Commercial Break: Them Not Us

 

One of the great theological mistakes and teachings of Christian Fundamentalism and HWA/WCG in our own experience was "reading the Book of Revelation like a newspaper".  How often, as students, did we hear Roderick Meredith affirm,  "we have 3-5, 10 at the most, 20 tops" years left before Jesus comes.  Conveniently, this range of possibilities generally fits the expected lifetime of all concerned.  Gerald Waterhouse spent his entire life promoting the Book of Revelation to the churches as occurring within the boundaries of the life of HWA. When I, to his face, asked Gerald what he would think WHEN not IF, HWA would die.  He simply replied, "I'll believe it after three days and three nights". 

...and too...all these men have since died 

A book that begins with...

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

And ends with...

 20He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 

Is not talking to us today

"Digging through the pages of history of the early church fathers, citing excellent commentaries from the late 19th and early 20th century, and taking Scripture with the seriousness that any scholar should, Gentry gives overwhelming evidence that Revelation was written prior to A.D. 70 and also gives us answers into some of the mysteries such as
Who is the Beast?
What is 666?
Is the tribulation past or still to come?
as well as demonstrating that the majority of Revelation, all of the Olivet Discourse and the 70 weeks passage in Daniel was fulfilled in the destruction of the Temple by the Romans. Dr. Gentry shows that, as should always be the case, that prophecy is easier to understand after it has been fulfilled than before. If you are into any view that calls for a tribulation of any kind, should you decide to read this book, you will definitely be affected and challenge to make a change of such a view."

---------------------------------

In short, The Book of Revelation was written in or around the summer of 69 CE (65 according to this study)  and certainly BEFORE not after the Fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. It was written to encourage the Jewish Christians in harm's way under the siege of Rome on the city. Revelation is a Jewish Christian Book. The 144,000 are Jewish Christians and the "innumerable multitude" are Jewish Christians who were not as righteous as the 144,000 but to be regathered nonetheless, not of the nations as gentiles, but "out of them" as Jewish.

Rome had grown weary of militant Jews and Zealots and militant Jewish Christians and with Judea under Roman control, was not going to put up with it anymore. 

(I personally believe the Gospels and Paul's book of Romans reflect the fact that Rome had a great deal of input in the writing of the NT to pacify the militant Jewish Messiah and Jesus resulting in the Orthodox Judaism of today and a "turn the other cheek", "render unto Caesar..." and "Obey those that have rule over you (Rom. 13), pacifistic Jesus of the NT.  Vespasian may have been the "Beast" and the Apostle Paul the "False Prophet" to Jewish Christians,  but that's another story)

For a personal view of "Them not US" see:

The Second Coming-The Eternal Carrot

"But back to the original question. To whom was Jesus speaking when he said the words and to whom did he mean for it to apply? The answer is within the context, plain and simple.

"Take heed that no man deceive you." (Matt 24:4)
"...ye shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars..." (Matt 24:6)
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted..." (Matt 24:9)
"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation..." (Matt 24:15)
"But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter..." (Matt 24:20)
"Behold, I have told you before." (Matt 24:25)

The context in which Jesus spoke was his own. The "you" that he was addressing was the group he was addressing then and the group to which all these things would happen for, and soon. Jesus was telling those disciples that these things would happen in their time. Jesus made a mistake in his perceptions.

In our time, Christians read the same words and see the "ye" and "you" as "me" and "us" just as the original disciples would have. The only difference is that the disciples actually were disappointed and this generation has yet to realize their own disappointment to come.

The proof that Jesus himself meant the people he was talking to is found in the fact that the "this generation" comment is actually the tail end of a much larger, often overlooked quote taken in its entirety.

"So likewise YE when YE shall SEE ALL these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto YOU, THIS generation shall not pass, till ALL these things be fulfilled." (Matt 24:33-24 emphasis mine)

There is no reason to twist the words of Jesus to mean more than they were ever intended to mean. A scripture can never mean what it never meant. The early disciples and infant Church knew it meant them and we see the gradual deterioration of their personal confidence in the immediacy of the Second Coming promise throughout the NT.

I Thessalonians 4:15-17 "...For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout...Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air..." Meaning...some would die, but not us who tell you this. Jesus still means us.

I Corinthians 15:51,52 "...We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump..." Meaning...you will die, but we won't but it all works out...Jesus still meant us.

Romans 13:11-12 "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand..." Meaning...we had some doubts, but now we know it's almost here. Jesus still meant us.

James 5:8 "Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." Meaning...impatience was growing, hang in there. Jesus still meant us.

I John 2:18 "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." Meaning...Jesus still meant us.

I Peter 4:7 "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer."

Revelation 22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly...." Meaning...ok, it's been over 30 years, but Jesus still means us.

Obviously, every one of these quoted hopes and statements was wrong. Jesus did not return for them and to date has not returned for anyone. Paul and the early church who wrote in his name was just as wrong as the many COG prophetic types are wrong in this time. And it is based on the fact that Jesus himself was wrong which I know most Christians can never come to admit. For Paul it becomes....

