Who Can Keep the Most Obscure Old Covenant Rules While Claiming Everyone Else Is Apostate?

Many members of the Church of God just wrapped up another thrilling observance of the Days of Unleavened Bread, complete with two or three mandatory days off squeezed into the week. Meanwhile, fearless leader Wade Cox has once again blessed his followers with the privilege of taking eight full days off work — just like the good old days of the Worldwide Church of God. And don’t worry, the fun isn’t over yet: another glorious nine or ten days off will be required for the Feast of Tabernacles. How thoughtful of their employers and school administrators to fully support this divine scheduling.

Cox and a few other extreme Church of God splinter groups love to claim they alone are preserving the pure, inspired truth that Herbert W. Armstrong supposedly taught in the early glory years. In their eyes, 99% of the rest of “COGland” has sadly fallen into apostasy, doing whatever they feel like. But fear not — the Coxites stand alone as the one true church, no matter how whack-a-doodle their rules get. After all, what other group can boast of converting half to three-quarters of the entire African continent, including plenty of Muslims? Even the most ambitious crackpot leaders in other splinters could never pull off such a miracle.

One of the more unique distinctions of the Coxites is their belief in a created creature they call Christ — a being who will return not in gentle grace, but to whip some serious ass because he’s so ticked off. This future Messiah will then implement the entire system of laws given to Moses at Sinai. As they proudly declare:

When Messiah comes again, he is going to introduce, in total, the system of law that he gave to Moses at Sinai.

They also insist there is only one true God (named Eloah), which conveniently explains why Jesus must be a created creature:

How many true Gods does it have? The Bible texts are very plain, and they say that there is only One True God Eloah and He sent Jesus Christ, and on understanding that fact depends eternal life (Jn. 17:3). His name is Eloah (Prov. 30:4-5; Ezra Ch. 4-Ch. 7, F015ii). No man has ever seen Him or can see Him and He alone is immortal (Jn.1:18; 1Tim 6:16).

How refreshing — a theology where the Savior has to earn His stripes by coming back angry and enforcing ancient civil laws.]

But the real litmus test for true Christianity, according to CCG, is following the “proper calendar.” The Coxites are teh calendar police of teh COG movement. Anyone who dares use the common Hillel calendar (you know, the one most Jews and nearly every other Church of God group follows) is automatically branded an apostate. The Mother Church apparently got led astray by the Church of God (Seventh Day), which cowardly adopted the Hillel system because — gasp — there’s no Temple or Sanhedrin left to confirm the first faint crescent moon sighting.

Thankfully, the Coxites have people stationed around the Middle East scanning the skies for that sacred first glow. As they boldly proclaim:

The true Church keeps the Temple Calendar, and always has done so, over the last two millennia. The Sardis system went into apostasy from 1940 over Hillel in both the COG(SD) and the RCG and later WCG and offshoots. CCG keeps the Temple Calendar.

They also still keep the glorious eight-day Passover/Unleavened Bread observance that the Worldwide Church of God wisely dropped decades ago. Because nothing screams “New Covenant freedom” like forcing eight straight days off work for bread without yeast.

Some other gems of the Coxites include:

The True Church of God has to keep the Law and the Testimony that comes from the Law, including the Sabbaths, New Moons and the Feasts, and the Jubilee system. Only CCG does this

The church is also governed by the Law in all aspects and anyone teaching that the Law is done away or that any aspect of the Law, apart from the sacrificial law, does not have to be kept is not part of the Body of Christ.

If you or your church is not doing these things or teaching that they are not required then they are not inspired. Get away from them.

And just in case you were hoping for a little normal life: CCG prohibits any trading or ordinary activities on New Moons or Sabbaths. So no sneaky donut or coffee runs, no popping into a movie, and heaven forbid you stream a little Netflix on a New Moon day. The horror!

