermon “‘Is It OK?’ Is the Wrong Question” and in my March-April 2023 Living Church News editorial “Challenge Yourself to Think Like God,” I pointed out that there are many actions we can take in life that are not sins in and of themselves, but which are still unwise decisions that do not reflect the fullness of God’s mind and thinking. 

 

A good example is found in Paul’s counsel to fellow Christians regarding a situation they frequently faced in the first century—meats offered to idols. The discussion in his first letter to the Corinthians shows that focusing merely on what was or was not allowed misses a bigger point, and that “It’s not a sin, so it must be OK” is the wrong approach.

In this context, Paul explains a vital principle we all must understand: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify” (1 Corinthians 10:23). We must recognize the profound significance of this principle. That is why Is it a sin? is the wrong question—not because we don’t care what sin is (we do!), but because we are not to be content with merely “not sinning.” The right question is, What is God’s mind on the matter? 

 

Jesus corrected the Pharisees on this point when they challenged Him on the laws of divorce. Please note this, as it is important in understanding God’s mind. They sought nothing more than answering “Is it sin to divorce for this reason or that?,” based on Deuteronomy 24:1. Christ trumped them all by leaping over Deuteronomy all the way to Genesis to reveal God’s mind on divorce (Matthew 19:3–9), pointing them to the beginning and to God’s purpose and design for marriage. 

 

Yes, God had allowed divorce in His law, due to the hardness of their hearts, but to fully understand His mind on the matter they needed a broader view beyond what was merely “lawful.” While the Pharisees focused on the narrow question of “Is it sin?,” Christ admonished them to aim higher, dive deeper, and seek God’s mind. 

Enter the most spoken-about and most powerful entity on earth today. Not Jesus, mind you, but Satan:  

We know who the present “ruler of this world” is. Therefore, we would do well to ask ourselves other questions: What is Satan’s mind on the matter? Is it the same as God’s? In what way is the prince of the power of the air directing the course of this world? What is he promoting? Is it not prudent to see red flags whenever the world is pushing a particular agenda? What is his endgame?

Satan hates the family as God designed it, and he hates the true Church of God. He targets the family because God is building a Family (Ephesians 3:14–15). That divine Family will be built from human beings of both sexes and all tribes and nations (Galatians 3:27–29)—people who demonstrate during this lifetime that they get it. They recognize that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.… ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:7–9). 

 

God expects us to grow in learning to think His way and discern His mind as His Holy Spirit works within us (1 Corinthians 2:9–11; Hebrews 5:13–14). We are to set aside human reason, which is often driven by human emotion. Carefully read Paul’s correction of the Corinthian brethren in 1 Corinthians 2:6–14. The apostle makes plain that what the “wisdom of this age” and “man’s wisdom teaches” falls far short of the wisdom of God, even as the understanding of the Spirit of God seems like foolishness to a world that has no spiritual discernment. 

 

Yet how often do we say, “This is how I see it” or “This is what I think”? Our initial thoughts on any subject may very well be tainted by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, as John warned us (1 John 2:15–17). What we think is too often influenced by emotion and human reason apart from the revelation of God, starting us off on the wrong foot from the very beginning.

Satan’s Approach to Human Love 

 

The challenges to marriage involve far more than culture, race, tribe, or ethnicity. Satan’s all-out, multiple-front assault on this divine institution goes beyond the immediate topic of this article. Fornication, adultery, selfishness, self-will—all are of the devil and not of God. That is why marriage and family in our modern world face disaster and continue to deteriorate before our eyes! Too often, individuals who once pledged their lifelong love and loyalty to each other end up divorcing, claiming any number of reasons—leaving children caught in confusion. 

 

Some today have little regard for family heritage or lineage. All that matters is “I love her, she loves me, and the rest of the world can take a hike.” Parents are often left out, having no part in who their children marry. Couples in love often minimize or ignore the effect their decision will have on their parents, future children, and grandchildren, focusing only on themselves. 

 

But God does not think about marriage as modern society does. The Bible gives example after example illustrating God’s mind on families and marriage, and His thoughts are far from the shallow concerns of modern thinking—even beyond concerns of religion and culture. 

Consider the case of Zelophehad’s daughters. Zelophehad had no sons. If his daughters married outside the tribe of Manasseh, Zelophehad’s inheritance would then transfer to another tribe. The chief fathers of the families sought Moses’ guidance, and Moses brought the case directly to God, who plainly considered inheritances and family origins important enough to override personal desires:

[M]y lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. Now if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry….” Then Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying… “This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, ‘Let them marry whom they think best, but they may marry only within the family of their father’s tribe’” (Numbers 36:2–6).

In the mind of God, marriage was obviously something larger than “I love her, and she loves me.” Yet, many today care little or nothing about family considerations.

