Jesus, the Bible and Church of God Preachers

 

God is Greater than the Bible!

Back in 2013, Peter Enns penned a post titled God is Bigger than the Bible. It was a reaction to the growing awareness among Biblical scholars that our concepts regarding the God of the Bible have evolved over the many millennia in which people have been thinking, talking, and writing about him. Enns concluded: "Studying the Bible and Israel’s past is a regular reminder to me that my object of trust is God, not the Bible. That’s not knocking the Bible. It’s acknowledging that the Bible–even where it talks about God–is not a heavenly tablet dropped from heaven, but a relentlessly contextual collection of ancient literature that takes wisdom and patience to handle well." He went on to say that "God is bigger than the Bible–and frankly, I see Jesus in the Gospels already sounding that note when he began reshaping common views of God based on Israel’s traditions..."

Indeed, the very concept of Divine revelation implies that mankind is reliant on God in part (or in whole) for our understanding of him. In other words, our limitations in this respect are implicit in the way that the Bible informs us that God's message was imparted to humanity. Moreover, the whole notion of Divine revelation suggests that there is so much more that hasn't yet been revealed to us. Finally, the revelations which we refer to as Scripture suggest that God is greater than our ability to comprehend him, and that creation itself has much to reveal to us about his greatness and plans. Hence, there is so much more to God than what is revealed about him in the Judeo-Christian Scriptures!

This notion that God is so much greater than anything we can imagine is backed up in the pages of the Bible. Scripture informs us that God told Samuel that God doesn't see things in the superficial way that we do (I Samuel 16:7) - suggesting a much deeper insight into things than we are even capable of! Paul told the Romans that the earth and sky reveal God's hidden qualities, power, and nature (Romans 1:20). His words harkened back to what David had written in a psalm many years before that. David wrote: "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers — the moon and the stars you set in place — what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" (Psalm 8:3-4) Hence, we see in David's awe, and what Paul wrote to the saints at Rome, that God's creation has much to reveal to us about him - much more than the words in any book could ever impart to our understanding of him!

Likewise, God knows that humans understand things by comparing and contrasting them with other things (after all, God created the human mind). Hence, the question he asked of us through the prophet Isaiah is particularly meaningful in this context. We read there: "To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?" (Isaiah 46:5) In other words, God is beyond anything that we might compare him to within our reality - the realm that we inhabit. This, in turn, causes us to wonder about God's reality - the realm that he inhabits, and we remember what Solomon said about the temple which he had constructed for God. He said: "even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!" (I Kings 8:27) Indeed, this verse represents the entire theme of this blog - that God cannot be contained - NOT by a building or a book!

Indeed, when we consider what John said about his account of Christ's life, we see the absolute absurdity of the notion that any book could do complete justice to the subject of God (even one that is inspired by God). He wrote: "The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book." (John 20:30) At the conclusion of his account, John repeated that Jesus had done many other works that were not included in his account and noted that "If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25) And, finally, the notion that our present understanding of God and his will is imperfect (I Corinthians 13:9-12) suggests that God has more to reveal to us! In other words, the Bible must be regarded as imperfect and incomplete in terms of what is revealed there about God and his will.

In Isaiah, we read: "I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me." (Isaiah 45:5) Indeed, the language here harkens back to the language of God's fundamental law as outlined in the Ten Commandments. We read there: "You must not have any other god but me." (Exodus 20:3) Hence, even a book that reflects God's will and character is NOT God, and the only sensible conclusion that we can reach is that God is greater than the Bible!

Lonnie Hendrix

PCG: Doctor's...Good enough for me but not for thee as major illness hit the church

 

The Philadelphia Church of God is a dying aging church filled with people over 65. There have been a lot of reports coming out of the cult compound in Edmond that many HQ personnel, ministers, and regular church members are suffering from major illnesses.

For the everyday folk, those people are told to stay home and put their faith in some kind of god that Flurryism follows. That god will heal them from all trials and tribulations, and if it doesn't then the members need to look at it as a test of their faith.

For the Flurry clan, most of these rules do not apply. They hit up doctors whenever they want, just like Herbert Armstrong did while telling us to wait for that anointed cloth to arrive.

Brad Macdonald had this to say the other day:

At first he brought up how earlier that day they heard about how some members there locally (in Edmond) are “really struggling with some pretty major health trials.” One is Janet Dattolo (wife of Fred Dattolo–yes, that Fred, the minister whom Dan De Gennaro held responsible for the death of his daughter Janet and who also gave a sermon warning singles). Brad said Janet Dattolo is having more difficulties and pain because of her cancer. He briefly mentioned that others had the following happen: a stroke; a fall; kidney failure (John Krueger); diabetes (Andrew Locher). These were “just a few of the brethren here locally” he said. But added that he is “sure there are others out there.” And there are brethren around the world, he said, “who are experiencing similar health trials.” (No mention of how the “shun doctors ruling” is contributing to their suffering.) 

 

He quoted verses in I Corinthians and said God “uses trials and tribulations to grow our faith and develop patience and test our patience and grow us in godly character, to shape and mold us into perfect god beings.” 

 

This kind of verbiage is exactly what HWA spouted to members repeatedly while he was trotting off to doctors. This whole study made me sick because of the way members have been brainwashed since day one into not going to doctors but “trust Christ” and are now suffering much more than if they had availed themselves of one. Exit and Support Network

LCG Has To Pull Back Some From Spreading Its Gospel As Income Drops

 

There are priorities brethren but the gospel is not one of them. We appreciated that so many of you turned over your stimulus checks to us but now that that well has dried up we have to tighten our belts. Never fear though, God owns EVERYTHING and will provide for our needs! 

