Sabbath Theories

 

CGI’s Vance Stinson’s Three Sabbath Theories

Lonnie Hendrix

This past Sabbath, Pastor Vance Stinson of the Church of God International delivered a sermon titled “Sabbath Theories.” The message began with a defense of the notion that Torah commandments can be divided into a number of categories (e.g., moral, judicial/civil, ceremonial). Mr. Stinson also asserted the preeminence of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) within Torah and asserted that it constituted the “heart of the Old Covenant.” Believing himself to have established the principle that the Law can and should be divided into these categories, the pastor then proceeded to identify three theories (Transference, Replacement, and New Covenant Theology) used by traditional Christians to justify ignoring the Sabbath and worshipping on Sunday. Mr. Stinson went on to associate the Transference Theory with The Westminster Confession of Faith. Likewise, he associated the Replacement Theory with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Indeed, he found much in those documents with which he could agree. Although he rejected all three theories, of course, he reserved much of his fire for what he referred to as “New Covenant Theology” (might that be because he thinks it most closely explains the view represented by my posts?).

First, it is important to begin where Mr. Stinson began – Should we regard the Law as a whole or a collection of categories which are severable from each other? While I have repeatedly acknowledged the value of dividing the Law into various categories to aid us in understanding it, Scripture ALWAYS regards the Law as a WHOLE (in both the Old and New Testaments). In the fourth chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, we read: “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.” (Verses 1-2, ESV here and throughout, unless otherwise specified) A few verses on, in the same chapter, we read: “See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.” (Verse 5) “And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?” (Verse 8) Moreover, to reinforce the notion that the Torah was to be viewed as a whole, we read near the conclusion of the chapter: “This is the law that Moses set before the people of Israel. These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the rules, which Moses spoke to the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt” (verses 44-45). Indeed, in the twelfth chapter, we read “Be careful to obey all these words that I command you.” And, at the very end of that twelfth chapter of the same book (Deuteronomy), we read: “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.”

Likewise, in the New Testament, the writers constantly refer to THE LAW and the Prophets. Indeed, Jesus said that he came to this earth to fulfill both (Matthew 5:17). When Christ was asked about the greatest of the commandments in Torah, he answered that the commands to love God and our neighbors were the greatest (Matthew 22:34-39). Then, he concluded with “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Verse 40) Indeed, we hear the echo of Christ’s teaching in Paul’s epistle to the saints at Rome – he wrote: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10) In other words, the WHOLE Law is fulfilled by love. Likewise, in his epistle to the saints of Galatia, Paul wrote: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Earlier, in that same letter to the Romans, Paul had talked about the Law as a whole and mentions the “letter of the Law.” He wrote: “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (3:20) Also, in that letter to the Galatians, Paul wrote: “I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.” (5:3) In the epistle of James, we read: “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” (2:8-11) So, again, we see that in both the Old and New Testaments, the Law is treated as a WHOLE.

In fact, Mr. Stinson admits in his sermon that Scripture does NOT use the terms which he uses to describe different categories of laws. Even so, Mr. Stinson went on to suggest that the seventh chapter of Paul’s first epistle to the saints at Corinth demonstrated his contention that there are different categories of law. He said that Paul’s distinction between circumcision and the other commandments suggests/implies different categories of law (I Corinthians 7:19). Of course, if Paul is suggesting such a thing here, he clearly contradicts himself in his letters to the Romans and Galatians. Paul, however, was NOT contradicting himself in this instance. The context suggests that both those who were circumcised (Jews), and those who were not circumcised (Gentiles) should NOT concern themselves with this physical sign of the Old Covenant. Think about it, is Mr. Stinson suggesting that the command to circumcise males isn’t a component of Torah or the Old Covenant? Of course, NOT! The pastor knows that this is an integral part of the whole. Paul was NOT suggesting that the command to circumcise was somehow inferior to the other commandments. You see, Mr. Stinson’s theology DEMANDS dividing the Law into categories. It is the ONLY way that he can justify obligating Christians to obey some of Torah’s provisions while ignoring others! He can say that Christ abrogated the “judicial/civil” and “ceremonial” categories but enjoined his followers to observe the “moral” part of the Law. Again, it’s the only way CGI’s cherry-picking of Torah works!

I do agree with Mr. Stinson that the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) is the preeminent expression of Torah Law – written by the very finger of God. That is Scriptural. I also agree with him that the Ten Commandments are the “heart of the Old Covenant,” and that they cannot be separated from the rest. However, it seems to me like these facts are more supportive of my thesis (the Law as a WHOLE), than his (the Law divided into different categories). After all, just as the Decalogue summarized, encompassed, and represented the terms of the Old Covenant, Christ said that his two commandments summarized and fulfilled ALL of the Torah/Law!

After leaving the subject of the Law, Mr. Stinson began reading excerpts from The Westminster Confession of Faith. The pastor especially liked what it had to say about the Law (because it closely aligns with his own view of the Law). After a discussion of the Decalogue, we read there: “Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated under the New Testament. To them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any other, now, further than the general equity thereof may require. The moral law doth forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator who gave it. Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen, this obligation.” Indeed, Mr. Stinson commented several times that he liked this stuff – that it was biblically sound (although, as we have pointed out, it is NOT).