Meanwhile, Back in the New Covenant…

While all this calendar-watching and law-enforcing sounds exhausting, the New Testament offers a radically different message. Christians are not governed by the “testimony of the law” or bound to the Old Covenant system. As Paul plainly stated:

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

Of course, grace doesn’t mean “sin all you want,” but it does mean we are no longer under the heavy burden of the Mosaic Law as a means of justification or sanctification. The law served its purpose as a tutor to lead us to Christ. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under that tutor (Galatians 3:24-25). Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17), not through perfect moon sightings or eight-day forced vacations.

The ancient Temple calendar (based on actual visible crescent moons and barley ripening in Israel) was practical for a centralized nation with a functioning Sanhedrin. The Hillel calendar was a later, calculated system designed to keep scattered Jews unified after the Temple was destroyed. Neither one is presented in the New Testament as a requirement for Christians. Insisting that true salvation depends on getting the calendar exactly right — while labeling everyone else an apostate — is legalism dressed up as “restored truth.” Eastern skies for crescent moons. Must have completely slipped their minds in all

So there you have it, folks. If your pathetic little church isn’t making you take multiple weeks off work each year, banning Netflix on New Moons, teaching that Jesus is a created being who will return in a furious rage to re-impose the full Mosaic Law on everyone, and loudly declaring itself the only true church on the planet while the rest of us wallow in apostasy — well, according to Wade Cox and his elite band of moon-watchers, you’re probably doomed to eternal failure. How tragic.

It’s truly astonishing that the apostles somehow managed to plant churches all over the Roman Empire without ever mentioning these absolutely essential requirements like eight-day Unleavened Bread vacations, New Moon food purchases or cooking, or scanning the Middle Eastern skies for crescent moons. Must have completely slipped their minds in all the excitement of preaching the gospel of grace.

Thank goodness we have the Coxites to set the record straight after two thousand years. Because nothing captures the liberating joy of the New Covenant quite like turning Christianity into an exhausting game of “Who Can Keep the Most Obscure Old Covenant Rules While Claiming Everyone Else Is Apostate.” Grace? Pfft. Who needs that weak sauce when you can have legalism, sky-scanning, and a perpetually angry created Messiah instead?

True Christianity is defined by faith in the eternal Son of God who fulfilled the law for us, not by how strictly we police the skies for crescent moons or how many vacation days we sacrifice to prove our superior devotion. Grace still reigns — even if some groups would rather trade it for a perfectly observed calendar and a very, very angry returning Messiah.

The conclusion is now much more heavily sarcastic while still tying everything together clearly. Let me know if you'd like any further tweaks!

Dave Pack's Regret-O-Meter v2 (Part 628)

The Real Reason Jesus Was Delayed AGAIN In Meeting Up With Dave Pack

There are priorities when one arrives after a long journey, and what better place to stop off first than at

 the Giant Eagle!

Itchy, Snitchy, and Bitchy Preach An Absurd Program About Christianity and Islam Under Jesus

 

The first few minutes of this video will be all you will be able to handle. 

These three stooges have to be the most pathetic Armstrongist preachers you will ever listen to. Here we thought bouncing Bwana Bob was a mess, but these three are so bad I am shocked they have followers. It just goes to prove that certain Armstrongites will listen to anything and believe it to be true.

Reminder: Kingdom of God Arrives April 10!

 

David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God 

preached his 142nd date for the arrival of the Kingdom of God. 

During "The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 628)" on March 21, 2026, the Pastor General taught that Abib 24 (beginning April 10 at sunset) was the "unicorn date" that the Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles never figured out. 

A single passage in Exodus is the only reference to the significance of Abib 24 in the Bible. 

Claiming he was led by God to reveal this information, coupled with unique coincidences, he told RCG members that this discovery is shocking and supported with "an avalanche of evidence." 

April 10-11 will come and go without any biblical significance because David C. Pack is a hypocritical, blaspheming liar, false apostle, false prophet, and false teacher. 

If he were led by God's Holy Spirit, he would have been right 141 times ago. 

