"I awakened considerably impressed with the dream. Was God revealing to me that TOO MANY within the Church membership are leaving GOD out of the picture? -- in their own minds putting GOD out of the Church? Do they think that the kind of men the people would vote for ought to be made the LEADERS in the Church? -- that the people should say to GOD, 'This is OUR Church, God, we want you to GET OUT of the Church and leave us alone. WE will run this Church OUR way!' I awakened impressed that TOO MANY of our people are LEAVING GOD AND CHRIST OUT OF HIS CHURCH, and trying to make it OUR Church -- the church of the PEOPLE, and NOT the CHURCH of GOD!"

"[In the 70s there] were at least six or seven in TOP offices next to Christ's apostle in authority -- men trusted and honored. But they were going to make it 'THE CHURCH OF PEOPLE,' instead of the CHURCH OF GOD. They could not see God nor Christ in their mental picture of God's Church. They were LIBERALS!"

"Now churches or works OF THEIR OWN have been started. But they overlook one thing: 'EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, THEY LABOUR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT.'"

"GOD is not building their houses!"

This booklet may be freely reproduced. It is recommended it be reproduced in whole, not in part. Please use wisdom in its distribution. Please do not send this material to anyone who does not say they want it, but it is hoped you will freely duplicate it for those who do.

FOREWORD 5

PROLOGUE BY HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG 6

THE PRINCIPLE OF GOD'S GOVERNMENT IS ALWAYS FROM THE TOP DOWN 7

TRUE CHRISTIANS ARE IN TRAINING FOR POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY IN GOD'S GOVERNMENT 10

CHRIST BUILT HIS CHURCH AND ORGANIZED ITS GOVERNMENT FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF DOING THE WORK 11

THE CHURCH'S TRUE "WORK" IS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF THE COMING KINGDOM OF GOD -- NOT A NEW MESSAGE FROM A MAN OR AN ANGEL 14

THE "WORK" IS NOT OVER AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT GOD'S PEOPLE HAVE THEIR WHOLE HEARTS IN IT 15

SATAN IS THE REAL ENEMY WHO HATES AND HINDERS THE TRUE WORK OF GOD 21

THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD ON EARTH CAN BE OVERTHROWN BY SATAN WHEN THE LEADING ADMINISTRATOR REBELS 22

THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN PROPHESIED TO PERSECUTE SMYRNA AND PHILADELPHIA 26

THE FALLING AWAY IS A DEPARTURE FROM TRUTH NOT A DEPARTURE FROM AN ORGANIZATION 27

SATAN IS THE TRINITY GOD AND GOD'S PEOPLE WILL FLEE FROM ANY MINISTER WHO PREACHES THIS OTHER GOD THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN 28

MR. ARMSTRONG AND MR. MEREDITH NEVER TAUGHT AN IDOLATROUS VIEW OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT 30

THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION WAS FATALLY FLAWED IN THAT THE REFORMERS EXCHANGED HIERARCHY FOR DEMOCRACY 31

THE DREAM HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG HAD ABOUT MEN TRYING TO CONVINCE THE CHURCH OF GOD TO ACCEPT DEMOCRATIC CHURCH GOVERNMENT 33

GOVERNMENT, UNITY, AND DIVISION 34

DOCTRINAL COMPROMISE 37

"YES-MEN" 39

DISOBEYING GOD BY NOT DISFELLOWSHIPPING THOSE WHO CAUSE DOCTRINAL DIVISION 40

MR. ARMSTRONG WAS ACCUSED OF BEING A "CONTROLLER" 44

PERSONALITIES VS FRUITS 47

A BIBLICAL COUNCIL OF ELDERS 49

THE GLOBAL CHURCH OF GOD IS COMMITTED TO REVIVING THE TRUE WORK, RESTORING AND PRESERVING TRUE DOCTRINE, AND ADMINISTERING TRUE CHURCH GOVERNMENT 51

A LUKEWARM OR LAODICEAN SPIRIT PRODUCES DOCTRINAL LIBERALISM AND LETHARGY ABOUT DOING THE WORK 54

LAODICEA AND DEMOCRACY 57

THE LAODICEANS ARE HEADED FOR THE GREAT TRIBULATION 58

THE RESPONSIBILITY TO WARN THOSE HEADED FOR THE GREAT TRIBULATION 59

This is a companion booklet to my previously released book "Except There Come a Falling Away." The idea for its creation was born during many conversations with people who were interested in what Mr. Armstrong taught regarding true Biblical government and the importance of doing the true Work. I intensively researched these two topics and found that they are inextricably bound together. You simply cannot have one without the other. Mr. Armstrong explains why in the many quotes included herein.

I discovered that there were also many other related issues which Mr. Armstrong once addressed in the direct way that only he could. These are all found in the Table of Contents on the previous pages. These same issues are once again issues today. For those who respect what Mr. Armstrong taught and are sincerely attempting to return to all of the Truth as he taught it and as it can still be proven from the Bible, it is hoped that this booklet will be helpful. The many who have chosen the 18 Truths as the place to start may wish to note that the 18 Truths themselves start (number 1) with the truth about Church government.

I expect two clear and opposite reactions to this booklet. I know from experience that I will be severely attacked by some simply because I am willing to record what Mr. Armstrong said on vitally important issues and questions. Others will view it (and rightly so) as merely an attempt to reflect what we all once believed -- not as an attempt to indict other groups. The current issues facing God's people are herein addressed -- not by me, but by Mr. Armstrong. I hope very few will choose to challenge or attack him. There are no editor's notes in this booklet, purely because we must all "examine ourselves whether we be in the faith" (II Cor. 13:5) and have the courage and spiritual savvy to draw our own conclusions.

David C. Pack

"When the PURPOSE of assembling in a local group departs from God's purpose -- when the method of conducting the local assembly departs from the Bible instructions and example, members often are driven away from God and into loss of eternal life!

"For the safety and welfare of all, I must speak plainly and candidly. God commands His true ministers: 'Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality' (I Tim. 5:20-21).

"Some, who have attended a local congregation of God's Church for years, have gradually succumbed to the influence of Satan and the pull of the flesh, until they have come to look on the purpose and function of the local church something like this (and I summarize their unscriptural view as a warning to ALL!):

"'We just want to have peace,' they protest, justifying their departure from the BIBLE ways. 'We just want to attend church every Sabbath, and enjoy the fellowship, without having any preacher lambast us, or tell us what's wrong with us, or use the Scriptures to hit at us. We want a pastor who will show LOVE toward us, by letting us do as we please, and as each of us sees it for himself. We don't want a pastor to use the Bible to strike out at us, and tell us we're wrong, and make us feel uncomfortable.'

"'And another thing,' this attitude continues, 'we want to have the "say-so" in what we do, and how our services are conducted. We don't want any part in what our pastor calls "God's work" -- that's just his own personal work, and we're not interested, and we don't want to hear about it -- we want no part in it. We don't care anything about going into all the world and proclaiming the Gospel...'

"Rather astonishing, isn't it, that people who have heard God's TRUTH preached for many years -- people who at first accepted it in the love of God, professed it, started out practicing it -- should, through the years, fall away from the truth, reject new truth as it is uncovered, begin to embrace false doctrines and errors, and finally come to such an attitude as above quoted?

"But I assure you, my brethren, that such has happened! I do not here accuse any individual. I say to those concerned, look down deep into your own hearts! If the shoes fits, either put it on and wear it -- INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE, TO BE BURNED! -- or else REPENT before it is everlastingly TOO LATE! But to those who do not share this degenerated carnal attitude, I say, 'I don't mean you!'"

"Today some in the Church of God do not UNDERSTAND just what the Church of God really IS! Some have become confused as to whether there is ORGANIZATION or government in it -- and I mean in GOD'S OWN CHURCH! And God HAS ONLY ONE CHURCH! (I Cor. 12:12, 13.) But we of 'the wise' shall understand! That understanding shall be made PLAIN in this letter."

"Many times I have told you, dear Brethren, that when God first called me, beginning in the autumn of 1926, that the living Christ brought me into His truth a step at a time. YOU have not had to learn the truth so slowly -- Christ used me to do it for you. And one of the very last truths He opened to me was that of CHURCH ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT!"

"Brethren, I have felt it necessary that you should know and understand these things, so you may realize WHY I did not yet fully understand the truth regarding church government and organization, in February, 1939 -- MORE THAN 35 YEARS AGO -- when I wrote an article on church organization.

"There had been much confusion and argument among the 'Sardis' brethren about church organization. When the new so-called 'Bible Form of Church Organization' was introduced at Salem, naturally the Stanberry people argued against it. I think we all became confused on the question. It's like being too close to one tree to see the forest... In both of those -- Stanberry and Salem -- the people voted -- government from the bottom like these dissenters today."

"We published an article revealing new truth about church organization in The GOOD NEWS, November, 1952, and again in August, 1953, 'GOVERNMENT in Our Church,' and in November, 1953, 'JUDGING and DISCIPLINE in God's Church.' As God revealed truth, His Church accepted it. And long since, we came into the FULL TRUTH on church organization and government."

"Notice, now, the FORM, or PRINCIPLE of God's government in ancient Israel: It's given in Exodus 18:13-29."

"Here is government FROM THE TOP (GOD) on down. Here is God's own PYRAMID principle of government in ancient Israel.

"At that time the whole NATION -- with church and state united -- occupied one concise area. The form of organization could be administered by ONE MAN under God, at the top. It was Government from GOD. Under the Eternal God in authority was Moses. Under Moses a NUMBER of rulers, each over THOUSANDS (it could have been several thousands under each ruler). Under each ruler of a thousand, rulers over hundreds. Under each ruler of a hundred, rulers of fifties, and under each of them rulers of tens.

"It was RULE FROM THE TOP DOWN -- that is, FROM GOD -- it was the GOVERNMENT OF GOD! God chose Moses. Moses chose rulers of thousands, and so on down."

"In the days of Samuel, the people of Israel rejected GOD as their real Ruler, ruling through such humans as HE chose, as at that time, God was ruling through Samuel. They demanded a MAN to be their king. God gave them Saul, who rebelled against God. Then God gave them David, a man after His own heart. Still it was government FROM THE TOP DOWN!

"That is God's PRINCIPLE OF GOVERNMENT. It's the SAME TODAY in His Church! He says, 'I CHANGE NOT!' (Mal. 3:6.)"

"As we progress through the Bible on the question of GOVERNMENT, the PRINCIPLE of government, from the TOP DOWN, is consistent. But the application, or details of STRUCTURE differs, and varies to adapt to the time, conditions and facilities. The revolters from God's Work confuse structural form with PRINCIPLE of government, which is ALWAYS from the TOP (GOD) down. They are NOT THE SAME.

"In the Old Testament, God chose ONE (Moses, Samuel, Saul, David, etc.) at a time, UNDER GOD, because Israel was ONE nation in ONE location or area. ONE at the top of the human level, under God, with others under him, was all that was required to administer the PRINCIPLE of government FROM THE TOP DOWN.

"But in the first century of the Gospel Work in the New Testament, God was sending the Gospel into MANY COUNTRIES, over wide areas. So He organized His Work into TWO principal divisions, or areas -- ISRAEL and GENTILES. They were widely separated geographically. Communication was virtually nil, except by personal contact. Transportation was by foot, horse or muleback, or by camel or elephant, or sailboat. If Peter were the sole human head under Christ, it might take him weeks to communicate with the man next under him in Rome, if he were in Jerusalem. So God worked directly with TWO in separated areas."

"With such communication and transportation facilities available today, Christ requires only ONE, once again, directly under him. Several times I have questioned whether Christ would ordain one or several more apostles, but always on counseling with evangelists, their response has been a decisive and absolute 'NO.'"

"...the GOVERNMENT OF GOD...[is] organized from the TOP DOWN."

"Now let's look into New Testament teaching to see how this is POSITIVELY REVEALED.