However, Mr. Stinson did part company with the Westminster Confession when it came to the question of the Sabbath. Although he liked much of what they had to say about the Sabbath, he deserted them when he read: “As it is of the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto Him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which in Scripture is called the Lord’s Day, and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath.” Mr. Stinson characterized this as the “Transference Theory” of the Sabbath (that the obligation to observe the Sabbath had been transferred to Sunday). Now, although I have no problem with the folks who accept this Confession of Faith, I must agree with Mr. Stinson that this does NOT constitute a sound biblical justification for Sunday observance. From a Scriptural perspective, I believe that Christ renders the observance of ALL of the individual commandments of Torah unnecessary.

From there, Mr. Stinson went to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Once again, the pastor liked many of the things that they had to say about the Law and the Sabbath; but he did NOT like their stance on observance of the Sabbath. Now, although I think that Mr. Stinson’s characterization of The Westminster Confession was fair, I think that his characterization of the Catholic Catechism missed some of the nuance contained in that document with regard to the Law. For example, the document talks about a “Moral Law,” but it is clearly distinguished from Torah. We read there: “There are different expression of the moral law, all of them interrelated: eternal law – the source, in God, of all law; natural law; revealed law; comprising the Old Law and the New Law, or Law of the Gospel; finally, civil and ecclesiastical laws. The moral law finds it fullness and its unity in Christ. Jesus Christ is in person the way of perfection. He is the end of the law, for only he teaches and bestows the justice of God: ‘For Christ is the end of the law, that everyone who has faith may be justified.” Later, in speaking about Torah, we read: “The Old Law is a preparation for the Gospel. ‘The Law is a pedagogy and prophecy of things to come.’ It prophesies and presages the work of liberation from sin which will be fulfilled in Christ: it provides the New Testament with images, ‘types,’ and symbols for expressing the life according to the Spirit.” This is consistent with Paul’s statement in his letter to the saints at Colossae that food, drink, festivals, and the Sabbath were “shadows” of what was to come, but that the reality is found in Jesus Christ (2:16-17).

Nevertheless, once again, Mr. Stinson parted company with the Catholics over the issue of Sabbath observance. Although he liked this statement: “The Council of Trent teaches that the Ten Commandments are obligatory for Christians and that the justified man is still bound to keep them; the Second Vatican Council confirms: ‘The bishops, successors of the apostles, receive from the Lord…the mission of teaching all peoples, and of preaching the Gospel to every creature, so that all men may attain salvation through faith, Baptism and the observance of the Commandments.” I would point out that Christ commissioned his disciples to teach “them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Mr. Stinson, however, does not share their belief that Sunday worship fulfills the “moral” commandment to “remember the Sabbath day.” The pastor labels this the “Replacement Theory.” Now, in so far as I believe that just like the other commandments, the Sabbath commandment pointed to Christ and was fulfilled by him, I would say that replacing Saturday with Sunday to “fulfill” the commandment is unnecessary and redundant.

Finally, Mr. Stinson labels what I have advocated “New Covenant Theology.” Now, if he means by that that we subscribe to the notion that the Old Covenant has been replaced by a New Covenant, he is absolutely correct. We read in the anonymous epistle to the Hebrews: “Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: ‘Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.’ In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (8:6-13)

Pastor Stinson proceeded to “correct” New Covenant Theology’s mischaracterization of the fourth chapter of this same epistle to the Hebrews. He claims that this passage is NOT speaking of the Sabbath in the present sense, but in the future – eschatological sense. First, we should note that the thought actually begins in the third chapter of that book. We learn there that the Israelites were unable to enter God’s rest because of their unbelief. Then, in chapter four, we read: “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest…” (verses 1-3, NIV) Now, Mr. Stinson made much of something that was said a little later in the fourth chapter. We read there: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” (Verses 9-11) He said that this could not refer to the present Christian Age, because our works cannot be said to currently equate with God’s works. The passage, however, does not suggest that our works are the equivalent of God’s works. On the contrary, it specifically draws attention to the fact that we would cease working just as God had ceased working. In other words, the nature of the works themselves is unimportant, and they would obviously be different!

Mr. Stinson went on to characterize this position as “Jesus is my Sabbath, so I don’t need a day to worship.” Nothing could be further from the truth. This same epistle establishes the need for regular fellowship and worship with like-minded people (Hebrews 10:25).