The account of Israel going into the Promised Land, and God’s commands about the permanency of land ownership by family lines—a practice He will continue in the Millennium—show that heritage is important to Him. His many Old Testament regulations as to whom Israelites could and could not marry, whom priests could and could not marry—and even marriages required when a brother must raise up children for a dead sibling—illustrate that, in God’s mind, marriage is inseparable from considerations of lineage, heritage, and lines of descent. Consider how much of God’s word is devoted to preserving a record of lineages. This was important to Him. When the Jews, Levites, and priests returned from Babylon, some were excluded from the priesthood because they could not trace their roots (Ezra 2:62–63), which Christ will continue to consider for the physical service of the Millennial temple (Ezekiel 48:11). 

Why in the world would there be a millennial temple? If you are following Christ then that temple is dwelling among you? Why else would the temple curtain have been ripped in two?

There are too many examples in the Bible to list them all, but they paint a clear picture of God’s mind on marriage. As He designed and intended it, marriage is more than merely a formalization of romantic attraction between a man and a woman—much more than “I love her, she loves me, and that’s all that matters.” Marriage is the foundation of family—and, therefore, of civilization itself. In addition to faith and culture, issues of lineage, heritage, inheritance, extended family, and descendants are inherent concerns in God’s design of marriage. God’s mind on the matter is at odds with the relatively shallow modern take in many parts of today’s world.

Now race enters the picture with more mixed messages:

Variety by Divine Design and Decree 

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong noted that God equipped Adam and Eve genetically to produce varieties in their offspring. In fact, by directing different families to occupy geographically distinct regions of the earth—as we will see that He most definitely did—God guaranteed that humanity would produce concentrations of unique characteristics and variations we call “races.” 

 

Did God make a mistake in creating the races? Of course not! He is a God of variety, and He obviously loves filling His creation with variety—including within humanity. Individual people differ, one from another, and so do the different tribes and races of mankind. If the creation of different races of mankind is God’s intent, should we not respect that? Should these differences not be seen as a blessing to humanity?  

 

Knowing this—that the Almighty is the author of the races and that the variety among His potential sons and daughters, created in His own image, exists by His design—we see that there is no room for people who consider themselves Christian to harbor prejudice in their heart or to allow room in their mind for delusions of racial superiority and racist attitudes. All people of all races, ethnicities, tongues, and nationalities have equal standing before God and will be given the opportunity to be a part of His divine family in the Kingdom of God (Romans 10:12; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). God will hold accountable those who judge one race as inferior or unworthy in His eyes. 

 

Yet, we must not conclude that race is meaningless. If God loves the variety He created in the different families of man, who are we to view that variety as unimportant? 

 

Science and history demonstrate that the different major races of humanity reflect different geographic origins and ancient homelands. Who dispersed humanity into the ancient nations and homelands reflected in the races? Let the Bible answer this question. “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you: When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:7–8). From this passage Paul shows that while we are all sons of Adam and Eve (of one blood), it was God who separated the nations. “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings” (Acts 17:26). 

One of the long-held myths of the church is that in the Millenium those of different races and ethnicities would return to their homelands. Thus Africans back to Africa, European whites to Europe, etc. Never taking into account that every "white" person in Europe BEFORE their spreading around the world was already mixed races, many times over. None of them were of the pure heritage of anything. The church has always taken great pride in pointing out that nations were FORCED to live in thier own regions after their languages were disrupted at the Tower of Babel. Weston points this out below:

It was important enough to God that when mankind at Babel refused to separate and the people sought to make a name for themselves with no boundaries, He intervened and miraculously forced them to separate geographically into their distinct families (Genesis 11:1–9). He would not allow His plan and design for multiple, distinct family lines to be thwarted by humanity’s vain belief that it had a better plan. 

Weston then points out is was better for Abraham's sons to parry pagans in order to maintain racial purity. 

Abraham understood that family lineage mattered when he sought a wife for his son Isaac. Abraham told his servant not to find a wife among the nearby Canaanites, “but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac” (Genesis 24:4). Isaac similarly commanded Jacob to “take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother” (Genesis 28:2). Religion does not seem to have been the driving factor in these considerations, since Laban’s family had pagan household gods (Genesis 31:19, 30). The motivating reason was clearly related to family line and heritage. Was Abraham, the father of the faithful, racist? Was Isaac? Rebekah lamented that her son Esau had ignored such considerations and had married “the daughters of the land” (Genesis 27:46). Was Rebekah racist? 

 

Fast-forward to the Millennium. We read of distinct nations—distinct “families” (Zechariah 14:16–18)—such as Egypt, Assyria, and Israel. While David will rule over Israel as a whole, the twelve distinct tribes will be ruled by the twelve apostles (Matthew 19:28). Just as when Israel came into the promised land, during the Millennium each tribe will have its own separate inheritance within the greater nation (Ezekiel 48). As with Zelophehad’s daughters, there will be some restrictions on marriage to preserve inheritances. God has kept track of the ancient tribes and families of the earth, and Scripture is clear that those familial lines do and will matter to Him, even through the Millennium when Christ will reorganize the world under His rule and God’s laws. 

 

Truly, as we are taught, God does not change (Malachi 3:6), and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

What It Means to Be One in Christ 

Some members ask, “Aren’t we all the same in Christ?,” based on Paul’s statement to the Galatians: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:28–29). 

