UCG Says God's Grace and Keeping The Law Will Save You

 

The appalling actions of Hamas in Israel last week have sent the prophecy addicts in the Church of God into a frenzy. Doom, death, and damnation are virtually at our doorsteps ready to devour us. Some look with caution on events and others get down and wallow in it like pigs at a slop trough, particularly Bob Thiel and Gerald Flurry. The more awful they can make things sound the more important they think their prophetic knowledge is and how we should all be impressed.

United Church of God had a blurb up the other day about the current situation and prophecy. After the usual falderal, they end with this:

When you see armies surrounding Jerusalem moving in to conquer Israel then you will know—this is it, and the end of this age is very near. 

 

All we can do is watch as Jesus said to do and keep spiritually alert to our own condition (Luke 21:26). We should be patiently watching and waiting. Jesus said by your patience you possess your souls, or as the Greek word hupomonēmeans, by your endurance and constancy. Our salvation rests upon God’s grace and our endurance in obeying God’s laws and commandments just as the patriarch Abraham (Genesis 26:5). Jesus also said, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

Such bunk! God's grace and keeping the old covenant law are incompatible. But, this is the COG and the law reigns supreme over Jesus, grace, justification, and sanctification.

Are LCG Members Being Transformed?

Does law keeping, Sabbath keeping, Holy Day keeping, eating kosher, reading only COG related material, tithing 30-40% of your income to the church, giving all things common to your Dear Leader, believing the false prophecies/false dreams/lies of your church leader, and many more things, actually transform you as person? Do these things make you a follower of Christ?

Christian have long understood that our old selves have already been "crucified" with Christ's sacrifice. Its not something that anyone needs to be continually doing. Being transformed by Christ is letting the fruits of the spirit shine forth. Stop looking to Herbert Armstrong, Gerald Weston, and especially Bob Thiel as sources for your transformation. It isn't going happen through them.

Real Transforming Faith: Has your faith influenced and changed your life? The Apostle Paul urged Christians, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1–2). The English word “transformed” comes from the Greek word metamorphoo, which means a complete and total change—as when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly! Jesus told potential Christians they must repent (metanoeo) which involves learning to think differently and turn with worry from a past course of action. As we study and meditate on the word of God and ask God to help us change, we will develop the mind of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5). As we make conscious decisions to think, talk, and act as Jesus would—as we crucify our old self—Jesus Christ will be able to live His life in us (Galatians 2:20). This is the transformation that God is looking for in those He calls to become members of His family (Ephesians 5:8–10).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail 

 

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Corinthians 3:17). “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

When LCG stops being the taskmaster and sets their captives free by focusing on the one they claim to follow, then peoples lives will be transformed.

"Genuine transformation is God-achieved and God-sustained, requiring no effort on our part to attain it or live it out. When we know the truth in our hearts, we will be renewed and live differently from that point forward—without effort. Transformation is not trying to be like Jesus, but rather Jesus living His life in and through us resulting in us experiencing the fruit of the Spirit."

"According to the Scriptures, a Christian is a person who possesses the Spirit of Christ. This is the only real test of authentic Christianity. Paul said it this way, “… if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ” (Rom. 8:9). If we possess Christ His Spirit will be evident in our lives. Genuine transformation will be the verification of His indwelling presence, and the fruit of His Spirit will be evident in our lives. If we are lacking genuine transformation (change that only He has wrought in us) and the absence of His fruit, then something is amiss. If our “transformation” is that which we are doing through controlling our behavior and trying to act like Jesus, then something is wrong. Spiritual performance and acting like Jesus is what any lost person could do if they set their mind to it, but transformation is a work of God and not of man." Transformation: Solely a Work of God

Living Church of God: Hey, Look At Us! Who would have thought?

 

Now we know where the Great Bwana Mzungu Bob gets his braggadocio from, the Living Church of God.

Both of these groups can take a minuscule number of people and turn it into the most amazing thing the church ever seen. 