No, Mr. Stinson, the Old Covenant is NOT the same as the New Covenant. It’s provisions were NOT transferred to, and made a part of, the New Covenant. The Law of Christ is NOT the same as the Torah/Mosaic Law. The two commandments, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” do comprehend and summarize Torah, including those “moral” laws, “natural” laws, Ten Commandments, etc. Nevertheless, unlike the individual commandments which the Israelites were required to keep as part of their covenant with God, the New Covenant Christian must apply these principles to every situation and circumstance he/she will face in this life. It isn’t that Torah was abrogated or “done away with.” Rather, it is that Christ fulfilled it for us – rendering our attempts to obey those individual commandments redundant/unnecessary. Christ fulfilled it ALL. Everything in Torah pointed to him. Torah was the shadow – Christ is the reality. We don’t need the written code, the letter, anymore. The two commandments go to the intent of the Law – love. They make its internalization and spiritualization possible. Christ said that “not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:18) He accomplished ALL of it – It is finished! And that, my friend, is why God will accept the worship of those who have accepted Christ on Saturday, Sunday, or any other day of the week! “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)

LCG Members Who Refuse To Be Teachable Will NOT Be Gods And Reign With Christ

It's time again for the weekly smackdown of LCG members. This item they are not being as teachable as they should be. Some of them do not allow the most amazing ministers the church has ever seen to teach them. After all, the LCG ministry knows best and has the answer to everything. If they are not up to it then Bwana Bob Mzungu will step up and educate them.

Are You Teachable? The Scriptures reveal that one of the important qualities that God is looking for in Christians and future leaders in His Kingdom is teachability, the desire and willingness to listen and learn. Abraham was teachable and responsive to God’s instructions (Genesis 12:1–4). Moses was a very capable leader, yet he was also humble and teachable (Numbers 12:3). David’s attitude comes through in Psalm 119:33 when he wrote, “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes.” Solomon recognized his human inadequacies when he asked God for wisdom and an “understanding heart” so he could learn to rule God’s people wisely (1 Kings 3:9). When Jesus said the meek and the poor in spirit will be blessed, He was emphasizing their teachability and willingness to learn and grow (Matthew 5:3–5). The Scriptures make it plain that when we harden our hearts to God’s instruction, we will reap serious consequences (Proverbs 28:14). We have been called to reign with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God and being teachable is one of the keys to attaining that reward. Let’s continue to strive to develop that most important quality.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

PCG: Ye are Gods and Will Help Reset the Foundations of the Earth

 

The craziness from Gerald Flurry (still missing in action) is shining forth on the recent PCG mailing list with a repost of a 2016 article written by him:

Called to Set the Earth Back on Course

In the first four verses of Psalm 82, God condemns this world for its injustices. “How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked” (verses 2-4). God expects us to look after those who can’t take care of themselves: the poor, the fatherless, the needy.

This world is filled with the opposite! “[A]ll the foundations of the earth are out of course”! (verse 5). The entire Earth is experiencing something like a massive earthquake. Its foundations have been shaken out of joint! That means it is doomed to collapse!

How will God solve this problem? “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children [or sons] of the most High” (verse 6).

How many people understand this? You are gods! The truth of the Bible is that human beings have the potential to be sons of God—to be born into the Family of God! Many other scriptures show that we will look like God the Father and Jesus Christ; we will have the same character they have. Certainly we will be of much lower rank, but nevertheless, a part of the Family of God. God is re-creating Himself in man! That is the purpose of man.

This is what Christ was trying to get across to the Jews of His day. He tried to show them their potential, what their future was, what He created man to be! Yet this message infuriated them—even though it was in their own Bible. He told them the truth, and they did not want to hear it!

This has been the story throughout man’s history: Christ has always tried to show this truth to mankind—but most people reject it. It is incredibly hard for Christ to get people deeply interested in their incredible human potential.

All the foundations of the Earth are out of course! Practically everything is being done the wrong way. Man has reached the point where he can destroy all human life! We ought to be to the point where we see that man cannot solve these problems. Only God can solve them!

God will solve these problems, and He is inviting you to help Him. God the Father and Jesus Christ want to teach you how to live—how to take care of those who are weak and to help solve the world’s problems. They are absolutely going to straighten out this off-kilter world, and they are inviting you to be part of that solution. They want you to take part in solving problems as sons who think and act like God. What a marvelous potential!

You Are Gods

Christ quoted Psalm 82:6, which says, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are [sons] of the most High.” That is what you are—all of you are sons of God! You have the potential to be begotten and born into the Family of God. God calls us sons. He never called an angel a begotten son (Hebrews 1:5-8).

When Jesus Christ spoke with the Jews, He Himself said, “You are Gods.”That same Greek word is used over 1,300 times in the New Testament to refer to God Himself. Some scholars argue that the word gods in Psalm 82 could read judges, but Christ wasn’t talking about judges—He was talking about these Jews’ potential to enter the very Family of God. He was refuting their anger over His statement that He, a man, was God. (For more information, request my free booklet John’s Gospel—The Love of God.)

We need to think about this because it is about us helping to rule the Earth and the universe!

Christ continued: “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (John 10:35-36). They were accusing Christ of committing blasphemy by saying He was God. But He was God in the flesh.He came to make it possible for us to enter the God Family.

It would be hard to find a scripture in the Bible more inspiring, uplifting and wonderful than this! It is mind-staggering—you are Gods!

God truly has given us an incredible potential. It is so wonderful, it’s almost more than the mind can comprehend!

Psalm 82 begins, “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty ….” The word God is translated from the Hebrew Elohim. Here is what Mr. Armstrong wrote about this word in Mystery of the Ages: “The Hebrew word translated ‘God’ is Elohim—a noun or a name, plural in form, but normally singular in grammatical usage. It is the same sort of a word as family, church, group—one family consisting of two or more members—one church composed of many members—one group of several persons.