Since we are drawing close to Passover please humble yourselves to impress our God so that he grants us all favor.

Infrastructures in many Central and South American countries have deteriorated to the point where we are unable to send magazines and literature to our members and subscribers. To solve the problem, the Spanish Department embarked on a digital alternative, and on Monday, Mr. Cristian Orrego presented to us an update on the project. El Mundo de Mañana magazine, Viewpoints, Whiteboards, and Living Education classes will soon be available in Spanish on a new website and app. Growth in the Work continues strong, with the Tomorrow’s World magazine going to more than 578,000 subscribers. Demand for booklets, Bible Study Courses, and other materials are also remaining strong, but we may need to pull back a bit as income is not keeping pace so far in 2022. We suspect the end of government stimulus checks of the last two years, along with high inflation, is much of the reason. However, as we all know, God owns everything and can provide for our needs, so let us draw close to Him as we approach the Passover and Unleavened Bread, now only a week away.—Gerald Weston

PCG Singles Now Need To Prepare To Be Servants In The Place Of Safety

 

The lunacy that comes out of the Philadelphia Church of God has no end. Brad Mcdonald gave a Bible Study recently and part of his discussion was about the Place of Safety and how due to the aging and usually sick PCG members, they would have great difficulty in climbing up to their assigned caves once they arrive there.

He has a solution for that. PCG singles must now start training to be servants in the Place of Safety so they can assist those infirm members. They will also be there to prepare food, clean the bathrooms, plan showers and provide counseling for the distraught members. 

So where exactly are the showers, restrooms, and cooking facilities going to come into play? 

Oh, wait, due to Herbert Armstrong's work in Jordan over the years they will be so impressed by HWA and the church that the Jordanian government will bring in mess tents, portable showers, water, food, port-a-potties and a LOT of ladders.

PCG singles will be wiping the butts of the infirm PCG members, climbing ladders to bring them food, and other duties expected of personal slaves of the church.

Isn't it great being a single COG member!!!!!!!!! Such opportunities! 

Just think how amazing it will be to be able to clean  King Gerald and Lil'Stevie's caves! We all know neither of them nor their privileged wives would ever dare lift a finger to do any work in their own caves. Imagine the fun deleavening their caves for them too! Such humbling opportunities!

Brad then said he was thinking lately about the Place of Safety and the logistical needs. He talked about the thousands of caves in Petra but only about five are on ground level. (The rest were several stories high.) “Not a great place,” he said, “for the Philadelphia Church of God, which has 50% elderly people, and a good portion of us has some kind of deficiency (overweight, broken hip, etc). How are we even going to enter these caves?” (What happened to Adullam where the Place of Safety was supposedly changed to?)

So, he said, if you think about 10,000 people (the number PCG thinks are going to the Place of Safety), entering the Place of Safety in that 30 day period (the time they have to get there), and “within a few hours those individuals have to eat, go to the bathroom, going to have to shower; they are going to need counseling; and that’s just a massive logistic issue.” In that moment. he said, there is going to be a desperate need for servants. … In that moment, I think there will be a particular need for healthy servant-minded converted singles in particular. Those who are “locked in to God’s government” to help God’s people. (How many singles are going to stop right here and begin to really think about this scenario? Not necessarily about the “need for servants” at this time, but how in the world any of them are going to be able to maneuver across a desert area and get to these caves and then live in them?

But before they could even ponder this, he went on to say, “The need is only going to get stronger. You singles have your own tests, trials, and struggles.” (That’s it, move their focus to themselves now.) “But God wants us to still develop this mindset.” (I.e., mind controlled mind.) It’s easy to get “self-focused” and not think a lot about other people’s problems. He said even if you injure yourself, you are being selfish because you think about your injured toe, or whatever.He said, “Don’t just serve on your terms.” He told them that if they struggle with unhappiness, loneliness or discouragement, to think, “Whose feet can I wash?” “Who needs my help right now” “Who can I serve?” “That will bring happiness and blessings.” “Make service and sacrifice a way of life. (Sounds similar to the buzzwords “God’s way of life.”) This is how to put themselves in a position to move toward finding a mate. “It’s service constantly. Marriage is service. To serve that person every day for the rest of your life. You are preparing for marriage because you will be asked to serve even more after you are married.” (Who will serve even more? The man or the woman?)

He states: “The more of the mind of Christ we have, the more we will serve because the mind of Christ is the mind of service.” (Read: How Can I Have the Mind of Christ? from Got Questions, which shows exactly what this means and it is not what Brad is saying. In fact, you can’t even have the mind of Christ if you don’t have the Spirit of God!)

To think of others and serve them is well and good, but this study covered not only the lunacy of entering a so-called Place of Safety but encouraged them to sacrifice themselves to the point of forfeiting their own basic needs. –Bible study critiqued by AJW Exit and Support Network

Church of God Network Podcast On Former Restored Church of God Member

I have mixed emotions about this podcast, but it does illustrate how the old boy's network that runs so many of the Churches of God is irrelevant in their actions and completely out of touch with the younger members of the church. It takes the younger members of the church to start making a difference.

The podcast starts off by making a point that the Restored Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God, and Church of God Preaching the Kingdom are NOT representative of the broader Church of God community and they do not include them in the COG Network links and materials.

Her take on Dave Pack's new sermon series and failed prophecies is interesting in how he confuses everyone. This is also what started her down the path of leaving the cult.

Carisa's story is fascinating to hear.

I am interested in what your take is on this.