"I quoted from Galatians 2:7-8 about how Paul was assigned by Christ to head THE WORK to the Gentiles.

"Now notice Titus 1:4-5 and 2:15 -- Paul wrote to Titus (UNDER PAUL), 'To Titus, mine own son after the common faith (even as those under me in THE WORK today, are MY own sons, directly or indirectly, in the Lord), ...from God the Father (first in rank) and the Lord Jesus Christ (second in rank) our Savior. For this cause left I (next in rank -- to Gentiles -- under Christ) thee (under Paul's authority in the Work) in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders (under Titus who is under Paul, who is under Christ) in every city as I had appointed thee.'

"No authority in the Church? What did God MEAN when He says in His Word, 'OBEY them that have the RULE over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account (as I know I shall) that they may do it with JOY, and not with grief: for that (causing those over you grief) is unprofitable for YOU. Pray for us (THOSE OF US GOD HAS SET IN AUTHORITY TODAY) for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things, willing to live honestly' (Heb. 13:17-18).

"No government in God's Church? Then WHY did God inspire this to the Thessalonians? 'And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are OVER YOU in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves' (I Thes. 5:12-13).

"One of the things SATAN works overtime in injecting into any mind that will let it enter, is RESENTMENT OF AUTHORITY. GOD'S authority is administered in LOVE -- and actually as one SERVING those under His authority for THEIR GOOD and out of loving CONCERN for them. That is the way I try to use what authority God has delegated to me, and I try to teach those under me to use it in the same manner -- as a servant, not one lording it over those under him -- as JESUS gave us an example. Satan DESPISES government, except as HE himself harshly and in hate employs it.

"But what does God say about DESPISING GOVERNMENT?

"'But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and DESPISE GOVERNMENT. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption' (II Peter 2:10-12).

"Brethren, THAT'S GOD'S WORD, not mine!

"Now notice I Corinthians 12: In this chapter God is showing that in THE WORK of the Church -- proclaiming the Gospel to the world, and feeding the flock, there are different ADMINISTRATIONS, different OPERATIONS, in the Church, and for these, God has given various spiritual GIFTS, or empowerments, by His Holy Spirit."

"So in the Church, God has set differences of ADMINISTRATIONS. For example, we have today the Division of Church Administration (CAD), or, Executive Administration over minister and churches. There is the Educational Administration, or Executive direction over the Colleges and Imperial Schools. There is Publishing Administration, Broadcast Administration over radio and TV, etc. This of necessity requires organization. The exact pattern or STRUCTURE may vary according to conditions, needs, etc., but the PRINCIPLE of the organization MUST BE THAT OF GOD'S GOVERNMENT, for the TOP, God, then Christ, on down, as CHRIST has directed and chosen."

"The very fact that God has endowed different members in His Church with additional spiritual gifts, added to their own natural talents and abilities, in itself shows emphatically that there is definite ORGANIZATION in His Church, and that the ORGANIZATION must flow from a chain of authority, according to the PRINCIPLE which GOD (our legislative branch), has set -- that is, AUTHORITY FROM THE TOP DOWN. That is the PRINCIPLE. The OPERATIONS refers to functioning according to the practical application of the PRINCIPLE of government given us by GOD.

"The ADMINISTRATIONS in the Church refers to executive performance and managerial responsibilities, NOT to policy-making. In other words, adapting the method of functioning, according to the PRINCIPLE which GOD (the Policy Maker and Law Giver), not we, has laid down."

"Now WHAT is this chapter (I Corinthians 12) showing? That the Church is ONE -- and ONE ONLY -- and has many members. That there are different Administrations and different operations (verses 5-6). That there are different spiritual GIFTS (but ONE SPIRIT -- verses 4, 7-11). Christ is the Head of the Church, called 'the Body of Christ,' having many members for many functions. To show many functions, it is compared to the human body (verses 12-26). Then, we read of the respective offices in rank (verses 27-30).

"So, as to RANK of offices of executive administration, and operational functions, 'And GOD hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues (languages)' (I Cor. 12:28).

"Notice now! GOD says -- the Holy WORD OF GOD says: 'And GOD set some in the church, first, apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers...' That's what GOD says. But [a] leader of the theology of the dissenters from God's Church says, 'BUT I THINK it is far better to call these titles, rather than ranks.' He THINKS his way around the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, and the AUTHORITY which CHRIST has delegated.

"GOD SAYS, first, secondly, thirdly. But HE THINKS his way around GOD'S WORD! Brethren, GOD'S Church dares not handle the Word of God so carelessly, so deceptively."

"In the world of the unconverted, those in authority do exercise lordship over those under them. Christ said it should NOT be so with us. But He did not in so saying abolish all authority or rulership. He PUT RULERSHIP in His Church. He DELEGATED authority. What He was teaching His future apostles, is that we in GOD'S GOVERNMENT should NOT bear rule IN THE SAME HARSH AND UNLOVING MANNER as the unconverted in the world.

"Let's get this point CLEAR. It's basic. Misunderstanding at this point has caused some to leave God's Church, and perhaps even God's salvation and gift of eternal life!

"Notice what Jesus taught...[in] Mark 10:24: '...ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them...but so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, ...' But no one can say Jesus had no authority.

"Years ago, seeing this, and not considering the many, MANY Scriptures charging some in the Church with authority, rulership, saying to 'rebuke' the unruly, etc., I took the above scriptures to mean there is no authority in the Church. I did not want to exercise authority. I was still NEW in God's truth (this was over 40 years ago). So, in the early days of the parent Church of the Philadelphia era, at Eugene, Oregon, I allowed 'wolves in sheeps' clothing' to come in and sow the seeds of discord among brethren. It resulted in splitting the church in two -- possibly turning half my flock onto the way that leads into a lake of fire! God had His own way of REBUKING ME SOUNDLY, making me see this in its true light. Jesus here is talking about THE MANNER in which the authority Christ delegates is used. He is NOT saying there is NO AUTHORITY."

"...in the same speech where Jesus taught against 'lording it over' those under one's authority [Luke 22], He delegated to them authority of KINGSHIP, sitting on twelve thrones.

"I have had to correct some under me in God's Work on this very point -- the manner in which authority was used. Those of us in God's Church are not YET perfect. We must OVERCOME and GROW in grace. But the remedy is not to take all authority which Christ has delegated OUT of the Church, but to learn to administer it IN THE MANNER Christ has taught."

"The parallel instruction on the RANK of authority in the Church is Ephesians 4, beginning with verse 11: 'And he (Christ) gave some, ...' The RSV translates it more clearly: 'And His gifts were that some should be apostles,' etc. Continue, 'some prophets, and some evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for THE WORK of the ministry (proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the world), for the edifying of the body of Christ...'"

"God has ONLY ONE CHURCH on earth, which He directs in the doing of His Work -- not TWO churches -- not MANY denominations and sects, and 'groups.' 'But now are they many members, YET BUT ONE BODY' (I Cor. 12:20 -- see also v. 12, 13). 'For by one Spirit are we all (not part of us) baptized into ONE body.'"

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 2 May 1974.

"God's people are in the time of final trying and testing -- like taking final exams to determine whether we graduate."

"Brethren, CAN YOUR MIND COMPREHEND THE TRANSCENDENT MAGNITUDE OF [GOD'S] SUPREME PURPOSE? The entire UNIVERSE to be put UNDER SUBJECTION to you? That means you are to RULE over it all -- IF you are submissive, obedient to God and His government over you NOW!

"Do you want to let resentment against God's government over you NOW disqualify you -- snatch you from God's GRACE and PURPOSE for you, and cast you into a lake of fire? God's PURPOSE for us is SO GREAT, we need to FEAR lest SATAN divert our minds from that GOAL! Satan is subtle!

"Just WHAT IS GOD? He is CREATOR! But He maintains -- preserves -- what He creates. HOW? By His GOVERNMENT -- the GOVERNMENT OF GOD!"

"God's overall PURPOSE in creating and putting man on earth, therefore, was DUAL:

"1) The RESTORATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD upon earth.

"2) To REPRODUCE HIMSELF, and thus produce an unlimited number of beings, begotten and BORN of God into GOD'S OWN DIVINE FAMILY having developed PERFECT HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER, that WILL NOT, and shall have so SET THEMSELVES that they CANNOT SIN (I John 3:9). That is the only guarantee that the Creator GOD may perfectly PRESERVE that which HE designs and creates."

"Brethren, we in God's Church are being trained and prepared, NOW, to RULE in the Kingdom of God during the millennium. What KIND (principle) of government are we being trained to administer?

"At that time, beginning with Christ's coming and the resurrection, Christ will be KING of kings over ALL NATIONS (Rev. 19:16). Directly under Christ, over Israel -- that is all the nations springing from the twelve tribes of Israel -- will be the resurrected David...(Jeremiah 30:8-9)...(Ezekiel 37:22-25)...(Ezekiel 34:23). Of course, also under Christ will be others over the Gentile nations, but God has not revealed who specifically. But, UNDER DAVID, God does tell us who shall rule those of each of the twelve tribes...(Matthew 19:28)."

"Turn to Luke 19, beginning with verse 11. Jesus gave a parable to His disciples [which showed that His servants would receive authority over cities at the]... second coming of Christ to RULE all nations..."

"Later, from heaven Jesus said: 'He that overcometh, and keepeth my WORKS unto the end, to him will I give POWER over the nations, and he shall RULE THEM with a rod of iron' (Rev. 2:26-27). And, again, 'To him that overcometh (grows in SPIRITUAL CHARACTER) will I grant to sit with me in my throne (in Jerusalem), even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in my Father's throne' (Rev. 3:21).

"Brethren, we are IN TRAINING, NOW, for...RULE in the KINGDOM OF GOD. And what PRINCIPLE of government? From the TOP DOWN. From GOD -- it is HIS Government -- the GOVERNMENT of God the Father. Under Him is Christ. Under Christ, over ISRAEL will be the resurrected DAVID. Under David, each over one of the twelve tribes, the TWELVE ORIGINAL APOSTLES. Under each of them, rulers over CITIES.

"DEMOCRACY, from the bottom up -- every man doing what seems right IN HIS OWN EYES, would never prepare you to REIGN with Christ then. THINK, Brethren, what it would mean if you should REBEL against God's Government as HE has placed it in HIS CHURCH NOW, and follow the dissenters OUT of God's Church, into what unauthorized humans have ASSOCIATED THEMSELVES into -- an 'ASSOCIATED CHURCH.' I should demand PROOF that such is of GOD. There is NO EVIDENCE. It is of MEN -- disloyal, selfish men -- swayed and deceived by Satan!"

"Dear Brethren, I feel like writing to you as the Apostle John did, as 'my little children,' (I John 2:1) -- for, directly or indirectly, you are my sons and daughters in the Lord -- or of the Work which Christ raised up through me. We are right now in the time of FINAL EXAMS -- of severe trying and testing -- to determine whether we shall make it into God's Kingdom and eternal life -- to be a priest or king, ruling under Christ for a thousand years -- and after that, the WHOLE UNIVERSE under our feet! The future before us is so transcendently ENORMOUS we cannot now fully conceive of it."

"Let's not fail in these final exams."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 2 May 1974.

"This is most URGENT and IMPORTANT."

"I have said before that Satan was attacking the Work of the living GOD, and that he would attack again. Now suddenly he is pulling out ALL STOPS in an effort to DESTROY God's Work."

"Satan HATES God's Church. He hates and seeks every way to DESTROY God's great WORK -- proclaiming the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD in all the world as a witness to all nations.

"Brethren, GOD'S WORK is the REASON for the very GROWTH OF, and EXISTENCE of God's Church!"

"It seems incredible -- unbelievable!! -- but some of these ministers have allowed themselves to be blinded to the ONE BIG MISSION of God's Church -- to the TRUTH -- to the FACTS, and to start denouncing in scathing and bitter tones, the very WORK, and chosen Ministers, of God.