“It is referring to precisely the same Persons, making up or composing the one God, as we found in John 1:1—the Word and God—and each of these two Persons is God. In other words, God is now a family of Persons composed so far of only two—God the Father and Christ the Son.”

Elohim gives you an indication of God’s ultimate plan for family! There are two Persons in that Family now, but God will expand it to include every person who has ever lived who wants it. God created family. He designed marriage to produce children—for parents to be able to, in a sense, re-create themselves by having children—in order to illustrate the reality that He is reproducing Himself! You are Gods—sons of the Most High! Your Incredible Potential—and Your Children’s

Flurry also included this statement further down in his article:

God is creating a family. Malachi 4:5-6 prophesy that God would send an end-time type of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers—just before the great and dreadful Day of the Lord. That beautiful family-building work would occur during a time when all of the foundations of the Earth are out of course! Amid this turmoil, God has little children who are turning to their fathers.

Mr. Armstrong fulfilled that role. He taught us wonderfully deep truths about the family and what it all means. He showed us how God works with His Family, protects His Family, and loves His Family—and how He will do anything to help us. 

No family in the COG movement was more fractured than Herbert Armstrong's very own family. Both of his daughters stopped attending church. Garner Ted was a philandering power-hungry man who destroyed everyone and everything he was associated with. Herbert Armstrong's legacy was one of abusive outbursts of anger, heretical doctrines, and broken marriages and families. Yep, those are qualifications for being a future god.

God Stops Satan And His Demons Brutal And Slanderous Attack Against His ONLY True Church!

It's been a hot day in California and it has apparently fried the brain of our illustrious Great Bwana Bob Mzungu to Africa and 100 Caucasians. Satan is so angry with apostate Bob that he is doing all in his power to thwart the glorious "work" of the one and only true church on earth in this evil end-time age.

Satan has taken that anger out on Bwana Bob Mzungu by having his demons write computer code to redirect visitors of Bwana Bob Mzungu's sites to various advertisements. The advertisements, according to Bwana Bob Mzungu were:

Over the past several weeks we have received occasional reports that users at the COGwriter.com website have sometimes been redirected to some type of advertisement.

So, yes, we were hit with persecution from brutal, slanderous, evil imposters who were more interested in deceit and money than in truth.

The Great Bwana Mzungu continues:

Anyway, yes, Satan’s minions did attack the COGwriter.com website. And yes, God answered our prayers about this. 

 

Bill Wedekind discovered that various files at the COGwriter.com site had been hit with malware.
Malware, short for malicious software, refers to any intrusive software developed by cybercriminals (often called hackers). As far as we have determined, the malware that hit the COGwriter.com website simply re-directed some clicks to advertisements. 

 

Jesus said:

44 … the devil, … He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44) 

 

The re-directs were lies, hence that is clearly the connection to Satan.

Bwana Bob Mzungu later says that Apostle Paul predicted computer hackers that would attack the one true church in this evil age.:

The Apostle Paul warned about our time:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, …

12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:1-4, 12-13)

That's such a load of crap that it is hysterical to read. Bwana Bob Mzungu is no more than an irritating boil on Satan's butt. To imagine himself as something grandiose and filled with so much truth that Satan is pissed off would make a great comedy routine.

Of course, this is just one more event in a long line of intense persecution that the Great Bwana Mzungu has had to deal with. This little irritating boil has never faced real persecution like millions of Christians around the world have and still do. Bwana Bob Mzungu's intense persecutions are only first-world creations of his own. Satan doesn't care any more than God does.

But, never fear, the Great Bwana Mzungu is eager to whip a frenzy up with his few followers that the time will soon be coming when his message will no longer be available. He will soon be taken off the internet and will be hit with something far worse than malware. Of course, this is all in his dreams/nightmares.

So, the Bible tells of a time that will come when the word of God will not be found. And that would seem to be because it will be taken off the internet. In the 21st century, the internet is accessed by people in every country, and thus some type of internet restriction/suspension/site removal is coming–and that will be because of something even worse than malware.

The mental challenges this guy faces on a daily basis have nothing to do with religious persecution but are happening due to mental health issues that caused him to start down this path of self-delusion and abject heresy.

 

UCG No Longer Considers Itself The Only True Church?

 

Craig White posted this on his email list the other day:

This is what Vic Kubik wrote on Facebook:

 

>On Thursday July 13, 2023 Aaron and Michelle Dean and Bev and I were invited to the Church of God Seventh Day Conference held in Covington, Kentucky this year. About 1000 people were in attendance. We had dinner with Loren Stacy, President of the Church of God Seventh Day and his wife Karen as well as elder Mike Wallace. It was a wonderful evening reminiscing about our “recent” relationship going back 30 years when first visiting the COG7 Headquarters in Denver, CO and further back to the days when Herbert Armstrong fellowshipped with them. It was good to talk about their work in training ministers and leaders in their ARTIOS Christian College with a well-developed training curriculum. We also talked about evangelism and working with Young Adults where they have been successful. COG7 has 200,000 members worldwide. Wonderful evening. At the evening worship service I met many people with whom we’ve had contact with over the years.<

 

Meanwhile, in Oregon the pastor posted this:

 

>Greetings everyone - our local congregation is hosting a COG Fellowship Picnic on August 6th, 2023. This picnic is open to all COG members. 