 

Paul’s statement is true, but was he referring to marriage? If so, based on this passage, the roles of men and women in marriage would also be the same—which, as Paul shows elsewhere, is not the case. Furthermore, the same argument would justify same-sex marriage: “Aren’t we all the same, since there is ‘neither male nor female’?” This is, of course, absurd. The passage is speaking of all being equal in having the same opportunity for salvation 

Well, where would a Living Church of God article be without bringing up the gays... 

The fact is that it is natural and normal for people of all races, ethnicities, tribes, and cultures around the world to want their children and grandchildren to be as they are. Yet, we know that God loves all, and offers to everyone the same hope of eternal life as His children in His glorious kingdom. The God who made us created the races of mankind to fulfill His own joy and purpose, and there is no room whatsoever for hatred of any race. But neither is there room to ignore God’s created differences as though He did so without purpose, or to act with indifference to His desires. 

 

It is God who created our racial variety. It is God who divided the nations. It is Satan who influences mankind toward the destruction of the races. Even while promoting the amalgamation of the races God created, the devil is simultaneously stirring up hatred and strife between them. He is dividing families and causing children to grow up confused. 

 

Before jumping on any bandwagon the world presses on us, we must ask ourselves: What is Satan’s agenda? What is he promoting? What is his endgame? And are we falling for his deceptive tactics as he, the prince of the power of the air, directs the course of this world? 

Are we supposed to first ask what is Satan's agenda? What about Christ's agenda? Why is Satan always the most powerful creature that LCG looks to first?

More mixed messages:

Brethren, we must not be naïve. The world is not “ahead” of the Church on this issue. We must not be prejudiced against any of God’s children and potential children, but this does not mean marriage should be a free-for-all in which we focus on little more than our own personal desires. Scripture makes it plain that God’s mind on marriage is the exact opposite of such an approach. He was the one who separated the nations. He put restrictions on whom His priests could marry. He put restrictions on marrying across tribes when inheritances came into play. The patriarchs were involved in whom their children married, and He instructs us to honor our mothers and fathers. All these considerations and more will be in place during the Millennium when the world is under the direct control and guidance of Jesus Christ. People will know their heritage. Family lines will be maintained, and those families will rebuild their nations in beautiful homelands within clear boundaries. 

So where will the couples from mixed marriages be? Where will their children be sent to live? Which country supersedes the other? It is clearly obvious that these myths that Weston and the church tried to promote are not something that will happen.

LCG members who are in mixed marriages have already CROSSED THE LINE...but we love you anyways. Christ will fix you in the millennium.

The Living Church of God promotes love between all peoples. Where individuals have already crossed racial lines in marriage, we fully love and support these marriages and their children. We also recognize that there are singles of mixed race who might have questions as they seek to find a spouse and build a family. 

LCG's ministers will continue to interfere in marriages: 

Because of these complications, the Church provides counsel to couples considering engagement, and must make judgments from time to time and on a case-by-case basis. Those judgments include whether to perform a wedding or not. And those decisions are based on a multitude of factors, such as general compatibility; whether both are members; family input; significant differences in age, nationality, or culture; and, yes, differences in race, ethnicity, or tribe. We seek God’s will and mind in each individual case, and none of our decisions are likely to please everyone. But in most cases, as a general guideline, we discourage marriages across broad racial lines. We also discourage marriages where parents and family disapprove. 

Is the ministry to start cracking down? 

This has long been the Church’s approach and continues to be. As mentioned earlier, the ministry has not always been consistent in its application, and it is certain that we have made our mistakes. But the mind of God and Jesus Christ must matter to us—those whose whole purpose in life is seeking to reproduce His mind in our own (Philippians 2:5). 

Interesting times are ahead for LCG members and new members. Weston is expecting some to leave over this:

Dear brethren, I have no illusions that this will satisfy everyone, but decisions must be made, and explanations must be given. When Jesus told a crowd of disciples that they had to eat His flesh and drink His blood, many fell away because they did not understand. We also saw people fall away when Mr. Herbert Armstrong made decisions on smoking, makeup, and the correct day on which to observe Pentecost. More recently, members were challenged by decisions the Church had to make regarding COVID-19. 

 

Our true conversion is not shown by what we do when we agree with a controversial decision, but by what we do when we sincerely do not understand or do not agree with one (Deuteronomy 17:8–13). Whether the day on which to observe Pentecost, makeup, masks, singing, or social distancing, I will be the first to say that the ways some of these subjects were handled were not perfect. Yet many members who disagreed with how they were handled nevertheless kept their focus on the big picture and showed true conversion. 

Don't you dare disagree with Weston, if you do you are being influenced by Satan! 

So, I appeal to all of you: Please do not allow Satan to stir up your emotions to serve his purposes. He has filled the world with a spirit of offense and division, but we do not need to follow his lead. And remember that God tells us that His ways are not our ways. Let us seek His mind—His way of thinking.

There is a lot to unpack here. What say ye?