"They began by 'questioning' this, that, and the other doctrine, finally exposing their REAL intent and purpose, questioning the doctrine of TITHING, and saying the tithes ought not to go for the GOSPEL WORK from Headquarters, but the tithes should stay in the local churches where, of course, it could go into their own pockets."

"Brethren, this letter is going to have to be long. I want you to have ALL the facts -- because the very life of GOD'S WORK is now being attacked with diabolical intent to DESTROY THE WORK!

"It is of VITAL importance that you read my letter on WHY God put you in His Church NOW, instead of later when He will offer salvation to the whole world."

"The REAL ISSUE is whether the COMMISSION the living Christ has been carrying out through me and HIS CHURCH, of which HE is the living Head, should be carried on -- or whether it should be abandoned, and your local churches become autonomous -- self-governed by the local ministers, independent of any Headquarters where GOD'S WORK is directed and carried on. This means the local churches would be precisely like the Baptist churches in organizational structure and government. That concept is TOTALLY UNSCRIPTURAL. God's Church is now established GOD'S WAY -- the BIBLE WAY, under the biblical pattern, which Jesus Christ the living Head, under God the Father, and next under Christ those on earth He Himself has called and chosen, and through whom He raised up this Church, and USED IT TO CARRY ON HIS WORK FOR THIS ENDTIME as covered in the prophecy for OUR TIME in Matthew 24:14. GOD'S Church is organized the BIBLE WAY as directed in the Bible -- through those HE has chosen and set in the various offices to get HIS WORK done."

"Those now advocating this Scriptural HERESY want to abolish all authority which Christ as our Head SET in His Church. Their contentions would lead to VOTING -- the 'democratic way' -- the very OPPOSITE of God's Way. They want to be 'LIBERAL,' and soon this liberality would lead into general and widespread SIN. They would become just a few more churches OF THIS WORLD -- Satan's world.

"Yes, SATAN is the real author of this rebellion against God's WORK."

"Some ministers [are] getting confused between this world's politics in the American 'democratic' system, and THE WAYS OF GOD..."

"These dissenting ministers want to desert God's authority and ASSUME IT THEMSELVES. In other words they want 'DEMOCRACY,' VOTING which is TOTALLY un-scriptural. They want to be part of THIS world -- Satan's world. They want to be autonomous in government -- INDEPENDENT of God's HEADQUARTERS.

"This would DESTROY THE GREAT WORK OF GOD! This would put an END to the GREAT COMMISSION for our time -- PREACH THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM IN ALL THE WORLD FOR A WITNESS UNTO ALL NATIONS, as we are now doing.

"Why, dear Brethren, THAT is the VERY REASON for the Church.

"Suppose we have local churches, all INDEPENDENT. We just ABOLISH THE WORK! Each local church, in time, could build its own local church building -- BUT THE GOSPEL WOULD STOP GOING TO THE WORLD!"

"The TITHES, of course, would not come to Headquarters to be used in the WORK! Where would they GO? To each local minister? What will the minister do with the money?"

"What they REALLY advocate and will try to draw some of YOU into, is simply THIS: DESTROY THE WORK OF GOD! Let the flock spend ALL its tithes on themselves, or, let the local minister spend it all on HIMSELF, any way HE wishes to allocate it!

"SURELY, dear Brethren, God's dear sheep are not stupid enough to be 'taken in' by disloyal, greedy, SELF-serving, rebellious local ministers who are rebelling against GOD..."

"Brethren, I ask you to FOLLOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST -- follow HIS CHURCH, not some split-off by rebellious, bitter, greedy MEN!"

"This thing is of SATAN, and that's where I really place the guilt, rather than on these deceived men now allowing Satan to turn them the wrong way. Let's PRAY for them, that their eyes may be opened."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 25 February 1974.

"Too many of us have been getting our eyes OFF the main GOAL -- OF God's PURPOSE for us in our time, NOW. In order to DESTROY GOD'S WORK -- to get our eyes off it -- false 'ISSUES' have been raised -- QUESTIONS designed to cause DOUBTS in your minds, to destroy FAITH -- have been raised. Subtle, clever, deceptive methods have been used to detract us from and cause us to neglect God's REAL PURPOSE for us today! We must immediately get back to THAT PURPOSE!"

"Jesus came as a Messenger bringing from God the most important Message ever announced to mankind. This Message was NEWS -- the GOOD NEWS that the KINGDOM OF GOD would be restored to the earth, and already, even then, was AT HAND for those who would accept it and its KING, Jesus."

"And since the CHURCH OF GOD is to BECOME the KINGDOM OF GOD, it is now, 1) a spiritual organism, in which each begotten child of God has a personal contact, through Christ, in prayer and in fellowship, with the Father of the Family of which each of us is a begotten child. And in order to carry out the Divine Great Commission, 2) an ORGANIZATION, organized with the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, to carry on what we customarily refer to as the WORK OF GOD."

"Now notice I Corinthians 12: In this chapter God is showing that in THE WORK of the Church -- proclaiming the Gospel to the world, and feeding the flock, there are different ADMINISTRATIONS, different OPERATIONS, in the Church, and for these, God has given various spiritual GIFTS, or empowerments, by His Holy Spirit."

"So in the Church, God has set differences of ADMINISTRATIONS. For example, we have today the Division of Church Administration (CAD), or, Executive Administration over minister and churches. There is the Educational Administration, or Executive direction over the Colleges and Imperial Schools. There is Publishing Administration, Broadcast Administration over radio and TV, etc. This of necessity requires organization. The exact pattern or STRUCTURE may vary according to conditions, needs, etc., but the PRINCIPLE of the organization MUST BE THAT OF GOD'S GOVERNMENT, for the TOP, God, then Christ, on down, as CHRIST has directed and chosen."

"The parallel instruction on the RANK of authority in the Church is Ephesians 4, beginning with verse 11: 'And he (Christ) gave some, ...' The RSV translates it more clearly: 'And His gifts were that some should be apostles,' etc. Continue, 'some prophets, and some evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for THE WORK of the ministry (proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the world), for the edifying of the body of Christ...'"

"Therefore the CHURCH is both the spiritual organism composed of the begotten (not yet born) children of God, and the organization or organized government of God on earth carrying on the WORK OF GOD -- the Great Commission: 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel,' -- 'Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations;' -- 'And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations,' just before THE END of this age."

"Without organization, the Church could never fulfill its Great Commission -- its VERY PURPOSE FOR BEING, at the present time."

"The Commission is: 'Go ye INTO ALL THE WORLD' -- 'Go ye, and teach ALL NATIONS'; -- 'for a witness unto ALL NATIONS.' No other body, church, or group is doing that! As to whether you can RUN AWAY from your part in that Commission, having been a part of it, and still hear Christ say to you, when He comes: 'Well done, good and faithful servant,' YOU answer. I shall not be your judge -- you shall answer to the living CHRIST. I do know that I would be AFRAID to run from what God has called me to do, and then expect Him to bless me for it! And I will say, that the living Christ DOES NOT set up additional churches, on disloyalty, rebellion, false accusation, and character assassination."

"WHY has God called you and me NOW, while we still have to fight and resist the cunning of Satan, AHEAD OF TIME -- instead of WHEN CHRIST SHALL HAVE COME, AND PUT SATAN AWAY, AND SET HIS HAND TO CALL EVERY LIVING PERSON? The answer is, TO GET THIS JOB DONE!"

"So I ask you, dear Brethren -- and my children in the Lord -- to REMAIN LOYAL TO CHRIST IN HIS WORK..."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 2 May 1974.

"Ambassador College is not 'the WORK.' It is an instrumentality USED in 'the Work' to train personnel for positions in 'the WORK.'"

"And God has given us 'the WORK' to do as the VERY MEANS BY WHICH we may grow spiritually, so we may enter His Kingdom at Christ's coming. In 47 years I have observed that ONLY those whose hearts are fully IN THE WORK continue to overcome and grow SPIRITUALLY, and ENDURE."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 18 November 1974.

"The purpose when founding Ambassador College was not to be in the 'college business' but to help me fulfill the GREAT COMMISSION. Always the work of the GREAT COMMISSION must remain foremost!"

"I repeat, 'WE ARE NOT IN THE COLLEGE BUSINESS!' The only reason for the continued existence of Ambassador College is to support and contribute to the work of THE GREAT COMMISSION. If it ever loses sight of this fact God will let it fail."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 17 April 1978.

"It's hard to realize how this Work -- in which you and I are privileged to be Co-Workers -- has grown to such worldwide POWER and SCOPE! It is exerting tremendous IMPACT on more than 150 MILLION PEOPLE around the world."

"...and I want you to REALIZE THIS SOBERLY -- once that unseen Hand from Someplace...had miraculously OPENED THESE DOORS, if I had not walked through them in faith, ANOTHER WOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED UP WHO WOULD WALK THROUGH THEM -- AND WE -- this ENTIRE CHURCH, including YOU and ME -- would have been REJECTED BY THE LIVING CHRIST WHO IS THE HEAD OF THIS CHURCH!"

"...if I don't walk through these doors, God will reject me and send someone who is willing to go!"

"Brethren, read this carefully: The 'WORK' is NOT the fellowship of your own local church -- it is NOT a local SOCIAL CLUB -- it is GETTING GOD'S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD -- to those in India, the Philippines, in Africa, in South America! The PURPOSE of your local church is ITS PART in the WORK -- WORLDWIDE. That's the only reason YOU have been called now, instead of later. If The PLAIN TRUTH has to die, the WORK will die -- and IF it does, it will be only because you members have already died SPIRITUALLY! You ALL -- you in the Church as a whole -- NEED A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING! Some of you have been criticizing instead of helping and PRAYING."

"I know there is too much tendency to get your whole interest in your local church. But your local church IS NOT THE WORK!"

"God's CHURCH for this age is called Christ's 'BODY.' Why? As Jesus said He, Himself, divine though He was as well as human, could do NOTHING of Himself. It was the dynamic POWER of God's HOLY SPIRIT in Him. He came, among other things, to START the Work of God -- the WORK FOR THIS AGE. When He went to heaven, the SAME HOLY SPIRIT entered into the COLLECTIVE BODY of His disciples. That begat them as God's children. Now, with the SAME POWER working in them THEY -- THE CHURCH -- BECAME THE COLLECTIVE BODY TO CARRY ON THAT WORK, directed by the living CHRIST from Heaven!

"THAT is the real PURPOSE of the CHURCH, NOW! We are commissioned to get God's Message to the world. THAT is WHY God called YOU, now, instead of later..."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 12 April 1971.

"Jesus went everywhere preaching the GOOD NEWS of the KINGDOM OF GOD. He taught in parables about the KINGDOM OF GOD. He sent out seventy men preaching, and commanded them to preach THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Luke 10:9). He sent the apostles, on whom the Church of God was founded, to preach only THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Luke 9:1-2)."

"The Apostle Paul preached THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Acts 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31). And God Almighty, through Paul, pronounced a double curse on man or angel that would DARE preach any other Gospel! (Gal. 1:8-9).

"Why, then, do so many DARE to preach so many other gospels?"

Herbert W. Armstrong, Just What Do You Mean...Kingdom of God? (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1972), p. 8.

"I came to know of the true Church of God, fall of 1926....They were so impotent spiritually (Rev. 3:1), and even in biblical knowledge, yet what they did have was more biblical TRUTH than any other church my researches revealed. They had 'the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus,' and the right name -- and no other church had. But they were so small -- so pitifully weak. They were not proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, but 'the third angel's message.'

"But of what did their 'Work' consist, and how organized? They were organized on congregational (democratic) government as a 'biannual general conference.'"

"[The true Gospel] was not proclaimed by Seventh-Day Adventists, one of whose cardinal doctrines was the 'investigative judgment,' which had the resurrected saints a thousand years with Christ in HEAVEN."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Just What Is 'The Work'?" Good News, April 1981.