 

We've often quipped that "we only see one another at weddings and funerals..." and this event is specifically designed to take some meaningful steps to change that. 

 

Formal invitations have been sent out to all COG Groups within Western Oregon and Southwest Washington, and I am sharing via Facebook to hopefully catch anyone we may have missed. We completely understand if the distance or the timing doesn't work - but we wanted to make the effort. 

 

We hope you will consider attending as we would love to meet you.

 

Please RSVP to Sabrina Koester at the details on the flyer before July 30th - so that we can account for food. Burgers are provided, but please bring a side, dessert or drink to share. She will provide the address when you RSVP.

 

Looking forward to seeing you there.

 

This post is public and shareable.<

 

Similar events are planned in Spokane and California!

 

And there I was persecuted over the decades for organising conferences with other groups; visiting other groups; presenting at other groups; editing for them; and having articles published by them!

 

So, good to see this is happening. After all, UCG does not see itself as the only true church and never has. Those ministers and members promoting that UCG is the only true church or the right church, our out of line. See the attached.

 

- Craig

Will they invite Grace Communion International folk? What about former members who live in the area?

Craig also included the following in pdf form:

UCG does not consider itself the only true church

Assembled by C. M. White Version 3.0

Here are official UCG policy/statements on the subject.

In other words, members may freely visit other Church of God groups (including Feasts), befriend them and give presentations at their services. And that without penalty, harassment or stopping members from giving sermons/sermonettes/serving in UCG. Vindictiveness is not a Christian attribute.

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The UCG constitution, section 1.2.1 states:

"As defined in the Holy Scriptures, the Church is the Body of Christ and is greater and more inclusive than any corporate or associated organization established by human beings."

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Section 1.4 "United Church of God Ministers Speaking to Other Groups" (Pastor's Policy Manual):

"We do not claim that all Christians are among our fellowship, neither do we claim to be the only organization through which God may be working. UCGIA desires, therefore, to promote unity and cooperation and to share our beliefs and teachings within the broader Church of God community."

Section 1.5 is guidelines for members of other CoG groups speaking in UCG.

Section 1.10 is about how the UCG does not consider itself the only group that God is working through.

===========================

The UCG Australia’s Constitution Preamble basically mirrors the above:

“The United Church of God – Australia recognises its congregations are part of the broader community of believers called in Scripture “The Church of God”.

While in clause 3.2.3 it states that UCG-A has power

“to prescribe to, become a member of and co-operate with or amalgamate with any other company or organisation, whether incorporated or not, whos objects are similar to those of the company” (company = UCG-A)

This can only mean that the UCG-A can merge with other Church of God groups which, in accordance with the UCG,aia and the Preamble, are regarded as part of the Body of Christ.

========================

The below is from a contact of mine who knew Herbert W Armstrong. Raymond McNair and others related similarly over the years re HWA agreeing or stating that there were indeed Christians in other groups.

“About 1970 after church services I walked up to Mr HWA and asked him if there were "true Christians in [the Church of God, seventh day]." He looked at me and without hesitation or second thoughts replied affirmatively that there are. It was as if: of course there ARE, and why would you even ask.” (5 April 2021)

Note how the UCG and its President cooperating like this:

https://www.churchofgodnetwork.org/congregation-map-updated-with-specific-ucg-locations/

Why? Because we do not believe that we are the only true Church and never have. Some do, contrary to UCG teaching and belief.

However some still talk in terms of UCG as "God's Church" and while it is, their connotation is that it is the only true Church. Such a shame.

The only way we can have the right ‘checks ‘n balances’ and know exactly what the UCG teaches is for the Pastoral Manual to be online. Otherwise certain ones ignore these policies and not let us know what we really teach. Like the old WCG, certain pastors were 10x stricter than policy as we found out from other pastors or when we were able to find out the truth (eg a phone call I made to Dr Hoeh’s office in the 1980s about something). Certain pastors just don’t want us to know and what to keep us in the dark as part of their control mechanism.

As some may be aware,

at the Land Between the Lakes site hosted by CGI & CEM in western

Kentucky the UCG, for the 4th year, had someone go there [2019] from UCG to build bridges

with those organisations. Apparently, Chris Rowland from MMS went there several years ago

and Aaron Dean went one year for a little while. Kevin and Rachel Kenady have gone there for 3

years in a row. This is in addition to UCG cooperation at other sites or visits to other church of

God groups by members. The UCG has never been opposed to visiting other groups and those

trying to implement such a policy and claim that members are not in good standing because

they do, are not functioning as a UCG employee.