All credit to former member Marc Cebrian 

for this compilation and description: exrcg.org

It Is The Day After Unleavened Bread and God's Favorite COG Leader Has Already Sinned

Just a few fleeting days ago, every single COG leader and member emerged from their solemn Passover services scrubbed sparkling clean of sin—like they'd been power-washed by divine Clorox. Pure. Spotless. Practically glowing with righteousness.

Then, poof! They're back to being inveterate, hardcore sinners once again. Not one tiny victory over the flesh. Not a single pesky habit conquered, despite all that heroic self-examination and fervent prayer for weeks leading up to Passover. The second their feet hit the parking lot outside that high school gym or sketchy Masonic Lodge on Passover night, sin apparently slipped right back in through the side door like an uninvited guest who knows where the spare key is hidden.

They had already spent the entire month before Unleavened Bread obsessively hunting down every last crumb of leavening—under couch cushions, in glove compartments, behind the dryer—like it was the most important archaeological dig of their lives. And yet, the instant the sun dips below the horizon tonight, watch how fast the same people are elbow-deep in a basket of warm dinner rolls or slicing into a decadent chocolate cake. Sin didn't just knock; it kicked the door down and reclaimed its throne.

Truly inspiring stuff.

And now, fresh from the post-DUB victory lap, we have the Almost-Arrested-But-Still-Not-Arrested Prophet Elijah-Elisha-Amos-Joshua-Habakkuk (pick your Old Testament flavor of the week), otherwise known as the perpetually aggrieved and bitter Bwana Bob Thiel, ready to dispense his patented words of wisdom to all you filthy backsliders.

Because nothing says “spiritual authority” quite like lecturing the flock about sin the moment the calendar flips and the bread is allowed back on the menu.

DO NOT PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE THAT YOU ARE AS TEMPTED TO SIN 

There are also practical, physical, considerations that can help you overcome sin. 

When you pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13, KJV), the implication is that you do not intentionally place yourself in areas to be tempted. 

For example, if one is inclined to overly gamble, one should avoid going to casinos or visiting cities such as Las Vegas. 

One who is inclined to smoke should not hang out with others who smoke. Nor should they ever buy cigarettes. However, since smoking is a very difficult habit to break, sometimes one may find replacement behaviors or some other physical item helpful to break the habit. But if someone wants to stop smoking, they really need to stop buying cigarettes. They should also repent and ask forgiveness of their sins each time they smoke (or commit any other sin). 

As far one’s diet goes, God tells His people to “eat what is good” (Isaiah 55:2), thus Christians should be careful about their diets and not eat that which is not good for them.

When it comes to alcohol, one should not hang out with those that overly drink.  

Christians are not to run with the crowd and go along with the world. Sin grows (James 1:15) and spreads (Romans 5:12).

One flees sexual immorality by not getting oneself in a situation that could be somewhat expected to possibly lead to it, or immediately leaving a situation if it appears possible.

The paternalistic brilliance never ceases to amaze. It remains crystal clear that Bob Thiel—along with the rest of the COG leadership pantheon—views their loyal followers as little more than dim-witted sheep who couldn’t possibly tie their own spiritual shoelaces without detailed instructions from on high. Why bother developing critical thinking skills when your benevolent overseers have already decided what’s best for your diet, your wardrobe, your entertainment choices, your bank account, and—most importantly—your eternal destiny?

The members have been so beautifully conditioned over the decades that they practically beg for these guidelines. It’s far less exhausting to outsource all that pesky decision-making to someone who claims direct hotline access to the Almighty. Who needs personal responsibility when you can just follow the latest “Thus saith the almost-arrested prophet” memo and call it obedience?

But here’s the real kicker, the one unforgivable transgression that somehow manages to eclipse every other failing in the grand ledger of COG sin. Even as members heroically purge their lives of “bad influences”—no more worldly TV, no questionable friendships, no leavened bread for a whole week—there remains one cardinal, soul-damning offense that apparently never quite gets repented of.

In the ever-watchful, perpetually aggrieved eyes of the inveterate truth-stretcher himself, Bob Thiel, the most grievous sin of all is this: failing to financially prop up his personal ministry. Skip a tithe check, redirect a few dollars elsewhere, or—gasp—question whether every last cent is truly advancing the “final witness” work, and suddenly you’re not just backsliding—you’re actively sabotaging God’s end-time plan.