"Does it make any difference which Gospel we believe? Listen to the answer of the Eternal God as inspired in Paul's letter to the Galatians, the first chapter, the 8th and 9th verses:

"'But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.' And it is made a double curse! For the next verse says: '...So say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed'!"

"And, WHAT GOSPEL did Jesus say should be preached TODAY?

"Matthew 24:14, speaking of the PRESENT: 'And this GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in ALL THE WORLD for a witness' --- for a WITNESS -- 'unto ALL NATIONS; and then shall the END come'! -- the end of this AGE.

"Jesus Christ's message -- His Gospel -- was the Kingdom of God -- the GOVERNMENT of the living God!

"Jesus Christ was BORN to be a KING (Luke 1:31-33). When Jesus was on trial for His life, Pilate said to Him, 'Art thou a king then?' Jesus answered, 'Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end I was born, and for this cause came I into the world...' (John 18:37)."

"Jesus is coming in supreme POWER and GLORY... He is coming to set up the GOVERNMENT OF GOD and to rule all nations with the help of those who have qualified in this life...Revelation 3:21...and...Revelation 2:26-27."

Herbert W. Armstrong, What Is the True Gospel? (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1972) pp. 3, 11-12.

"Wherever God's true Church is -- the ONE Church that is CHRIST'S -- it will be preaching [the true] GOSPEL to the whole world -- over all continents -- today. For we are near the END! That is the Gospel of the living Christ! It is the GOOD NEWS of the coming KINGDOM OF GOD to RULE THE WORLD!"

"Many have appropriated God's name, but are not proclaiming the KINGDOM OF GOD..."

"[The] true Church is preaching the imminency of the coming of CHRIST as King of kings and LORD of lords, to RULE all nations for a thousand years on earth."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal," Good News, August 1983.

"I am now in my 94th year. God may grant that I continue in this very limited manner to direct the work for some time, but the occasional heart pains that I have endured have made me feel the necessity of letting our co-workers know of the condition as it is.

"Remember, this is the work of the living Creator God."

"I thank God that he has organized this present work of his so thoroughly that regardless of the outcome of my present illness, the work will continue right on to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ... Christ is the Living Head of this work, and he will continue guiding those he has chosen right up to his Second Coming, which grows daily nearer at hand."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 23 December 1985.

"This is my first letter to you in 1986, and could very well be my last."

"It may be the Work God has given me to do is complete, but not the Work of God's Church, which will be faithfully doing God's Work till Christ, the True Head of this Church, returns."

"Remember, brethren, this is not the work of Herbert W. Armstrong...or any man. It is the Work of the Living Creator, God."

"The greatest work lies yet ahead."

Herbert W. Armstrong's last co-worker letter, 10 January 1986. (Letter can be found in Volume 2 of Mr. Armstrong's Autobiography on pages 643-645.)

"Brethren, if we are to continue to grow -- and to grow SPIRITUALLY as well as in numbers -- we must remember that the PURPOSE of the Church is, first, to GO INTO ALL THE WORLD and preach Christ's GOSPEL. The FIRST commission to the Church is just that. Anyone who looks on the Great commission of Christ as 'Armstrong's private work' is just not a member of GOD'S Church. Anyone who does not have his whole heart in that work IS NOT A MEMBER OF GOD'S TRUE CHURCH, and has no right whatsoever to attend or fellowship in any of its local congregations."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Why Local Assemblies?" Good News, March 1954.

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the message that Christ proclaimed. That message was the Good News or the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. That is the message He preached, the restoration of the Government of God by the coming Kingdom of God.

"The apostolic Church from A.D. 31 proclaimed it."

"Today we carry on God's Work in a world multiplied vastly larger in population, a mechanized, mechanical, complex world with instrumentalities to work with that were never dreamed of in the first century."

"If anything happened to me I would expect the Church to continue right on and the local churches and the local church ministry."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Congress of Leading Ministers," Worldwide News, 6 March 1981.

"We CANNOT AFFORD TO BECOME LUKEWARM! We cannot afford to let our minds drift from the intense NEED for this very special mission of this particular time in world history, so shortly before Christ's coming and HIS KINGDOM!"

"Now about the Work itself."

"Few understand just what IS the Church. There are so many churches in the world. People just take churches for granted. But more than 1,953 years ago, Jesus Christ said, 'I will build my Church.' Few know WHY He built it -- for what PURPOSE. The purpose, primarily, was dual:

"1) to proclaim to the world the Gospel Message God sent to mankind by Jesus as God's Messenger (Mal 3:1) of the coming Kingdom of God,

"2) to call and prepare a chosen people..."

"I have NEVER SAID I expect to live until Christ comes.

"...just in case of my disability for any reason, to prevent Satan from causing division, I feel God has inspired me to delegate power to the Advisory Council, during any such complete disability, to take full charge of the Work and all its assets and activities."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 19 March 1981.

"God started His Gospel WORK -- proclaiming the Gospel (good news) of HIS KINGDOM -- through the individual human BODY of Jesus. But after His resurrection, Jesus sent the same HOLY SPIRIT on the day of Pentecost, A.D. 31, and thereafter, to enter into the COLLECTIVE BODY of those constituting GOD'S CHURCH.

"The CHURCH, then, is the COLLECTIVE BODY Christ uses as HIS INSTRUMENT, empowered by God's Spirit, to carry on GOD'S WORK. Jesus Christ heads and directs it from heaven!"

"But WHAT is the divine MISSION of that Church? What is its PURPOSE? The answer is to do the WORK OF GOD, which Jesus started and now continues through His Church."

"Wherever God's true Church is -- the ONE Church that is CHRIST'S -- it will be preaching THAT GOSPEL to the whole world -- over all continents -- today. For we are near the END! That is the Gospel of the living Christ! It is the GOOD NEWS of the coming KINGDOM OF GOD to RULE THE WORLD!"

"But wherever that ONE true Church is, it will be named the Church of God.

"But that is not all. Many have appropriated God's name, but are not proclaiming the KINGDOM OF GOD..."

"That true Church is preaching the imminency of the coming of CHRIST as King of kings and LORD of lords, to RULE all nations for a thousand years on earth."

"There is only ONE such Church!

"It is doing THE WORK OF GOD. It is, as Jesus said it would be, a 'little flock,' persecuted, despised by the world."

"Personal from Herbert W. Armstrong," Good News, August 1983.

"Brethren, this world is being destroyed for lack of knowledge of and from GOD, as we read in Hosea 4:6. Through my personal visits, and the PLAIN TRUTH magazine, on TV and radio and through other literature, we are proclaiming that knowledge in POWER and AUTHORITY. Some listen. It is God's last witness against those who do not. BUT WE MUST DRIVE RIGHT ON UNTIL CHRIST COMES!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 18 November 1984.

"I ask you, brethren, in Jesus' name, to put whatever you are able into God's Work in this crisis hour before the Great Tribulation that will cut off our work just prior to the soon-coming of Christ and the World Tomorrow."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 25 November 1985.

"Our labors in GOD'S WORK will be ended soon after the resurrection of the impending United States of Europe!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 14 August 1978.

"Brethren, time is running out on us. When this great European power emerges, our great Work will be just about over. The day shall have arrived when 'no man can work,' as Jesus said (John 9:4)."

"NOTHING ELSE MATTERS NOW. We must sacrifice and devote our all that is reasonably possible to GOD'S WORK in these closing days."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 16 July 1982.

"We draw daily nearer to the end of this age. Time is growing shorter daily. The Bible warns us the time is just ahead when NO MAN CAN WORK -- in the Lord's Work. We must sacrifice now as never before for this Work that we may FINISH the Work that Christ has called us to do."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 23 October 1980.

"...brethren and co-workers, the prophesied Great Tribulation (nuclear World War III) will start soon after the European unification. That means OUR WORK OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE FINISHED! We have not now much more time. Soon shall come a FAMINE of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11).

"God says, work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work -- in the Work of God!

"Nothing else is important in our lives, now, but this all-important Work of God."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 22 November 1982.

"God has specially called and chosen you! And WHY? To stand loyally behind Christ's apostle and HELP in whatever way He opens to you in spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom of God! Yes, you were specially called for a JOB to do! Not JUST to 'get saved' -- to receive eternal life in the Kingdom of God."

"Jesus pictured Himself (Luke 19) as a man going to God's throne in heaven to be crowned and officially given God's Kingdom. He gave each of 10 servants...a pound each. This represented giving each one at conversion one unit of the HOLY SPIRIT.

"On His return...He called each to accounting. One had increased the one unit of God's Holy Spirit, in standing solidly back of God's apostle in proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and helping, praying fervently and remaining loyal -- in Bible study, increasing his own spiritual knowledge, 10 times what he started out with.

"...one had not grown in grace and in Christ's knowledge -- nor had he contributed to GOD'S WORK by tithes, fervent praying or loyalty. HE HAD THE ONE UNIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ORIGINALLY GIVEN AS GOD'S GIFT TAKEN AWAY. HE DID NOT GET HIS SALVATION OR ETERNAL LIFE."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Now Christ Moves Swiftly to Make Church Ready," Good News, June/July 1979.

"What is the PURPOSE of the Church -- its divine Commission? To proclaim this Gospel as a witness to the world. In other words, to carry on the WORK OF GOD, which Jesus, in person, started.

"After His resurrection, He gave His disciples this Commission: 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15)."

"First of all, the true Church of God is a spiritual organism. It is NOT a human organization. This spiritual organism is the 'Body of Christ' existing for the PURPOSE of carrying on THE WORK OF GOD."

"Is it possible that one who has joined a sect, church, or denomination NOT doing God's Work, might be truly converted, and led by God's Spirit in him? The answer is YES -- I have known of a few. But in every case, either they came INTO the organized spiritual organism Christ is using in the real Work of God -- or, when their eyes were opened to further light and truth, they rejected it and LOST the Spirit of God. And this was amply demonstrated by the fruits."

"Jesus said that His sheep do hear and RECOGNIZE His voice and His truth, and that they will follow Him!

"Every year, now, added thousands are hearing, RECOGNIZING His truth, and following Him where He is working!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Just What Is the Church?" Worldwide Church of God article reprint, 1970.

"Unless we fulfill God's SPECIAL PURPOSE for our calling now, we might never go into His Kingdom. This fact must not be taken carelessly!

"How many of us become unmindful of God's purpose and assume we were called and put into God's Church only to GET our personal salvation -- and to ENJOY the fellowship and social life of our local church?"

"Brethren, do we not find ourselves taking for granted that the churches in what is called 'Christianity' are also God's churches -- that WE are just another of the many denominations, the only difference being that we hold to some different doctrines?

"That is simply not true! We in GOD'S Church are not just one of all these churches. They are of this world. They do not have, or know, or proclaim, Christ's gospel -- the message God sent to the world BY CHRIST, as the MESSENGER."

"When [Christ] returns [Luke 19:11-24], He will demand of each of us to show how we have used the GIFT of His Holy Spirit -- how much we have CONTRIBUTED to His Work -- the PURPOSE for which He put us in His Church NOW! ...Those who prove disloyal or drop out of the Work -- the only purpose for which you were called now -- will find themselves in the position of the one described in verses 20 and 24. They will lose the very salvation they were trying to GET!

"You are each admonished to 'make your calling and election SURE'!"

"MUCH of the New Testament is WARNING God's people of these snares of Satan to hinder -- to attempt to DESTROY the very Work of GOD -- the very Work which is THE REASON God has called you NOW -- "

"Remember, Jesus taught us to LOOK TO THE FRUITS BORNE!

"Are they who falsely accuse -- who seek to draw a following away from God's Church for selfish purpose -- proclaiming the Kingdom of God to the nations of the world? Are they fulfilling the PURPOSE for which God has called us now? NONE but THIS VERY WORK of the LIVING GOD is fulfilling that PURPOSE -- bearing the FRUITS."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Why Did God Put You In His Church?" Good News, May 1974.

