Saturday, April 27, 2019


Who will God accept? The judgmental Armstrongite or the Protestant?

Who will God accept? The judgmental Armstrongite or the Protestant?

In corner number one, we have a staunch believer in the doctrines of Herbert Armstrong. In this man's life, he has attended Sabbath Services every day in his life nearly without fail. He has kept the Feast in the past 70 years in the Dells, the Poconos, Pensacola, Vail, even Pasadena. He knows every Dwight hymn by heart. He attends every Night to be remembered with the rest of the pillars of the Congregation. He takes notes of every Sabbath Service. He has read the Bible from front to back, which is marginalized with every color highlighter and marginal note you can imagine. He arrives at Church early, and is the last to leave. He is charismatic. But. His home-life is a different story. He is a bully. Argumentative. He thinks of his wife and daughters as his personal property to do with as he pleases. He will not be talked down to. He is the absolute ruler in his home, and is totally devoid of emotion. He mocks and sneers at anyone who does not worship as he does. He condemns anyone who is in "the world" as lost and of Satan. He can't stand any mention of love, or of Jesus -calling such things emotional love-love mamby-pansy religion. He believes women are to remain silent, seen, but not heard. He has a violent temper, and a mind of rage. He believes that the rule of Law is paramount in everything. He shows little mercy, and has a black-and-white mentality. He believes that the mentally ill are cursed, and avoids doctors because they are evil in his mind. He is crotchety, but assured that upon his death, he will sleep and wake as one of the very few righteous enough to be in the Holy First Resurrection. 

In corner number two, we have a typical American Protestant. She does not have much, but she starts every day with prayer and hymns, but she does love a good rock and roll song. She gets the kids off to school - and has an argument with her husband. Her mouth is not always perfect. She can drop an F-bomb at a stubbed toe like nothing flat. But under her breath, she apologizes to Jesus and says she will try to do better with great remorse. She goes to work, talks about sports or the latest TV show. Some of her jokes are coarse and dirty. But in her mind, she remembers that she is to keep her mind clean and on things that are pure and peaceable. She stops, and goes back to her cubicle. She doesn't go to church every day, but when she does she thanks God for his amazing grace and for giving his life in thanksgiving, grateful to be able to learn, grow, and try. She goes to Church on a Sunday morning - she had a bad morning, got into another fight with her husband, lost it with her arguing young children, and almost  stayed home because she was in such a bad mood. But she remembered how God moved in miraculous ways to bring her out of the crisis of her life into the shadow under His wings, and decided to go this time - but she knows she is not judged or lost her salvation if she does not go to Church (which happens alot with the pressures of parenting and in not the best marriage). When Easter comes, she thanks God for Jesus who, around that time of year, died and is risen and lives in those who believe. When Christmas comes, her mind is always on the eating and the gifts and yes, some commercialism - but she always stops to thank God for the fact he was born that she, like Him - may live. It's not a perfect life, but it's a life made perfect only through Christ who lives in her, and she never loses sight of that fact regardless of how the pious and holier-than-thous view her. She rests in the Lord, without worry of losing her salvation. 

Which one of these extreme examples do you think finds favor in God? Supporting arguments? Counterpoints?

"If YOU were sent by God to determine who shall enter HIS Kingdom - which one of these two would you trust to rule and reign with Christ and exemplify His Kingdom?"

Discuss.


submitted by SHT