Because nothing says “true Christian humility” quite like being told that your deepest spiritual defect is not sending enough money to the guy who keeps rebranding himself as the next Elijah while his prophecies keep landing in the compost heap. Priorities, people. Priorities.

As Christians, it is not just enough not to sin, we are to do the work of God. Furthermore, consider that when you pray God is not limited to what He can give you–in other words do not neglect to pray for major change, not to just not sin, but to do and support His work.

Oh, please, enlighten me: show me the verse—any verse—where it says that failing to cut a check to a COG leader’s latest “final witness” vanity project is somehow a soul-damning sin. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Flip through your Bible. Old Testament, New Testament, Apocrypha if you’re feeling extra spicy. Crickets, right? Because it’s nowhere. Not a single syllable. Not even a vague implication tucked away in some obscure prophetic footnote.

Yet somehow, in the sacred theology according to Bitter Bwana Bob Thiel, your eternal standing now hinges on whether your bank account shows sufficient enthusiasm for his YouTube channel, his self-published booklets, and his endless parade of “I’m the one true prophet” announcements. Miss a tithe? Congratulations, you’ve just committed the unpardonable sin of the 21st-century Armstrongite era. Forget murder, adultery, or idolatry—those are small potatoes. The real crime is not bankrolling one man’s delusion of grandeur.

If Thiel had even a passing acquaintance with this thing called the New Covenant—y’know, the one Jesus actually died to establish—he might have noticed that the war’s already over. Victory’s been declared. The battle isn’t some endless, joy-crushing daily grind of self-flagellation over every minor slip-up, every stray thought, every insufficiently fervent donation. Grace isn’t a temporary hall pass that expires the moment you forget to fund the next “urgent” newsletter. The struggle? It’s not about mercilessly beating yourself bloody for falling short of some leader’s ever-shifting checklist. It’s about resting in the finished work of Christ, not auditioning for approval from the Almost-Arrested Oracle of Arroyo Grandeand Grover Beach.

But sure, keep preaching that the cross wasn’t quite enough—that what Jesus really left out was the mandatory line-item veto for supporting your favorite end-time personality cult. Because nothing screams “Old Covenant” like perpetual guilt trips disguised as godly stewardship. 

The Finished Work of Christ: Freedom from Sin’s Bondage Versus an Endless Cycle

The Finished Work of Christ: Freedom from Sin’s Bondage Versus an Endless Cycle

Silent Pilgrim

As the last day of the Church of God’s observance of the Days of Unleavened Bread arrives, many members breathe a sigh of relief, believing they have been forgiven for the previous year’s sins and now have a chance to start the new year fresh, determined to “sin no more.” Yet, most begin sinning again the moment they leave the COG version of the Passover service. They are then said to be doomed to wallow in misery for the next year in an endless cycle of sin, attempted overcoming, and repeated guilt.

This perspective draws heavily from the theology of the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) under Herbert W. Armstrong. Crackpot Bob, quotes and builds upon that bad theology:

The old Worldwide Church of God taught: 

 

The PASSOVER pictures the DEATH OF CHRIST for the remission of sins that are past. The accepting of His BLOOD does not forgive sins we SHALL commit — it does not give LICENSE to continue in sin — therefore WHEN we accept it, our sins are forgiven only up to that time — PAST SINS.’ (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News, March 1979) 

 

Note that the above does not mean that future sins cannot be forgiven, but one does not have license to sin–and we must confess sins we later make so we may be forgiven. Passover pictures the payment for sins committed by humankind – all sins, past present and future, with the exception of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Although the application of Passover in God’s plan of salvation mainly is pointing to those called in this age–with the sacrifice of the Atonement goat mainly pointing to those who will be called in the age to come.” 