"What about the 'loner' Christian who says, 'I will serve Christ in my own way'? What about the one who leaves God's Church to have his own private relation with Christ -- to get his own salvation -- without giving his part of the Church's effort to send the true gospel into ALL THE WORLD?

"Or, what about the one who follows a MAN because of that man's personality, charisma or attractiveness, or some other group?

"Stop and THINK! Is Christ going to marry a number of differing groups, not in complete harmony with each other -- yet all 'professing CHRIST'? Jesus said, 'He that is not with me [and since He is the Head of God's one and only Church, He plainly meant with Him where HE is working -- in God's one Church] is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad' (Matthew 12:30). Jesus Christ is going to marry THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE CHURCH -- not a number of scattered groups or scattered individuals.

"The one who tries to GET his salvation apart from the one Church Christ is going to marry is on the 'GET' way. Those loyally in the Church are GIVING of their prayers, loyalty, encouragement and support to Christ's chosen apostle in GIVING the GOOD NEWS to the world -- its ONLY HOPE!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "7 Proofs of God's True Church," Plain Truth, September 1979.

"We ought to be ASHAMED of the pitiful, puny, weak, feeble work that has split up and divided brethren, reached but so very FEW with the message, with almost no real conversions! All this, while leaders desiring power to RULE send out misleading, exaggerated, deceiving statements designed to convince tithe-payers that 'the work is progressing.' What a mockery! What a tragedy! What a pity!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Did Christ Reorganize the Church?" Good News, February 1939.

"Some ministers are called of God, used of God, -- many are not. The tithe is HOLY. It is THE LORD'S -- for HIS WORK. It should be placed where He IS WORKING -- ....Ask God for WISDOM!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Are You Being Tested on this Point?" Good News, February 1939.

"The Work of God was originally started by ONE man -- Jesus Christ. But on the day of Pentecost, A.D. 31, the same Holy Spirit that had carried on God's Work through his individual body entered into and empowered his apostles, and the entire COLLECTIVE BODY, which on and from that day constituted God's Church."

"But, after proclaiming that gospel MESSAGE to the world of that day -- after the Church had grown and multiplied in number and power, the headquarters Church at Jerusalem fled in the face of advancing Roman armies shortly before A.D. 70, became scattered, and under persecution -- and because of discouragement because Christ had not yet returned in power and glory -- the Church WENT TO SLEEP ON THE JOB of proclaiming Christ's true gospel message!"

"We are in a spiritual WAR -- on the firing line with CHRIST as our general -- firing spiritual bombs of GOD'S TRUTH -- the message of Christ's own GOSPEL -- to make this whole world CONSCIOUS of the GOOD NEWS of Christ's soon coming and his KINGDOM, to rule the happy, peaceful WORLD TOMORROW! There can be no letting down -- no slacking -- no quitting in this war!

"What would happen in a war if an army, by a sudden burst of effort, surged forward to win a single battle, then laid down their arms and decided to take it easy or go on furlough? They then would LOSE THE WAR! Christ said it is only he who endures to the end who shall be saved! LET US CARRY ON, more determined than ever -- more dedicated and devoted to Christ's great mission than ever! We must not win a partial battle, and then lose the war. LET US NOW PLUNGE ON HARDER THAN EVER TO FINAL VICTORY!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 25 October 1985.

"I want to hear the living and soon-coming Jesus Christ say: 'WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!' Don't YOU? ...We may have only one more year -- we may have two years -- we may have five."

"What I DO KNOW is that Jesus said, in regard to knowing or NOT knowing the time of His coming: 'Who, then, is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over His household...? Blessed is that servant, whom His Lord when He cometh shall find SO DOING.'

"If Christ should cut our work short one year from now, I want Him to find me SO DOING carrying on His Work right up to the last minute!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 21 January 1971.

"The FRUITS of this work are these: For the first time in more than 1850 years the same Gospel Jesus preached, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, is being preached and published into all the world as a witness. It is offending many in this world. The religious leaders of today -- the modern Pharisees -- attack it as the work of the Devil -- they call us false prophets, as they did Jesus. We are persecuted by the world. The world hates us. But many precious lives are being changed, converted, begotten of God! God is producing a precious harvest for His Kingdom. New churches are being raised up around the world. New offices are being established. The flock is being fed. Evangelists, pastors, elders, are being trained as God calls them. The sick are being healed, the demons cast out.

"The FRUITS of this tree are not corrupt -- they are the SAME FRUITS that the SAME HOLY SPIRIT produced in the human body of Jesus -- in the collective Body of Christ in apostolic days! THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES THE WORK, and the work is exactly the same -- the fruits the same -- as the days of Christ and the apostles!

"This work has grown too great and powerful to be the work of a human man, apart from either God or the devil. If this is not the very WORK OF GOD, then it must be that of SATAN. And to accuse it -- to condemn it -- I ask you, brethren, IS IT NOT MORE THAN POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS SPEAKING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT, and therefore is the UNPARDONABLE SIN?"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "How You Could Commit the Unpardonable Sin!" Good News, March 1960.

"I have always noticed that those whose hearts -- and their pocketbooks as well -- are really in the work of God are the ones who remain spiritual, close to God, and who are growing spiritually. And, without exception, every single member of God's Church who has ever lost interest in this WORK OF GOD -- this work of carrying the Gospel to the world...begins to fall backward spiritually. Soon such people go off into false doctrines. Their understanding is closed. They begin to believe errors and lies. They become more and more bitter, unhappy, and they either go back into the world or they go into some false offshoot movement which bears no fruit, and fails totally to carry out the Commission of Christ -- THE WORK OF GOD!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "More Growth in the Church of God," Good News, March 1960.

"In my over forty-six years' intensive, rich, active experience, since God changed MY direction into HIS WAY, I have observed that the very first need of every Christian, who is to GROW and develop this spiritual character, is to have his heart completely in THE WORK OF GOD, which the living Christ has called His servants to do, as His instruments! Our 'WORKS' are our part in GOD'S WORK -- getting His true Gospel to the whole world as a witness -- preparing the way for Christ's coming. We are merely His INSTRUMENTS. It is GOD'S WORK! Those who condemn 'WORKS' are condemning the Great God who is the actual DOER through us as His instruments and Co-Workers! It is not, after all, our works!

"Those who are self-centered, caring nothing for the WORK OF GOD, having not enough outgoing concern to want to help GET CHRIST'S MESSAGE out to this blinded, deceived, dying world, fall away. Those who center their whole 'Christian' life and activity on developing their own selves spiritually, whose hearts are not in or concerned about this great OUTGOING worldwide WORK OF GOD, actually directed by the living CHRIST, develop only INWARDLY, until they shrivel up spiritually and fall by the wayside!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, What Will You Be Doing in the Next Life? (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1969), pp. 26-27.

"The Worldwide Church of God has consistently taught through the years that the message for each of the churches [in Rev. 2-3] is for the whole Church throughout time."

"The Worldwide Church of God has also taught that the letters to the seven churches are not dead history, as some scholars have proposed. They are a message for God's Church in every century. A prophetic history of 1,900 years of experience of God's people!"

"Jesus Christ highly commended the first (or Ephesian) era of the Church for its labor and patience and goodness (Rev. 2:2-3). The Ephesian era had early to face false apostles -- men seeking to build up a following for themselves. But Christ also had something against this church era. They had left their first spiritual love (verse 4). Christ threatened to remove the church out of its place!"

"The Ephesus church had let down. It had not continued its work to all nations after A.D. 69 (Matt. 28:19)."

"Later we hear of Peter Valdez or Peter Waldo... As he preached, others added their efforts to him. They became, as it is said, 'as many co-workers for him.' They dedicated their lives and their property to spreading Christ's Gospel."

"Philadelphia means 'brotherly love' or 'those who love their fellowmen as brothers.' It expresses the characteristic that is the motivating zeal of the Philadelphian era of God's Church.

"The [Church] shows love to mankind by carrying out God's commission -- that of warning the world of impending destruction. It is revealing how Jesus Christ will soon rescue humanity from cosmocide and teach man the way of peace, happiness and prosperity. The goal of the Philadelphian church is the ultimate salvation of all mankind!"

"The Church They Couldn't Destroy," Good News, December 1981.

"Brethren, WHO is preaching the same Gospel Jesus taught, the Gospel of the KINGDOM OF GOD, to the world? Do you know any other Church fulfilling this prophecy as to the WORK OF THE TRUE CHURCH for this very day and time?"

"Of the 'Philadelphia' Church, Christ says, 'I know that you have but little power.' It is probably the WEAKEST in numerical and physical strength and power -- the smallest in membership, of any of the Churches from the time of the Apostles until the Second Coming. It has but few ministers."

"And THIS is the Church Christ uses as HIS INSTRUMENT in proclaiming His GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM -- the GOVERNMENT of God -- to the world. He sets before this Church an 'OPEN DOOR,' for the proclaiming of this Gospel to ALL THE WORLD. The meaning of this 'DOOR' is explained in II Cor. 2:12-13. Paul said: 'I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a DOOR was opened to me of the Lord.'"

"But SOME of those in the Church today will grow weary with well-doing. They will brag about being the true Church -- thinking they are spiritually rich, when they are, in fact, almost spiritually destitute. Because they are indifferent to the real WORK OF GOD, lukewarm, lacking in zeal, Christ will spew them out of His mouth. THEY cannot be used in His work. THEY shall lose the very salvation they boast of having unless they repent! God help you never drift into the LAODICEAN church!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Must God's Ministers Be Ordained by the Hand of Man?" Good News," October 1962.

"Now notice Jesus' LAST WARNING to His Church. At the very close of this age, when the work of spreading the gospel is almost finished, Jesus addressed yet another Church work -- the 'Church at Laodicea': 'I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: ...I WILL SPUE THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH' (Rev. 3:15, 16).

"This frightful condition lies now ahead of us. Just as the remnant of the Sardis era of the Church exists side by side with the Philadelphian era, so we will continue our work to the very 'end time' when another group will appear -- a group not accounted worthy to escape the coming tribulation. Another SEPARATE work is yet to arise -- made up of begotten individuals who are spiritually lukewarm! WOE BE TO ANY OF US IF WE TAKE PART IN SUCH A WORK! Here is a work, yet to arise because of our preaching, which will say: 'I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.' And Jesus will reply: 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be ZEALOUS therefore, and repent.'"

Herman L. Hoeh, A True History of the True Church (n.p.: Radio Church of God, 1959), pp. 30-31.

"Today, as in the time of the first apostles, MANY DECEIVERS are gone out into the world. They will ACCUSE God's Church and His Work. It is Satan the devil who is the accuser of the true brethren (Rev. 12:10)."

"MUCH of the New Testament is WARNING God's people of these snares of Satan to hinder -- to attempt to DESTROY the very Work of GOD -- the very Work which is THE REASON God has called you NOW -- before He undertakes to SAVE THE WHOLE WORLD!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Why Did God Put You in His Church?" Good News, May 1974.

"It seems very likely that we may have now come to the time prophesied in Revelation 12:9-13: 'And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels (demons) were cast out with him....Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman...(God's Church).

"How did HE come to KNOW he had but a short time? Because he knows that when 'this Gospel of the Kingdom of God is being preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, THEN SHALL THE END COME' -- yes, the END of Satan's world -- the END of Satan's posing as GOD -- the god of this world."

"The NEW COVENANT will restore the KINGDOM OF GOD, which is the GOVERNMENT, under CHRIST, with SATAN REMOVED! Then we shall have WORLD PEACE. Proclaiming that GOOD NEWS IS OUR GREAT AND PRIMARY COMMISSION AND PURPOSE IN BEING, TODAY."

"Jesus did not raise up His Church merely to form various local social clubs with NO PURPOSE other than to enjoy each others' fellowship. He raised up the Church for a PURPOSE -- to proclaim His GOSPEL -- not merely in their own community, but AROUND THE WORLD -- ALL NATIONS."