======================

Notice what the Intercontinental Church of God’s Constitution and Bylaws states: >ARTICLE VIII

RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHURCHES, FELLOWSHIP GROUPS, OR CORPORATE BODIES: The INTERCONTINENTAL CHURCH OF GOD is an "open arms, open door" church. Therefore, it welcomes cooperation with any other church body, insofar as such body desires. The ministry of the church shall not prohibit members of the church from attending church services with any other church, Bible study or fellowship group. However, the church will not allow guest speakers from any other churches who espouse doctrines or concepts not held by the ICG, or who engage in proselyting on behalf of any other groups. The ICG specifically welcomes the ministry and membership who are Sabbath-keepers, and who recognize their need to attend the annual Holy Days of the church, including the "Feast of Tabernacles" in the Autumn.

The INTERCONTINENTAL CHURCH OF GOD welcomes close cooperation with any independently-incorporated church groups, and does not regard an independently incorporated local church as estranged, or in competition. The ICG will not seek to bring any independently-cooperating church under its corporate documents, or under its organization or church structure. As an "open arms, open door" church, the ICG hopes that any such independently-incorporated local church will freely fellowship with the ministry and membership of the ICG; that its ministers will be invited to participate in any conferences of the ministry of the ICG; that its ministers will be invited to participate in the speaking schedule at the annual Holy Days of the church, and that its members will be welcome at any regular Sabbath service or annual Holy Day of the ICG.<

http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/constitution.php#ARTICLE_VIII

 

 

Dave Pack Ends Sermon Series - Kingdom Begins In Three Days

 

The David C. Pack Experience

 

The long, arduous journey has come to an end. During “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 458)” on July 8, 2023, Pastor General David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God officially ended the Series by declaring the Kingdom of God had to begin before Av 1. Av 1 starts at sunset on July 18, 2023.

 

The countdown timer has been running confidently on the exrcg.org landing page all week. You have about three days to get your house in order before the universe cracks open and David C. Pack is proven right. Finally. That is a day to be dreaded by all thoughtful, sane individuals on our little blue dot.

 

 

Since The Restored Church of God no longer edits David C. Pack’s messages, they let goofy things slip out the door. In their blind foolishness to “rush out” “important” messages to the members, they forgo the professionalism and polish that used to be a staple years ago.

 

This small but significant moment gives outsiders a taste of “The David C. Pack Experience.” This reveals to members across the globe what it is like to be at Headquarters in Wadsworth with an unedited Pastor General. The emperor behind the curtain is entirely naked.

Part 458 – July 8, 2023

@ 02:55 We got a problem back here. So, just a minute. Let me see. What’s wrong? Is everything okay? Okay. Maybe sit down there.

 

Dave was so distracted by "a problem" in the room he had to stop the message and address it in front of everyone. Notice how he came to the rescue by giving critical input to end the crisis.

 

He made a mountain out of a molehill, as he is oft to do. A problem in the Main Hall could be as severe as one minister kneeling at the seat of another, whispering to him, or handing him a note.

 

David C. Pack is incapable of minding his own business. Someone quietly standing at the back of the room could bring everything in The Restored Church of God to a screeching halt.

 

Brethren at the Feast of Tabernacles learn this the hard way. During Dave’s bloviating, some people with back problems need to stand for a minute. DO NOT DO THAT if Dave is at the lectern. The sight of a minister bolting from his chair to "handle" the catastrophe in the making would be humorous if it was not so bizarre.

 

When I moved to Headquarters, we had Sabbath Services at One Park Centre. During a David C. Pack sermon, a woman sitting in front of me began coughing. Surely, much like the sneezers among the brethren, she had complete control and was intentionally drawing attention away from Dave and onto herself. As she exited her chair to excuse herself, Dave stopped his sermon to comment, “Yeah, you should leave.” She looked at me and whispered, “That’s what I was trying to do.”

 

A member being disruptive while Dave speaks irks him to the nth degree. Dave could not let such an unforgivable offense go unremarked. It was a brief moment I will never forget. It speaks to what kind of man David C. Pack is.

 

The modern-day unseen, unheard “problem” in the Main Hall brought back memories. This has happened dozens of times. In years past, it would have been removed from the recording, and only the Headquarters congregation would be aware it ever happened.

 

But now you know, too. If history is our guide, someone got spanked over this.

 

 

Another “David C. Pack Experience” occurred a few minutes later as he asked for audience participation to try to guess his latest discovery.

 

His strange fidgeting and annoying mannerisms must be seen to be fully appreciated. Turn off the volume if you must, but at least watch him and endure his needlessly long pauses.

@ 12:16 The math didn’t work. What are we missing? Read it and see if you can figure out what we’re missing. It’s right there.

 

Some in the audience were not bothering to follow along. Dave did not like that.

 

@ 12:47 Don’t stare at me. Look at your Bible. We have people staring at me like they think I’m joking.

 

The chair-slouchers are so numb to the sound of his voice that they probably did not notice he was giving them real-time homework. That really does happen.

 

The people were staring at him because they were not engaged. They had no interest in reading their Bible and putting any mental effort into his pointless exercise. The staring people did not care what Dave was trying to sell. Those could be the same people who follow the website.

 

Headquarters members are not afforded the same luxury as the brethren in the field. They cannot skip Dave's messages but are forced to sit quietly and witness his nonsense in person. Nobody there wants to hear about a Bible Study after the meal blowing up another Saturday night’s plans.

