Herbert Armstrong Meeting World Leaders

Living Church of God: Pride Or Humility - Which One Does The Church Excel In?

As hard as it might be, who could have ever imagined a Church of God lecturing its members about pride and humility? Shocking, I know!

Pride vs. Humility: Bible prophecies reveal that in the last days many will be proud, boastful, haughty, and headstrong (2 Timothy 3:1–5). Our modern secular world promotes pride in race, gender, sports teams, national identity, and personal accomplishments. Humble people are viewed as weak. Yet, few today understand what God reveals in the Scriptures about these two important qualities. The Bible clearly states that pride is a source of contention (Proverbs 13:10) and that “pride goes before… a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). However, God says that He looks on the humble (Isaiah 66:2), that He raises up the humble (Psalm 147:6), and that humility leads to honor in God’s sight (Proverbs 15:33). As we approach the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, we need to examine ourselves and ask some searching questions: Am I really a humble person, or have I absorbed the mode of thinking and acting of this misguided world? We need to remember that humility brings blessings, but pride brings big problems. Let’s strive to develop the qualities that God wants to see in each of us, “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”(Micah 6:8).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

When Is It The Right Time For A Person To Die?

Bob Thiel has some nerve, eh?

To tell us : 

...notice that when God’s people die, they rest. As other scriptures show, death is like sleep.

Why do they die when they do?

Because they die when it is best for them.

It may be best because they will cease physical suffering.

It may be because negative events are coming that they would be best to avoid.

It may be because they refuse to properly repent further. Bob Thiel: Why Do Christian People Die?

Hmm-mm...

When A.C. alumna Mrs. Amy Allwine was violently killed by pious church hubby Steven (when HE decided it was time for her to "go"), was that really "when it is best" for her (as Bob teaches)?

She was a beloved dog trainer, & a good cook often fond of baking, and receiving many compliments for her many wholesome endeavours.

Bob has some nerve, to 1/2 the time say no one should kill... then, the other 1/2 of the time, to conversely insinuate that "God apparently led Mr. Steven Allwine to end Mrs. Allwine's life in 2016"!

I for one am not going to put up with some Podium Premier to shuffle cards of faith in my head like that in a quagmire of zonked "logic".

It's not clear if he's stating that everyone's death is timed best, or if the lesson covers only church members "time".

Was Bathsheba's 1st husband Uriah "meant" to have his death occur at a time convenient for David after ogling Mrs. Uriah as his personal eye-candy? Bob will have cookie-cutter reasoning on that event & for others. (even though we will probably hear from someone that Jesus' lineage came from Bathsheba etc.) How do we process that info respectfully? Doesn't it hurt a little bit, while we remain open-minded to at least accept it I suppose...

Some statements are confusing and contradictive. It happens when it's time :

Why do they die when they do?

Because they die when it is best for them.

It may be best because they will cease physical suffering.

It may be because negative events are coming that they would be best to avoid.

It may be because they refuse to properly repent further.

Then, it can happen due to foolishness : 

Why should you die before your time? (Ecclesiastes 7:17)

While there is a time to die, notice that foolishness and wickedness can have one die earlier than what would otherwise happen.

(guess what on a side note, Bob or hardly no one else can explain why the explicit naughty passage of Ezekiel 23:20 is printed for all age groups to see...but remains off-limits in most lessons...)

Are we to gloss over how (for example, those who are of the pro-life political stance) the idea of the abortions are done at a time "not chosen by God"?

With the pollyanna la-la land approach to this subject, diseases may/or may not be worth researching to treat & cure.

(why even put on a band-aid, or have a broken bone set, or have dental hygiene cleanings?) ...or attend chemo-therapy...skin grafts...blood transfusions...

WCG used to discourage medical treatments. (then we hear of HWA's assistants being told to hide or bury or burn a briefcase full of medicines useful for seniors Mr. Armstrong's age). No wonder Bobby Fischer departed the Pasadena campus life.

Does Bob T. think criminals who kill are simply a marionette-on-strings puppet of God's without free will, & acting on behalf of God when they end someone's life...if he says deaths happen "when it's best for the person" (victim)?

Bob & the superficially like-minded will remember Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who invented a medical "device" which a terminally ill or suffering "patient" could use. And upon personally operating it, the person chooses to elect "their time to die". But all my extensive past fellowshipping in COG never expounded approval or permission for anyone to use any such kind of device like Kevorkian's. (or to use other tools for the same result).

Dibar Apartian's son left life in Pasadena at "the wrong time", not at "the correct time" or at the time which was "best".

Why does Bob think those who died of polio, smallpox, A.I.D.S., cirrosis of the liver (whether from swine trichinosis or from alcohol abuse)...or from lung cancer from smoking tobacco, all went "when it was best"? Aren't smokers and excess drinkers advised by church to stop?

Or does Bob think it was just "the right time to go"? He surely has in mind some instances of tragedy lately in the news that should "not have happened". But then his lesson says otherwise...that even avoidable tragedies occur when "they should". (although he does have that clause regarding : "Why should you die before your time? (Ecclesiastes 7:17)

While there is a time to die, notice that foolishness and wickedness can have one die earlier than what would otherwise happen."

What will be the upcoming & clever Dave Pack-style back-step on his lesson he wrote too quick? Likely, the same lesson will just be re-posted a few times per year like all the other lessons, with some cut/paste add-ons or cuts.

Even HWA made a statement I remember, something about: "no, death is not a friend, but an enemy!"

And Bob's article too many times cites death as being "welcome" or logical or needed or well-timed, & not even HWA would refer to death as a "friend".

Kolchak