"But SATAN now influenced a great PERSECUTION against the Church to STOP the proclaiming of the KINGDOM OF GOD. He knows that Kingdom will remove him from the earth and from deceiving the world into accepting him as the god of this world."

"God MULTIPLIED, once again, the growth of His Church [in our time] that HIS Great Commission might go to the world PREPARING THE WAY for Christ's return to establish the KINGDOM OF GOD to rule ALL NATIONS."

"Satan saw this. He knew he had but a SHORT TIME, because this very Gospel of the Kingdom now beginning to go effectively to the leaders and RESPONSIBLE citizenry of the GREAT NATIONS, heretofore unreachable, was the sign Jesus gave of the rapidly nearing END of Satan's world."

"And THAT'S the ONE MAIN THING Satan wants to STOP! The HEAD of this Church, the living Jesus CHRIST, wants us always to keep the Great Commission FIRST in our minds -- and NEVER to let other things crowd it out! For THAT'S what this is ALL ABOUT!"

"Repeatedly, all through the Bible -- especially in the New Testament, we are warned that our REAL ENEMY is Satan! He tries to get our minds OFF of our B I G Commission, by getting them on physical and material things that loom up as MUCH more important....until we CAN'T SEE THE REAL ISSUE."

"That which we have been called to PREPARE THE WAY FOR -- the coming of CHRIST with all the SUPREME POWER AND GLORY of the CREATOR GOD, as the KING of kings and LORD or lords, will soon come. Satan's time will be up."

"Then we shall, if loyal NOW to God's Government, rule ALL NATIONS under, and with Christ, each having our part in that GOVERNMENT, and working with and under Christ as our HIGH PRIEST in then SAVING THE WHOLE WORLD, with no Satan around to attack us!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 18 March 1974.

"Satan will never let up trying to DESTROY the Work of the living God. It's all recorded in the Bible -- in prophecy. I have looked into God's Book to see how it all comes out at the end -- and I find that WE (in God) WIN!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 25 June 1985.

"I have frequently been pressured to compromise -- 'just a little' -- with God's TRUTH."

"Nevertheless, if we begin to compromise with God's TRUTH, even in smallest, slightest manner, we have allowed Satan to get a foot into the door of the Church, and soon he will push open the door (he is stronger than we) and take over the whole Church."

"Personal from Herbert W. Armstrong," Good News, December 1976.

"I want you, brethren, to think about and understand what happened to God's Church in the 1970s lest history repeat itself!"

"Most of the dissension of the past in the Church has been over the matter of government. The dissenters believe in a very liberal government -- the way of Satan and his world. The whole purpose of the Gospel is to call those chosen by God out of this world and its ways into the ways of God. God's government is based on God's law. All government, even in the world's nations, is based on a foundation of law."

"And Jesus Christ will never receive any of those who have gone out to draw a following after themselves to come back and lead God's Church into Satan's liberalism. It would be no longer God's Church, even as Ambassador College was no longer God's college..."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Recent History of the Philadelphia Era of the Worldwide Church of God," Worldwide News, 24 June 1985.

"There is only one place on earth where the government of God is administered -- and even that has been sidetracked."

"AS RULER over the UNIVERSE, God set a throne on the earth and placed the super archangel Lucifer on that throne to administer GOD'S government over the earth.

"But Lucifer rebelled."

"God gave Adam the opportunity to SIT ON Lucifer's throne -- IF Adam...would reject the ways of Satan and accept GOD'S WAY -- that of GOD'S LAW! But Adam rebelled against God and chose to go HIS OWN WAY..."

"Some 4,000 years later, the SECOND Adam, Jesus Christ, came to earth...overcame Satan, chose the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, based on the LAW OF GOD. But He was not to take over the throne of the earth until the end of 6,000 years. He raised up His Church, with the GOVERNMENT OF GOD ruling IN THE CHURCH."

"A CAD (Church Administration Department) was set up in Pasadena, with Roderick C. Meredith administering the department.

"By about 1971 my son...had removed Mr. Meredith from that office, [and] sent him to England as dean of the faculty..."

"My son...began his own conspiracy to TAKE OVER the Church -- and if his father did not oblige him by dying, to put Herbert W. Armstrong into retirement."

"God Almighty and Jesus Christ were virtually thrown out of the college -- and were rapidly being thrown out of the Church!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Christ Now Moves to Put God's Government Back on the Track," Good News, September 1979.

"God placed on earth's THRONE the archangel, the cherub Lucifer, to administer the GOVERNMENT OF GOD over the angels.

"I repeat: That GOVERNMENT is based on God's spiritual laws -- as all governments are based on a constitution of foundational law."

"The super-archangel Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-14) had been perfect in all his ways from the day of his initial creation, till iniquity -- lawlessness -- was found in him."

"The GOVERNMENT OF GOD no longer was operative on earth!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "7 Proofs of God's True Church," Plain Truth, March 1979.

"...do you think YOU are immune from the wiles and subtle deceptions of Satan? Are YOU stronger than Satan? DON'T SO UNWISELY UNDERESTIMATE SATAN! Satan is the strongest personage God ever created, except the other two archangels Michael and Gabriel. Satan DID get to the more than a half dozen top-ranking ministers in God's Church!"

"The heavens must receive Christ 'until the times of restitution' (restoration) 'of all things.' What is to be restored is centered around the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, which Lucifer made inoperative."

"These ministers thought they had discovered a new truth, contrary to the teaching of God's Church."

"But their 'new truth' was gross and harmful error. They misled brethren..."

"It all gets back to THE LAW OF GOD, and the 'SIN QUESTION.'"

"The churches of traditional 'Christianity' teach that 'the Law was DONE AWAY.' ...They cannot REPENT of sin when they do not know what sin IS!"

"The Holy Spirit of God is given to those who have REPENTED of -- TURNED FROM -- sin....If we do not FOLLOW where God's Spirit leads, the 'lamp' -- or its light (the Holy Spirit) leaves us."

"YOU LET DOWN YOUR GUARD AND ALLOW SATAN TO DECEIVE AND USE YOU when, once you have known the truth, repented, received God's Spirit, started on GOD'S WAY, you take a step away from that way, begin to liberalize, compromise with Satan."

"He, if deceived by Satan and used by him, is one who, like Lot's wife, began to 'look back' -- even if just a little at first. He may have been willing to compromise on a minor point. He became a little 'liberal' on some point."

"Brethren, ministers and even chief evangelists in God's Church: 'EXAMINE YOURSELVES to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test YOURSELVES.'"

"For GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS. For if God spared not even the ANGELS that sinned (II Peter 2:4), He would no more spare YOU!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "'Satan Deceive and Use Me? Never!!'" Worldwide News, 1980(?).

"Remember, Lucifer had been placed in rulership.

"God placed the great cherub, Lucifer, to carry out His government on the earth, but Lucifer refused to carry out God's will, God's commands, God's government. He wanted to substitute his own. So he disqualified himself."

"Jesus Christ...REFUSED to obey the devil. He quoted scripture correctly. He obeyed God."

"So God did NOT create a devil. He created a cherub, Lucifer -- perfect in his ways, but with the power of free choice -- and Lucifer transformed himself into a devil by rebellion against the government of God!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, Did God Create a Devil? (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1978), p. 9.

"[Satan] turned hostile to the law of God. He turned to a way of life of vanity, covetousness, envy, rivalry, competition, violence and destruction. And this hostile way of life is itself a LAW....That, then, became the basic LAW of the GOVERNMENT of Lucifer, whose name was changed to Satan the devil."

"So the government of God on the earth had been replaced by the government of Satan."

"...the THRONE and GOVERNMENT placed on earth -- the SIN of Lucifer and earth's angels, the replacing of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD by that of Satan over the earth -- all this was the backdrop to the creation of MAN on the earth."

"Adam had to choose between the government of Satan with its self-centered way of life, and the government of God with its GOD-centered way of life. Each way of life was the basic LAW of a GOVERNMENT."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "World Peace Just Around the Corner!" Plain Truth, November-December 1984.

"Judgment -- the time of trying and testing to determine whether we will choose and walk in the way of GOD'S LAW of His GOVERNMENT -- began, therefore, with the CHURCH OF GOD, AFTER the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-worker letter, 24 April 1981.

"[The] angels followed their king Lucifer in the decision to turn from and rebel against the GOVERNMENT OF God --"

"...Satan's kingdom of angels -- now turned to demons -- rejected the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, and it was thus removed from earth."

"That GOVERNMENT OF GOD exists at this time on earth only through those that are doing God's Work."

"Few, even among professing converted Christians, realize the vital and SUPREME NEED to be conscious and constantly aware of Satan's efforts to get to US, who already have turned from Satan's way and to the WAY of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Human Nature -- Did God Create It?" Worldwide Church of God article reprint, 1976. (Also Incredible Human Potential, pp. 167-168.)

"Dissidents and enemies of God's CHURCH have been saying that we disobeyed Romans 13 in appealing the government lawsuit of Jan. 3, 1979. They say, falsely, the Church of GOD should have caved in...and let the State of California take over and run or destroy the Church of the LIVING GOD!

"When the Philistines came against Israel, with the giant Goliath, young David said, 'Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the LIVING GOD?" The attack was not against David, nor even Israel, but against the LIVING GOD!

"According to the dissenters David and all Israel should have 'caved in.' For it was a GOVERNMENT (the Philistines) who came against God's CHURCH of the Old Testament, and it's a GOVERNMENT of men that has now come against the CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD!"

"Now notice what [the Adam Clarke's Commentary]...says in expounding Romans 13. "Speaking of government rulers: 'If he rule according to the Constitution nothing can justify (the individual) rebelling against his authority...When the ruler acts thus (contrary to law or the Constitution) he dissolves the compact between him and his people; his authority is no longer binding, but illegal; and it is illegal because he is acting contrary to the laws of the Constitution, according to which, on being raised to the supreme power he promised to govern. This conduct justifies opposition to his government' -- and the commentary means in GOD'S sight!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Romans 13 and the State of California Attack," Good News, March 1980.

"The Book of books, containing the revealed knowledge of the Creator God, tells us that God created angels as composed of Spirit. But can you imagine angels becoming sinning angels?...Since sin is the transgression of God's law, these angels rebelled against God's law, the basis of God's government."

"And the government of God was administered on earth until the rebellion of the sinning angels."

"When God placed angels -- apparently a third of all (Rev. 12:4) -- on the newly created, perfect, beautiful and glorious earth, He set over them, on a throne, to administer the government of God, an archangel -- the great cherub Lucifer."

"His rebel rule was not a government based upon the principle of love...but based on...darkness and error, instead of light and truth..."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Incredible Human Potential (New York: Everest House, 1978), pp. 41,42,45,48.

"The government of God produced a wonderfully happy state -- as long as Lucifer was loyal in the conduct of God's government."

"And then, even after Lucifer himself made the decision to rebel...it is not revealed how long it took him to persuade all of the angels under him to turn traitor and follow him."

"I know well the method he used. He uses the same method still today in leading deceived humans into disloyalty, rebellion, and self-centered opposition against God's government. First, he turns one or two to envy, jealousy, and resentment...Then he uses that one or two, like a rotten apple in a crate, to stir up resentment...in others next to them. And, as each rotten apple rots those next to it until the whole crate is rotten, so Satan proceeds.

"If, in the government of God on earth today, the 'rotten apples' are not thrown out early enough, they would destroy the whole government."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Incredible Human Potential (New York: Everest House, 1978), p. 51.

"God started this Lucifer out with everything going for him."

"He had been trained and was thoroughly experienced in administration of the government of God at the very throne of the endless universe."

"Yet this superior being...had resorted to wrong reasoning and made a diabolical perverted decision. He worked on the angels under him until he turned their minds to rebellion also."

"...the king [God] set as ruler -- Lucifer -- rebelled, revolted, misled a third of all the angels, and the government of God no longer governed the earth."