Here is LCG bragging about how in two recent Tomorrows World Presentations in a Canadian and a UK city brought in a combined total of 33 people. Subtract from that the 15-20 LCG members at each location that are used a seat fillers and you get an idea of the amazing work LCG is doing. 

Tomorrow’s World Presentations in Canada and the United Kingdom
The Work of God is not limited to just the United States—not by a long shot! Last weekend, two TWPs in Canada and the United Kingdom drew a combined total of 33 guests. This weekend we will host a follow-up presentation in Manchester, England, and four initial presentations in Canada—Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, Alberta; and St. Catharines and Guelph, Ontario. Your prayers are appreciated!

"I'm Enraged!!!"

The Wolfery of The Messenger of the Covenant, The Branch and The Elijah to Come, David C Pack. 

(And both of the yet to arrive, Two Witnesses no doubt )

“I am often thought of as being remarkably bright, and yet my brains, more often than not, are busily devising new and interesting ways of bringing my enemies to sudden, gagging, writhing, agonizing death.”
― Alan Bradley, The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

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"Would God do this? He would. He would slaughter babies and behead them and do things so horrific I would almost think the Devil couldn't think of it."

"Do you want to know my feelings about what's happening to the Jews, since I'm descended from David,  I guess I"m allowed to have a feeling..."

"I'm enraged!!!

I want some people to get dead..."

Don't let this mind be in you that is in David C Pack

UPDATED: Monte Wolverton: Newspaper apologizes for publishing his "highly insensitive" drawing

 

UPDATE at end. Monte apologizes

Unlike his father Basil Wolverton, Monte has jumped with both feet into the political quagmire of American politics over the last several years.  While his father had his own unique version of subversiveness, Wolverton wears his on his sleeve. 

Wolverton is also an associate editor of The Plain Truth, Greg Albrecht's version of the old Worldwide Church of God publication.

The article says:

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: The Philadelphia Inquirer has issued a public apology after publishing cartoonist Monte Wolverton's "highly insensitive" illustration that pushed "antisemitic tropes" and criticized Israel's response to the Hamas' deadly attack.

The editorial board for the big city paper put out a piece on October 18, 2023, admitting that Wolveton's cartoon "should never have been published".

Wolverton has been producing drawings syndicated by Caglecartoons for the last 25 years. He is best known for his satiric pages in Mad, his Weekly Wolvertoon website, and his contributions as an associate editor of The Plain Truth.

Later in the article, it says:

Following the outcry, the Philadelphia Inquirer released a groveling apology, stating, "In hindsight, the cartoon depicting an oversized Israeli military boot stepping on Hamas terrorists hiding among civilians in response to the Oct. 7 attack should not have been published."

"Regardless of the interpretation, the illustration reinforces pernicious anti-Semitic tropes about Israeli aggression," the apology continued.

It further added that the board had voiced an "unequivocal belief" that Israel should be allowed to defend itself and had denounced the terrorist assaults days after they had taken place.

"It is clear this cartoon was highly insensitive, particularly at the current moment when antisemitism is on the rise. We hear the outcry and apologize for the pain it caused," the statement added.

The board also pledged to review its processes for illustration selection "to prevent failures like this one from occurring again." 

Twitter also erupted in fury:

 

The American version of The Daily Mail from the UK also ran a story:

Philadelphia newspaper apologizes for 'highly insensitive' cartoon criticizing Israel's response to Hamas' terrorist attack that killed 1,400 people

It never seems to fail that when there is some disaster there is a Church of God connection somewhere down the line.

UPDATE

Monte issued an apology on X/Twitter

I deeply apologize for my recent cartoon depicting an Israeli combat boot poised to crush Hamas. I had intended to show Israel was soon to stomp out Hamas terrorists, but my insensitive choice of imagery effectively cast Israel as a villain. I now realize this caused pain for…

— Monte Wolverton (@montewolverton) October 22, 2023