 

The article continues by emphasizing human inability and the need for ongoing effort:

But shall we stop there? Past sins forgiven. But we are still flesh beings. We still shall suffer temptations. Sin has held us in its clutch — we have been SLAVES to sin, in its power. And we are powerless to deliver ourselves from it! We have been in BONDAGE to sin. Let us understand the picture — the meaning. Quitting sin utterly To what extent shall we put away sin? Not partially, but COMPLETELY! And, as leaven is also a type of sin — leaven puffs up, and so does sin — and, as SEVEN is God’s number symbolizing COMPLETENESS, we are to follow the Passover with the seven Days of Unleavened Bread! The picture — the meaning — the symbolism, is not complete with Passover alone. Passover pictures the acceptance of Christ’s blood for the REMISSION of past sins. It pictures the CRUCIFIED — the DEAD — Christ.” (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News, March 1979) 

 

Shall we leave Christ hanging on the cross? The seven Days of UNLEAVENED BREAD, following Passover, picture to us the COMPLETE putting away of sin, the KEEPING of the Commandments — after past sins are forgiven. They picture the life and work of the RISEN CHRIST — who ascended to the throne of God where He is actively at work in our behalf as our HIGH PRIEST, cleansing us of sin — delivering us completely from its POWER! To observe Passover alone, and then fail to observe the seven Days of Unleavened Bread, means, in the symbolism, to accept Christ’s blood, and to continue on in sin — to say with the Sunday churches the LAW is done away, we are under grace, meaning license, to continue in sin! The seven Days of Unleavened Bread picture the keeping of the Commandments, which is another way of saying the putting away of sin.”

God is now creating RIGHTEOUS, HOLY CHARACTER in those whom He is calling. Man, now only a clay model, is to be created in the CHARACTER-IMAGE of God Almighty. Obedience is a test of that character. God will not grant eternal life to anyone He cannot rule. 

 

Jesus Christ is not only the author, or beginner, He is also the FINISHER of our salvation (Heb. 12:2). That is what the professing Christian world has forgotten! They have lost the knowledge of the SECOND STEP in God’s plan — that we must PUT SIN OUT OF OUR LIVES! 

 

To help us in the knowledge of the second step, God gave His Church a special festival — the Days of Unleavened Bread. They are to impress upon us the fact that we must NEVER AGAIN RETURN to the sins Christ paid for with His shed blood. 

 

Let’s begin to understand the true significance, the deep meaning in this SECOND ANNUAL FESTIVAL commemorating another step in God’s plan. Let’s learn why keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread is so important to your salvation, and just what your part is in God’s Master Plan. 

 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Abib. It continues until the 21st of Abib. Both the 15th and the 21st were especially happy “high” Sabbaths — ANNUAL HOLY CONVOCATIONS — DAYS OF REST. Seven is God’s special number signifying COMPLETION or PERFECTION. God wants His people to come completely out of sin.” (Lesson 34 – Days of Unleavened Bread – Your Part In God’s Master Plan, 1965) 

 

This teaching presents salvation as a process requiring continual human effort to put away sin completely after initial forgiveness of past sins. The result, for many adherents, is described as an endless cycle of work to overcome, sin, renewed effort to overcome, and repeated sinning.The Redeeming Work of Christ According to the New TestamentIn contrast, the New Testament presents Christ’s redeeming work on the cross as a complete, once-for-all atonement that fully covers all sins—past, present, and future—for those who trust in Him. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, lived a perfect life and then bore the full penalty for human sin as our substitute. Scripture describes this as:

• Substitution and bearing our sins: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).
• Redemption through His blood.
• Propitiation that satisfies God’s justice.
• The imputation of Christ’s perfect righteousness to believers (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Christ’s sacrifice was offered “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10, 12-14; 9:26-28). When a person places faith in this finished work, God justifies them completely—declaring them righteous and forgiving all their sins at that moment (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:13-14). Christians still sin in this life (1 John 1:8-10), but they are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). Jesus serves as their advocate, and the same blood that secured their initial forgiveness covers ongoing failures as they confess and turn to Him (1 John 2:1-2; 1:9).