"The question might be raised: Could not God have known, in advance, what Lucifer and the angels under him would do? Doesn't God know everything? The answer is no....He gave these Spirit beings, as He gives us, the power to think for ourselves, to choose, to make decisions. Otherwise we would be nothing more than automatons, doing what we are compelled to do."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Incredible Human Potential (New York: Everest House, 1978), pp. 58,60-61,62.

"God placed Lucifer on the throne of the earth. He was no longer administering the government of God -- he was now disqualified --"

"...once the earth became inhabited by those in rebellion against the government of God -- once that government ceased to function -- it became necessary for someone to qualify as successor to Lucifer (now Satan) -- and to qualify to restore the government and way of God, the successor must actually reject and/or turn from Satan's way."

"...Lucifer led his angels into rebellion. The government of God was rejected, no longer enforced. The earth as a result, became waste and empty, in confusion and utter darkness."

"Until Jesus had qualified to restore God's government by overcoming Satan, there could be no assurance, save in the mind and purpose of God, of the restoration of the government Satan had rejected."

"When [Lucifer] turned to rebellion, it left only God Himself who be utterly relied on NEVER to deviate from God's way -- God's government."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Incredible Human Potential (New York: Everest House, 1978), pp. 69, 73,115,153.

"Once [Adam] succumbed to Satan's WAY of choosing to 'do his own thing,' in rebellion against a deliberate command of God, he became spiritually the property of Satan. He actually succumbed to the GOVERNMENT of Satan, choosing the LAW of that government --"

Herbert W. Armstrong, Mystery of the Ages (New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1985), p. 141.

"The synagogue of Satan refers to the great apostacy that occurred at the close of the apostolic age, the apostacy which gave rise to the host of denominations we have today -- a great mother church and her daughter churches (Rev. 17)."

Letter 938, Radio Church of God Letter Answering Department, 1956.

"Whenever they were able to influence a majority in a local church...false ministers began to expel the true Christians.

"In the letter of the apostle John to Gaius, we read: 'I wrote unto the church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, AND CASTETH THEM OUT OF THE CHURCH' (III John 9 and 10).

"The true Christians, who alone comprised the true Church, were being put out of the visible, organized congregations."

"But that did not mean the scattered individuals were not part of the Church. They were the Church because they were joined to Christ through the Holy Spirit. Those who drove them out became the false church -- the church of the god of this world -- 'the synagogue of Satan.'"

"This synagogue of Satan is the great apostate church which developed after 80 A.D. and ultimately became recognized as the State Religion of the Roman Empire. That Church has had many Protestant daughters which are also Satan's churches (Rev. 17)."

Herman L. Hoeh, A True History of the True Church, (USA: Radio Church of God, 1959), pp. 7-8, 17.

"First, remember this Church was never large, never politically powerful, or a world-known organization of men. It is a spiritual organism, not a political organization. It is composed of all whose hearts and lives have been changed by the Spirit of God, whether visibly together, or individually scattered.

"Under the lash of continual persecution and opposition from the organized forces of this world, it is difficult for such a people to remain united and organized together."

"Even in Paul's day, many among those attending at Antioch, at Jerusalem, at Ephesus, at Corinth, and other places, began to apostatize and turn away from the truth. Divisions sprang up. Those individuals, unconverted or turned from God's truth and way of life, were no part of God's true Church, though visibly assembling with those who were. The 'mystery of iniquity' was already working within these visible churches. This apostasy increased! By the year A.D. 125 the majority in most churches, especially those Gentile-born, were continuing in many of their old pagan beliefs and practices, though professing to be Christian! Gradually, a smaller and smaller portion of the visible churches going by the name 'Christian' remained truly yielded to God and His truth, and led of His Spirit. After Constantine took virtual control of the visible, professing Church in the early fourth century, this visible organization became almost wholly pagan, and began excommunicating and persecuting all who held to the true Word of God! Finally, it became necessary for real Christians, who, even as a scattered people, alone composed the true Christian Church, to flee from the jurisdiction of Rome in order truly to worship God! Thus, the visible, organized Church which rose to power was the FALSE Church -- the 'Great Whore' of Revelation 17."

Herbert W. Armstrong, The Plain Truth About Easter (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1973), pp. 14-16.

"Perhaps the synagogue that claimed to be the synagogue of Jehovah but was really the synagogue of Satan (Rev. 3, v. 9; cf. 2:9) had excommunicated the Philadelphian Christians."

The Abingdon Bible Commentary (New York: Abingdon Press, 1929), p. 1376.

"First, Jesus and the apostles foretold, not a universal, widespread popular growth of the true New Testament Church, but a falling away from the truth on the part of the great majority. Prophesying a popular, universal falling away from the faith once delivered, to the Thessalonians Paul stated, 'The mystery of iniquity doth already work,' only some 20 years after the Church began!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, The Plain Truth About Easter (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1973), p. 12.

"And even in Paul's day many among those attending at Antioch, at Jerusalem, at Ephesus, at Corinth, and other places began to apostatize and to turn away from the truth. Divisions sprang up and those individuals unconverted or turned from God's truth and way of life were no part of God's true Church though visibly assembling with those who were."

"Now, gradually, a smaller and smaller portion of the visible churches going by the name Christian remained truly yielded to God and to His truth and lead by His Spirit. And after Emperor Constantine took virtual control of the visible professing church, in the early 4th century, the visible organization became almost wholly pagan and they began excommunicating and persecuting all who held to the true Word of God -- the Bible! And finally it became necessary for all real Christians, even as a scattered people, it became necessary for them to flee. And they, the ones that were led by the Spirit of God, the ones in whom Jesus Christ was living His life in them, they alone composed the true Church and they had to flee the jurisdiction of the government in order to truly worship God. That's what's happened my friends, to the Church, but God still has His ministers. God still has His Church. I want to tell you God's truth is still written in the pages of your Bible if you'll blow the dust off of it and look at it as it is."

Herbert W. Armstrong, World Tomorrow radio broadcast, 1960s.

"The inspired Paul warned in his last letter to Timothy: 'The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables' (II Tim. 4:3-4)."

"...Paul wrote the Thessalonian Christians: 'Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first...' (II Thes. 2:3)."

"Thus we know that even in Paul's day the falling away from the truth had already begun..."

Roderick C. Meredith, "The Antichrist Is Here!" Plain Truth, June 1956.

"...[Jesus Christ] prophesied apostasy. 'Many false prophets will rise up,' He said, 'and deceive many' (Matthew 24:11). Paul foretold the great 'falling away' from God's truth and Jesus Christ's Gospel, turning unto FABLES (II Thessalonians 2:1-12, II Timothy 4:1-4)."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "7 Keys to Understanding the Bible," Good News, December 1984.

"The apostasy and falling away from God's basic original TRUTH started about A.D. 54, near the time Paul wrote of the Galatians turning to a counterfeit gospel (Gal. 1:6-7). That spirit of iniquity, contrary to God's Law, was already working when Paul wrote to the Thessalonians (II Thess. 2:7)."

"But REMEMBER GOD'S PURPOSE WORKS IN A PROCESS OF DUALITY!"

"Remember God does things in DUAL stages."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 19 March 1981.

"Before the end of the first century, the persecution had reduced the true Church. Many members had gone out of the true Church by the nineties A.D. (I John 2:19)."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Why Did God Put You In His Church?" Good News, May 1974.

"The false Trinity teaching does limit God to three Persons. But God is not limited. As God repeatedly reveals, his purpose is to reproduce himself into what well may become billions of God persons. It is the false Trinity teaching that limits God, denies God's purpose and has palpably deceived the whole Christian world."

"The Trinity doctrine limits God to a supposed three Persons. It DESTROYS the very gospel of Jesus Christ! His gospel is the good news of the now soon-coming KINGDOM OF GOD...

"The Trinity doctrine...is the doctrine of the great false religion called in Revelation 17:5: 'Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.'

"By that doctrine, along with others, Satan has DECEIVED all traditional Christianity."

"Satan has deceived the entire world in regard to the very nature of WHO and WHAT God is..."

"The very first idea or teaching about God being a Trinity began in the latter half of the second century -- a hundred years after most of the New Testament had been written. The counterfeit Christianity spawned by Simon the Sorcerer was promoting it vigorously... But the true Church of God vigorously resisted it."

"In Ephesians 2:2, humans have been walking 'according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.'"

"The Bible explains: 'If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not' (II Cor. 4:3-4). Satan is the god of this world."

"When God 'drove out the man' from the Garden of Eden....God said, in effect: '...Go, therefore, Adam... Produce your own educational systems and means of disseminating knowledge, as your god Satan shall mislead you. Form your own concepts of what is god, your own religions... In all this Satan will deceive your world...'

"In Satan's deceived world many have come to a counterfeit Christ.... They have been deceived into worshiping 'another Jesus.'"

"It has become Satan's WORLD though millions have been deceived into believing it is God's world. To this day Satan is still on that throne.

"Meanwhile Satan has worked IN all humans... People have no realization of the tremendous power of Satan."

"Those called out of the world and into the Church at this time are called for a specific purpose and a specific work."

"Satan has blinded the minds of the unbelieving world and the professing traditional 'Christianity' to this fact (II Cor. 4:4). Satan has deceived the entire world, including a professing traditional 'Christianity' (Rev. 12:9)."

"The churches of this world of Satan are organized according to humanly devised patterns. But the Bible gives explicit directions in regard to Church government."

"The CHURCH is organized under theocratic government, hierarchial in form. The members do not set officials in the Church... Members do not elect them. Yet in the churches of this world some believe in government by the entire congregation -- 'democracy'..."

"But what about all the many organized churches labeled under the category 'Christianity'...?"

"Satan is a great COUNTERFEITER! He appears as 'an angel of light' (II Cor. 11:13-15). And he has his counterfeit CHURCHES! His ministers are deceived by him into believing they are 'ministers of righteousness' and of Christ (II Cor. 11:15; Matt. 24:5).

"'But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which we have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him....For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works'(II Cor. 11:3-4, 13-15).

"Notice these deceived but false churches believe they are the true church... Yet they have...not preached Jesus' true Gospel of THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Matt. 24:14)."

"The CHURCH, as initially called in this life, is NOT YET capable of RULING the earth... And THAT IS WHY God has placed HIS GOVERNMENT in his Church. That is WHY God's Church government is theocratic instead of democratic... That is WHY it is hierarchial in form -- government from GOD at the top down, not from the bottom up... It is the SAME government by which Christ shall rule all nations beginning with the millennium!

"And that is WHY Satan has subtilely influenced dissidents in God's Church to become resentful and bitter over God's government...

"The churches of this world...DO NOT speak of the government of GOD... They do not preach Jesus as coming KING -- but only as Savior... And that is to say, they deliberately REJECT and OMIT the gospel MESSAGE of Christ in their teaching and preaching!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, Mystery of the Ages (Pasadena: Worldwide Church of God, 1985), pp. 45, 51, 54, 59, 120, 134, 142, 143, 215-216, 242, 246, 249, 250, 279.

"God said [to Adam and Eve], '...Go, form your own ideas of right and wrong, led and swayed by Satan. You have rejected me as your GOD. Go form your own concepts of gods. Form your own religions. You have rejected my GOVERNMENT over you. Go, form your own unworkable forms of governments.'"

"'Satan will guide you, so you will in fact build SATAN'S world. But he will deceive you into thinking you live in GOD'S world. He will deceive you into thinking HE is God and that there really is no devil -- yet he will make himself the god of your world!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 27 May 1980.

"God reserves His strongest condemnation for those who claim to be speaking for Him, but are actually leading people away from the true God.

"'Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams...and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all...for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts, our God...' (Jer. 23)."

"Not all false prophets come from outside the Church. Some were formerly faithful servants of God, but swerved from the 'straight and narrow' path."

"Faithful pastors protect the flock from those who would spoil them. But some of those called and ordained in God's true Church would covet Christ's sheep. So they would turn from the teachings and the teachers they had originally acknowledged."

"Why does God allow wolves to have access to His flock? Why doesn't He expose them before they do any harm? He has his reasons!