 

The brethren at Headquarters have to sit upright. They have to occasionally make eye contact. They have to be mindful of the look on their faces. They have to pretend to take notes. “The David C. Pack Experience” is not all fun and games. The novelty of listening to Elijah That Prophet endlessly muse aloud, wears off quickly. Everyone in that room must be praying the Series really is over.

 

@ 13:01 I wanted to show you sometimes how the Bible can just be screaming at you, and you can't see it.Not one minister saw this. Not one member ever wrote in and said this.

 

David C. Pack and The Restored Church of Another god hirelings ignore what the Bible says. The enablers turn a blind eye to what they witness. Members writing to tell Headquarters what they see are often met with, “You think you know better than the apostle?” attitude and a stern talking-to by their local sheriff. After I was corrected by Brad Schleifer and Jeff Ambrose on the Third Floor, I stopped sending my questions to Church Administration.

 

If Dave likes a write-in, he might read it with a positive spin. But, the wrong write-in could become “a teaching moment” for the entire church. It is safer to keep your mouth shut, folks.

 

 

The slow decay of what The Restored Church of God used to be continues.

 

The sermon audio has distortion artifacts in the higher frequencies. The video is out of sync. The wide shot camera in the back is tilted, off-center, and soft-focused. The primary cameras are also blurry. The people who run the technical duties at Headquarters either lack the care or the experience to fix obvious, simple problems.

 

You could see this as further evidence of God removing His blessings from that corrupted organization. Once they ejected the True God and the True Jesus Christ to become The Restored Church of Another god, the downhill slide manifests in various ways.

 

Financial struggles and declining attendance has been matched by local disinterest. The RCG Open House had a whopping 90 people attend. The event was more beneficial for internal damage control to pacify brethren rather than effective public outreach. “See, brethren! We ARE working with the public.”

 

The RCG woes continue to mount as they receive more bitter resistance on social media.

 

Faux Evangelist Bradford G. Schleifer announced in the Wadsworth Neighbors #2 No Rules private Facebook group that he had been banned from the primary Facebook group. That means the RCG mouthpiece has been cut off from a local audience of 19,600 members.

 

God has a sense of humor and is a fan of irony. Brad received the very same unfair treatment he and RCG mete out to former members.

 

Brad’s cry of lament fell on harsh ears in the smaller, 2,900-member group. The word “cult” appears multiple times in the comments.

 

For the record, I do not agree with the decision of the moderators of the Wadsworth Neighbors group. I am all for free speech. In fact, the more RCG tries to engage the public, the tougher the pushback gets. So, let them use all the tools in their box to “finally” engage the resident of Wadsworth after sitting comfortably on the Campus for ten years. The more Brad talks, the deeper he buries himself.

 

We moved into the Hall of Administration across from Giant Eagle in May 2013. Only after Dawn Blue of How It’s Done TV on WCTV and I began shining a light on The Restored Church of God did RCG have a twinkle in their eye to engage the local residents.

 

If this was Dave, he would ask, “Do you think that is just a coincidence, brethren?”

 

 

There is no more time left. The very best information was saved for the very end. And if any of this is wrong, just point your fingers straight up. But do not take my word for it.

@ 26:37 Now, for what I believe is the greatest single discovery I've made in the almost eight years of this Series. At least per timing. I wanna tell you some things that are very, very powerful.

 

Derp. Not very powerful, after all. Tammuz 24 (July 12 at sunset) already came and went to blow up Dave’s new “God counts a year as 360 days despite what the calendar says.” Sorry, I forgot to mention: SPOILERS.

 

@ 26:50 I know there are some among us who probably don’t believe the Kingdom is near. They just don’t. And that’s just where they are. And, they’re not gonna be ready. But there are most of us, I think, will be.

 

Another color of the Brainwashing Rainbow is the “Us v. Them” approach. There are “some” among the brethren who disbelieve Dave, but “you” are not like them, brethren.

 

@ 27:02 So, those of us who are eager to see God intervene and eager for eternal life in the Kingdom, I think I can tell you the most extraordinary discovery I’ve made in the almost eight years of the Series.

 

Dave equates people who do not buy his malarkey to people who are not eager for God to bring eternal life. This is similar to the lie that people quit RCG because “This is taking too long.” This is David C. Pack’s reality presumption squeezed through the mold of narcissistic denial.

 

 

@ 31:01 Now, what follows that I’m gonna explain to you, you just couldn’t make up. Nor could I have ever seen it without God revealing it at the very end.

 

@ 31:25 That oughta have everybody fairly intrigued. There is a last message in the Series sometime. So, we got about three and three-quarter days if God wants to go 360 days. We don’t have long. We don’t have long.

 

The date Dave was referring to was Tammuz 24, which began at sunset on July 12. Even though he focused on the significance of this date, he gave himself generous portions of wiggle room by stretching the possible arrival of Jesus Christ to before Av 1 on July 19.

 

@ 36:32 …and we would not think that six days to go in some month would start the Kingdom until we eventually came to a year. And what do you know? There are 354 days, and Mr. Pack finally realized (God just put it in my mind), “Oh, 354 plus 6.” You’re still in the midst of the years. Still in the midst of the years. You’re in Tammuz, but you get exactly 360.