With Christ’s redeeming work, no true Christian remains a permanent slave to sin or remains in bondage to it. Believers are called to walk in newness of life and pursue holiness, but their security and acceptance before God rest entirely on what Christ has already accomplished—not on their ability to achieve perfect overcoming in this age. Grace is not a license to sin, but the power that breaks sin’s dominion and motivates grateful obedience.

The old system of repeated sacrifices and annual cycles of temporary covering has been replaced by the new covenant. The Passover lamb has given way to “Christ, our Passover” who “has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). In Him, believers find both full forgiveness and the freedom to grow in holiness without the fear of an endless, guilt-ridden cycle.

This biblical teaching offers profound comfort and assurance: because of Love’s redeeming work on the cross, our sins are not merely covered temporarily but fully atoned for, and we are now clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

Those who are part of Armstrongism were never taught much about imputed righteousness.

Righteousness is imputed to Christians because we have no righteousness of our own that can meet God's perfect standard, and He provides what we lack through faith in Christ. This is a core truth of the gospel, often called the "great exchange."Why imputation is necessaryHuman condition: All people have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). Even our best efforts at goodness are like "filthy rags" or a polluted garment (Isaiah 64:6). God demands perfect righteousness—nothing less than sinless obedience in thought, word, and deed (Matthew 5:48). We cannot produce or earn this on our own.

God's justice and holiness: A holy God cannot simply overlook sin or accept imperfect righteousness. He must uphold His own righteous standards while showing mercy. Imputation solves this: our sins are dealt with justly, and perfect righteousness is credited where none exists.

What imputation means"Imputed" (or "credited," "reckoned," "counted") is a legal or accounting term. It means God declares or credits something to a person's account that is not inherently theirs. In justification (the act of God declaring a sinner righteous), two things happen in what is sometimes called the "double exchange" or "glorious exchange":Our sin is imputed to Christ: On the cross, God treated Jesus as if He had committed all our sins, even though Jesus "knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus bore the penalty in our place as our substitute.

Christ's righteousness is imputed to us: In exchange, God credits Christ's perfect life of obedience and sinless character to believers. We are treated as if we had lived the righteous life Jesus lived.

The key verse is 2 Corinthians 5:21:"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

This is not about us becoming inherently perfect in this life (that is the ongoing work of sanctification, empowered by the Holy Spirit). It is positional or forensic (legal): God now sees us clothed in Christ's righteousness. We stand accepted before Him, not because of anything we have done, but because of what Christ has done.

Biblical foundations

• Abraham's example (Romans 4:3, quoting Genesis 15:6): "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Abraham was not justified by works but by faith. God credited righteousness to him apart from his own merit.
• David's testimony (Romans 4:6-8, quoting Psalm 32): Blessed is the person to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works—the one whose sins are forgiven and not counted against them.
• The parallel with Adam (Romans 5:12-19): Just as Adam's sin was imputed to all humanity (we are born sinners because of his disobedience), Christ's one act of righteousness results in many being "made righteous" through imputation.

Other supporting verses: Romans 3:21-22 (the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe); Philippians 3:9 (not having a righteousness of my own... but that which comes through faith in Christ); 1 Corinthians 1:30 (Christ has become for us... our righteousness).

Why this matters for Christians

Because Christ's righteousness is imputed the moment we trust in Him (by faith alone), our justification is complete and secure. We are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). Ongoing sins do not undo this legal standing—though they do affect our fellowship with God and require confession (1 John 1:9). This frees us from the impossible burden of trying to earn acceptance through perfect obedience or annual cycles of temporary covering.Instead of an endless struggle to "put away sin completely" in our own strength to maintain right standing with God, believers rest in the finished work of Christ. His righteousness covers us fully, motivating grateful obedience and growth in holiness, not fear-driven effort.

This doctrine brings immense comfort: Christians are not accepted because they have finally become good enough, but because they are "in Christ," and God sees them as He sees His beloved Son—fully righteous. It is all of grace, received through faith.