" I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." Meaning...Ok, I give up, Jesus didn't mean us, or at least not me. I was wrong. 2 Timothy 4:8-9

...and at best, this will also become the reality for those alive today seeing the imminent return of Jesus in every newspaper and on every turn of the dial in this dangerous and contentious world of ours."

I'm not scoffing. Being accused of scoffing was a label for those in the early Church who were really beginning to doubt the "soon" and "shortly" of it all.  Rather than admit "Yeah, we get it", the powers that were simply blamed the "observer of reality", mocked them and said they didn't understand that "with God, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day! Duh!"  Of course, this little bit of information was not taught back in the day when it was obvious no Jesus was returning soon.

The disciples expected Jesus to return within days of his death and when they met him in Galilee, even doubted that. It's what you say to those that are becoming disillusioned but the others know that the return is still in their lifetime for sure.

Scoffers, i.e. "Noticers",  were undermining the confidence of the early followers and disciples of Jesus. An observation is not scoffing. Observations are based on the passage of millennia. It's a 2000-year-old observation. To motivate with fear, false prophetic fulfillment's of non-prophecies and imagined prophetic accuracy on topics anyone could speculate somewhat accurately about, is simply foolishness and makes the Church, in any form, look stupid and ignorant. Jesus said his generation would not pass until the Son of Man be come. He was wrong too.

Revelation is a failed first-century prophecy. The Romans won again. 

For an impressive recreation of The Fall of Jerusalem see: 

PCG: Lil'Stevie Flurry's Baptism Date Is The Gold Standard For Legitimacy Of All Other Baptisms In The COG

 

A reader here sent me this link to some of the craziness of the Philadelphia Church of God. Imagine having to find out that your baptism in the COG is not valid because you were baptized prior to Lil'Stevie Flurry's baptismal date! 

Lil'Stevie's baptismal date is one of the most significant events in the history of the Philadelphia Church of God. That is the day that Lil'Stevie completed reading Malachi's Message and studying Herbert Armstrong's writings at the now sacred location at Robbers Cave, Oklahoma. HWA College students now take an annual pilgrimage to the Robbers Cave Campground to gaze in wonder at this most sacred site.

Church Administration

International Announcement

VALID BAPTISMAL COUNSELING

Mr. Flurry prepared this announcement and has asked that it be read in all congregations this Sabbath, November 12, PRIOR to playing the sermon from headquarters.

My son, Stephen, was baptized in the Philadelphia Church of God on January 16, 1990. Prior to his baptism, he had studied Mr. Armstrong’s writings and Malachi’s Message. In my sermon at Edmond last week (November 5), I pointed to his baptismal date as a cut-off point, after which baptisms within the Laodiceans churches became invalid.

This, however, is not true in every case. I should have stated that Stephen’s baptismal date should be used only as an overall guideline for our ministers to work with in their counseling with God’s people and with prospective PCG members. In considering this subject further, I am convinced that many, if not most, people baptized outside the PCG after January 16, 1990, and who then came into the PCG in the early 1990’s, were undoubtedly counseled and baptized properly.

Today, however, it would be safe to assume that anyone baptized by a Worldwide Church of God minister would be considered invalidly baptized. In 1990, the Laodicean era was in its beginning stages. Today, the Laodicean ministry has rejected all, or most, of God’s revealed truth.

The significance of my son’s baptism on January 16, 1990—the very first baptism within the fledgling Philadelphia Church of God—is that it gives our ministers an excellent mile marker to work with in evaluating and counseling prospective members. Anyone baptized after that date by a Laodicean minister should, at the very least, be questioned more extensively about their prior baptismal counseling. Who counseled them? What did they study? Have there been fruits of repentance? And so on.

I do believe that God used my son’s baptismal date to indicate the understanding and/or attitude needed to be validly baptized into God’s Church. My son received the “early and latter rain,” as James described it—revelation given to Mr. Armstrong and to me (Malachi’s Message was the first shower to occur during the later rain). And he was submissive to God’s Word.

So anyone baptized outside the PCG, and after January 16, 1990, must have had that same kind of understanding and/or attitude to have been validly baptized. That doesn’t necessarily mean they had to read Malachi’s Message to become converted. Many may not have known Malachi’s Message even existed. But did they deeply dig into the truth revealed during the early rain? If so, and their attitude was right, and assuming they were baptized according to the specific instructions set forth in Scripture, then they were probably baptized validly. On the other hand, if they were baptized in 1991, and they prepared for their baptismal covenant by studying the WCG’s new teachings, then their baptism is not valid.

Ultimately, each case must be examined individually by God’s ministry. If any of our members have a question regarding the validity of their baptism in a Laodicean church, they should contact their local minister.