 

Three times, Dave credits God with the information he teaches. Information that proves to be more false as each day closes in on July 19. At first, he shows the significance of Tammuz 24 but then stretches the window further.

 

@ 40:07 I want you to turn over to perhaps one of the most stunning things, a very recent discovery. Turn over to Zechariah 7, and let's just read something. And this confused me a little bit but no more. So, let’s I wanna give you what I think is an absolute gold standard that the Kingdom has to come in the next nine-and-a-half days. And it can’t come next year…

 

David C. Pack is a prophetic weatherman. He tells you his opinions of current conditions and extrapolates what he thinks will happen in the coming days based on his private interpretation of the Bible. If a weatherman is wrong, you shrug and say, “Of course, he was wrong. He is just a weatherman.”

 

When a prophet speaks, claiming God's authority and he is wrong, he is to be disregarded.

 

 

Dave expects the best but prepares for the worst.

 

@ 1:08:55 I would tell you (I wouldn’t be able to explain this), but I would tell you, If this month comes and goes, don’t ask me if it’s gonna happen in Av…we’re gonna wait a year. I'll easily see us going to the end of the month, and God has one day.

 

Boy, oh, boy. If only there was more time. The things Dave would do.

@ 1:11:20 If we had a long wait and somehow God’s gonna do this differently… I have a robust plan. Since my job’s over. I’m gonna get back to what I did when I was 66 years old. Now, I’m pushing 75. I'm gonna get back, and I’ve got a robust plan to advance the work. Just buckle up. But you don't want that. You wanna see the Kingdom advance.

 

After Tammuz 24 passed, this is EXACTLY how I envision David C. Pack spending his days:

 

@ 1:11:49 But, I’m not gonna sit around crying in a fetal position in the corner, bawling and shaking because “It didn’t come.” That’s not the way I’m cut. Nor you. We’re the people of God. We endure.

 

He infers that some of the brethren react the way he was exaggerating. People leaving because another date failed is their way of bawling and shaking. Maybe they are tired of enduring his lies and biblical fraud. That reality does not enter his mind.

 

@ 1:12:39 Now, lemme just say again, My work in the Series is over. Like John the Baptist…this is the way I live my life ever since I saw the office God gave me. It was always “to prepare a people for the Lord.” Not to warn this world about what’s gonna happen in another announcement year. [chuckles]

 

Dave likes comparing himself to John the Baptist occasionally. John did not experience the most-ideal retirement package of his day.

 

@ 1:13:22 But, my job, like John the Baptist, you did no miracles. Who went about a year…

 

"The Greatest Untold Story!" alone has lasted for over seven years. The Elul 24 teaching began in 2012. What "about a year" he refers to will have to remain a mystery.

 

@ 1:13:44 And I’m not doing miracles, so John seemed to be, you know, an Elijah. And I’m just telling you, my his job was to prepare a people for the Lord…So, that is over.

 

God spoke directly to John the Baptist. John saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus Christ as he baptized Him. What John said came to pass. David C. Pack is NOTHING like John the Baptist.

 

 

Rest assured, "The Greatest Untold Story!" is now over because David C. Pack said it. And that man is no liar. Ahem.

 

@ 1:14:13 My job is done.

 

@ 1:14:30 I can’t come back with 359 [459], and I'm telling you, I won't. There’re no other Kingdom, there’s no little, you know, some little Thimble Kingdom or something that we built in here…it’s just silly. It’s not there.

 

The Some Little Thimble Kingdom that used to be there is now silly. Some of us realized it was silly before Dave did. He has a funny way of legitimizing his skeptics.

 

Then, a glimmer of light through the darkness.

 

@ 1:19:11 We’ve had people quit.

@ 1:28:18 We had a guy leave us the other day and went back to the Millennium. When you do that…He just stood up, blew a trumpet, and said, "I wanna get everybody's attention. We serve a lying, murderous god who's gonna slaughter billions before the Millennium." 'Cause he knows better. So, I know that there are people who will cling to this [1000]. This [1-7-1000] is right. But, I wanna just say if this exact timing is somehow wrong, I simply can’t tell you more. I can’t.

 

That description of what the man said and did is NOT literal. Dave is waxing poetic by creating a word picture to warn potential defectors. He reminds brethren that he might speak about THEM in the same way if they choose to flee when nothing happens by Thursday morning.

 

@ 1:30:32 So, Godspeed either Christ coming or a last-minute message to Laodicea that they have to decide before He does. This Series is over. That duddn’t mean I wouldn’t send a quick email about something if there were something helpful that arose. Godspeed either one that the Bible describes. Good night.

 

 

The Series is over. The greatest discovery yet. New dates for the return of Jesus Christ are presented with asterisks. Publically addressing a problem when there is none. Putting the congregation on the spot. If only he had more time. His past teaching is now silly. He is like John the Baptist. Exaggerating a member’s departure. He has nothing more he could possibly say. RCG will have to wait another year.

 

Part 458 was a well-rounded “David C. Pack Experience.”

Marc Cebrian

See: The David C. Pack Experience