I do believe that my son’s understanding and attitude was what God wanted the ministry to focus on in the PCG when baptizing new members—the early and latter rains. Prospective members must come to understand and submit to the revelation given to Mr. Armstrong and what is now being given to the PCG through me.

Gerald Flurry

PGR . November 12, 2005 . Page 3 (Exit and Support Network)

UCG: Do Not Show Love On Valentines Day!

Forbidden in UCG on February 14 

Just when we thought Armstrongism couldn't get any crazier...

Feastgoer said...

UCG indicated in some articles several years ago that ANY act of love on February 14 = keeping valentine's Day, and thus is wrong. 

 

From Good News Jan-Feb 2014: "What about showing love on Valentine's Day if I'm not doing it for pagan reasons? Isn't that okay? No, because the expression of that kind of 'love' is still rooted in a former pagan holiday." 

 

In other words, don't love God on Feb. 14. Don't love His Law that day. 

 

Loving evil.... well, it appears that's wrong, too. It's still love, right? 

 

So what's a human to do?

 

Power and Malignant Narcissism In Today's COG Leadership

 

An LCG source sent me a link to an article on Frank Viola's Beyond Evangelical blog, The Danger of God's Power.

Where Power Is Safe 

 

God never gives His power to you or me to wield as individuals. He gives His power to the bride of Christ, the ekklesia. 

 

Whenever I see men wielding God’s power as isolated individuals, I immediately see imminent destruction. The power of God on an individual will destroy him. It’s safe only when that person remains properly connected to other members of the body. 

 

In every case I can think of when an individual abused God’s power, that person was disconnected from the body of Christ. Yes, they may have attended church services. In fact, they may have even regularly preached in them. 

 

But that’s not the same as having a living experience of the body of Christ, where close-knit relationships are forged and members temper one another. 

 

I’m also impressed that Jesus didn’t try to gain fame through His signs and wonders. Have you ever noticed that the Lord never made a production out of healing the sick? 

 

When Jesus performed a healing, He virtually always told that person not to tell anyone.[iii] We see a certain modesty in Christ whenever He exercised His power. 

 

God’s power is available to accomplish His will, but it’s so easy to corrupt, pervert, and make cheap and common. 

 

But wait, it gets even worse. 

 

Malignant Narcissism 

 

Spiritual power causes some people, perhaps many, to believe they can handle everything on their own. These befuddled souls are marked by titanic arrogance mixed with paranoia. They are erratic narcissists and serial liars who have an unwarranted confidence in their own sagacity. 

 

They are rude, crude, insensitive, judgmental, and as crooked as a dog’s hind leg. 

 

They are also prone to violate Proverbs 27:2, regularly lathering themselves up with praise.
In some twisted way, they believe they have a right to such self-indulgence because they carry God’s anointing. 

 

The same thing happens when individuals acquire political power. Many of them turn into insufferable human beings. Privilege has a toxic influence on most humans. 

 

How ironic that those gifted with God’s power slip into the same temptations. Unfortunately, malignant narcissism abounds in both the political and religious worlds. 

 

But a major fall awaits such people. They will move from a powerful place to a place of deep weakness. This is God’s generous grace, because power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), and only the weak and poor in spirit can heal the broken and needy. 

 

It was said of Jesus that He would not break a bruised reed nor snuff out a smoldering wick (Matthew 12:20). In the ancient world, smoldering wicks signaled that they should be extinguished and replaced with new ones. 

 

Bruised reeds couldn’t measure accurately, so they too had to be discarded and replaced.
Strikingly, Jesus didn’t discard or replace the damaged, the weak, and the broken. 

 

He healed them. 

 

As the One gentle and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29), our Lord consistently helped the least, the lost, and the lowest. 

 

By contrast, those who take God’s power for granted not only discard the broken; they run over them. 

 

With weakness comes the power to heal the weak. Without weakness, God’s power becomes a dangerous thing. So be careful.

Read the complete article here: The Danger of God’s Power by Frank Viola

Hunt and Peck. Cobble and Prooftext: Bob Thiel Warns the World on the Dangers of Valentine's Day...badly

 

Bob seems oblivious to the obnoxious and this absolutely horribly produced and presented screed on the horrors of observing Valentine's Day. Of course, we would expect this just as we would expect "God Hates Football" that will precede the Super Bowl.  Would it ever cross his mind to review it and conclude, "No, that sucks. Let me try again"

God forbid, well evidently He does, expressing love, appreciation, and emotions towards those one actually loves. He loves to be worshipped, praised, prayed to, obeyed, and paid, but a day He didn't think up expressing love towards those loved, and not Himself, not so much.

Pagan religion is more real, fondly memorable, and very much more fun

Bob's God needs to lighten up...

And too...someone needs to explain to Bob the Babylonian, Sumerian, Assyrian and Canaanite origins of the Hebrew spun Old Testament practices and beliefs he carries over into his version of Jewish Christianity. Judaism and the God of the Old Testament did not spring from the vacuum of itself no matter how the tales are told.