"The first and most basic scripture about false prophets explains why. 'If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign of the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul' (Deut. 13:1-3).

"God wants his flock to stay with Him and the truth no matter what."

"The flock of God is certain to encounter many trials and tests -- false prophets and treasonous pastors among them. But the true sheep of His pasture, who seek His leadership and His will, won't be led astray and devoured. Thankfully, it is just not possible. Christ's sheep will see the fake fleece and run!"

Robert E. Fahey, "Beware of False Prophets," Good News, May 1979.

"The thing is, whoever is the Apostle, whoever is guiding and putting the truth into the Church must be honest with the Word of God! Now, if you ever find me dishonest with the Word of God you reject me as God's Apostle."

Herbert W. Armstrong, taped Bible study on II Corinthians 2, Tucson, Arizona, 6 December 1980.

"...inferiority manifests itself in a desire to belong to a group, club, society, church, group, organization to which one belongs. One would fear to be disloyal, lest the others in this factional group consider him a traitor..."

"Yes, it is human to fear the society to which we have become attached in the way we should fear the Creator God!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Why God Is Not Real to Most People," Worldwide Church of God article reprint.

"One of the most common forms of modern idolatry is making an idol out of one's church or society."

"If you blindly obey the dictates of your family, your church or society instead of the direct commands of God, you are guilty of idolatry. That group or institution becomes an idol to you in place of the true God."

Roderick C. Meredith, The Ten Commandments (Pasadena: Ambassador College Press, 1977), pp. 20-21.

"Christ has promised to be with and specially guide His called servants in matters of Church government and discipline (Matthew 18:15-20)."

"Although Jesus specially promised to guide His ministers in exercising their authority to 'bind' or 'loose' in applying God's law to a particular case, He did not promise that they would never make a mistake in appointing some to offices in the Church. Paul told the Ephesian elders whom he ordained: '...Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them' (Acts 20:30)."

Roderick C. Meredith, "Should You Help the Underdog?" Good News, March 1979.

"All of your respect to any minister should be based upon the fact that you have first proved to yourself that he really is a true servant of God....You need to look at the 'fruit,' the results in proclaiming the true Gospel, in leading the flock into the truth and ways of God, in healing the sick -- the accomplishments in the work of the ministry, carrying out the commission of Christ."

"Christians must be alert to the prophecy that even from among their leaders some would arise speaking perverse things -- twisting God's Word (Acts 20:29-31)."

"So respect and obey God's true ministers, but constantly study to acquire the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5) and to perceive a deceiver who might arise."

"The apostle Paul commands us to be humble. 'Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace' (Eph. 4:3). Some ministers quote this text to persuade their congregation to blindly follow them in a false unity, not of the Spirit... The unity of God's Spirit....is not unity based on man's reasoning swayed by the devil!"

"...if there is ever a case when you have a real conviction that one of God's ministers is teaching something contrary to His will, you ought to 'obey God rather than men' (Acts 5:29)."

Roderick C. Meredith, "The Final Authority," Good News, June-July 1979.

"By the year A.D. 125 the majority in most churches, especially those Gentile-born, were continuing in many of their old pagan beliefs and practices, though professing to be Christian! Gradually, a smaller and smaller portion of the visible churches going by the name 'Christian' remained truly yielded to God and His truth, and led of His Spirit. After Constantine took virtual control of the visible, professing Church in the early fourth century, this visible organization became almost wholly pagan, and began excommunicating and persecuting all who held to the true Word of God! Finally, it became necessary for real Christians, who, even as a scattered people, alone composed the true Christian Church, to flee from the jurisdiction of Rome in order truly to worship God! Thus, the visible, organized Church which rose to power was the FALSE Church -- the 'Great Whore' of Revelation 17."

Herbert W. Armstrong, The Plain Truth About Easter (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1973), pp. 14-16.

"During the first 300 years after Christ, entirely apart from the true Church, more than fifty different professing 'Christian' sects appeared... They tried this idea of 'having LOVE' for those with whom they disagreed. But the DIVINE Love of God -- the same Spirit that guides all brethren in GOD'S WAY, into ALL TRUTH -- was not the kind of love they had. Their human 'love' only divided them in error! It proved no foundation for unity. It brought repeated DIVISION."

"The [Catholic] Church evolved the 'primacy of Peter' doctrine. The principle of authoritative government in the Church was God's -- but their system of using it was Satan's. It was not GOD'S government, but that of men swayed by Satan."

"Until the time of Luther, this counterfeit Church government, however, did prevent division! The Roman Church continued many centuries undivided. But the system of applying the principle of Church government was all wrong. It ruled by the will of man, Satan-inspired. It preserved unity by physical FORCE. It was the instrument of Satan. Therefore its fruits were EVIL!

"The Protestant movement failed to correct what was wrong. Because the Catholic government was a counterfeit mis-rule, they abolished the rule, instead of yielding themselves to the divine government of GOD. They reasoned that every man ought to do what was right in his own eyes."

"Some...wanted DEMOCRACY -- government by the whole congregation."

"They went the way that seemed right in their own eyes. But, devout though they were, they had no firm basis for UNITY. They split and re-split, and today we have hundreds of Protestant denominations!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Christ Did Put Authority and Rule in His Church," Good News, January 1957.

"At the start of the Reformation, where was the church Jesus built, the church to which He promised, 'I am with you alway?' If it was the Roman Catholic Church, then the Protestants were simply -- as Catholic historians claim -- revolting against the Church of God on earth."

"But if the case be that the church of Rome is not the church that Jesus built, then why did not the reformers seek for and unite with that church which had never participated in the paganism of Rome nor been contaminated by her false doctrine and influence, the church which Jesus promised to be with until the end of the age, the church of which He is the living Head?"

"Why start many new churches if that one true church was still in existence?"

"In spite of the apostasy of the majority, there is an abundance of historical evidence to indicate that a number of Christian societies -- some holding much of the truth, some very little -- continued to follow the basic doctrines and practices of the original church right down to the time of the Reformation."

Roderick C. Meredith, "The Plain Truth About the Protestant Reformation," Plain Truth, July 1958.

"It is an historical fact that there were many selfish and materialistic reasons why the Reformation took place when and how it did. Many of them were entirely divorced from a pure religious motive.

"There is no doubt that political, intellectual and financial considerations played a prominent part in bringing about the Reformation of the sixteenth century."

Roderick C. Meredith, "The Plain Truth About the Protestant Reformation," Plain Truth, September 1958.

"Without consulting the Bible to find out what type of church government Christ has instituted in His church, Luther thought out a system of his own."

"Luther decided that great freedom was permissible in the details of worship, as long as the 'Word of God' was kept central."

Roderick C. Meredith, "The Plain Truth About the Protestant Reformation," Plain Truth, November 1958.

"Like Luther and Zwingli before him, Calvin was trained for the Catholic priesthood. Thus, he too had deeply ingrained in his mind many concepts imparted by the Roman church..."

"It is significant...that the three most prominent leaders among the early reformers were all trained as 'Roman' theologians before entering on their reformatory activities....they all retained many pagan concepts and traditions which had crept into the Roman system during the Dark Ages."

Roderick C. Meredith, "The Plain Truth About the Protestant Reformation," Plain Truth, February 1959.

"We have seen that the real explanation [for the Protestant reformers' persecution of the Anabaptists] lies in the fact that the early reformers 'inherited' much of the doctrine and spirit of their 'mother' church. They were as men spiritually drunk -- unable to see clearly the real meaning and outcome of their teachings and actions."

Roderick C. Meredith, "The Plain Truth About the Protestant Reformation," Plain Truth, April 1959.

"We have seen how Martin Luther rebelled against this corrupt hierarchy, but still retained most of its doctrines and traditions.... The answer to many peculiar and wicked Protestant deeds is that, even long after their separation from Rome and their 'conversion' to Protestantism, the early reformers and their followers were still literally saturated with the doctrines, the concepts and the practices of their 'mother' church at Rome."

"At least in order to clear their own consciences, the Protestant leaders were forced to distort or reject many passages of Scripture which did not conform to their doctrinal ideas."

"Remember that Jesus spoke of His Church as the 'little flock.' He taught that it was to be scattered and persecuted (Mat. 10:16-23; John 15:18-20).

"The Church of Revelation 12 is pictured as being small and weak of itself. It is pictured as having to flee into the wilderness during the Middle Ages (Rev. 12:5-6). Certainly this picture is exactly the opposite of the dominant, worldly, historical Catholic Church! This is the Church the reformers should have united with, but did not."

"The reformers were actually rebelling against only a small part of the Roman Catholic teachings. And they were as men spiritually drunk -- not knowing where they wanted to go, or how to get there -- still guided and misled by a background of paganized Roman doctrines and concepts.....when they came out of the Roman Catholic Church they brought most of her teachings and traditions right along with them."

"They came out of her in protest. But...they retained most of her pagan doctrines and concepts."

"In spiritual darkness, groping their way out of apostate Rome, the reformers were not guided by the same Spirit of God that empowered the original apostles to change men's lives."

"We must acknowledge that in freeing men's minds from some error, the reformers added much error of their own devising. They did not turn men to the truth. Rather, they turned them to independent, self-willed human reason.

"This has multiplied the already existing religious confusion."

"This is not the 'unity of the Spirit.' This is not the one true Church Jesus Christ said He would build (Mat. 16:18)."

"DON'T RUN from the truth! The END of this age is near!"

Roderick C. Meredith, "The Plain Truth About the Protestant Reformation," Plain Truth, May 1959.

"Shall we all leave the Church of God and join 'the church of people'?

"Some already have done that. Let's think about it for a moment.

"I had a vivid example of this a couple of mornings ago, awakening from a dream. In the dream it seemed to be several years ago when the Church was smaller. There was a young man across the street who looked like a possible one of our leaders. He was about age 30, with outstanding personality and appearance, and an articulate extrovert. Then two other young men of about 30, well dressed, of somewhat impressive appearance and manner, were seen walking over and talking to him. They took pains to avoid me, and I seemed to know they were opposed to me personally.

"In the dream I determined to speak immediately with the man they were trying to influence adversely. I told him I knew they were 'lobbying' against the Church and against me.

"'Yes,' he replied, 'but I have to tell you, Mr. Armstrong, I think these men have something worth listening to. They say you arrogate to yourself too much power. You make yourself the leader of the Church. They say the people ought to have all the "say so." The people ought to vote on who they want to be their leader and on what they want to believe and accept as Church doctrine. That sounds like a good idea to me. I think we need more DEMOCRACY.'

"I awoke at that point, thinking about the dream, which had stuck in my mind. But before awakening, I remember I said to this man in the dream, 'Well, the REAL QUESTION is whether this is GOD'S Church or the PEOPLE'S Church! If it is GOD'S Church, then GOD is running it, and revealing what we shall believe and teach. GOD has the 'say so.' God runs it through Jesus Christ, who is the HEAD of the Church. And Jesus Christ runs it through His chosen apostle, whom HE, not men, chose, prepared and now guides and leads. Those men are getting your eyes off of God -- you are leaving GOD out of the picture -- out of the Church. You are looking only to people! If you want to put GOD out of His Church, then you will have to be excommunicated!'

"I awakened considerably impressed with the dream. Was God revealing to me that TOO MANY within the Church membership are leaving GOD out of the picture? -- in their own minds putting GOD out of the Church? Do they think that the kind of men the people would vote for ought to be made the LEADERS in the Church? -- that the people should say to GOD, 'This is OUR Church, God, we want you to GET OUT of the Church and leave us alone. WE will run this Church OUR way!' I awakened impressed that TOO MANY of our people are LEAVING GOD AND CHRIST OUT OF HIS CHURCH, and trying to make it OUR Church -- the church of the PEOPLE, and NOT the CHURCH of GOD!"

"Man does not see things the way God does. God says, 'There is A WAY which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of DEATH' (Prov. 14:12)! As to how MAN looks at it -- how MAN would choose, God says, 'Lean not unto thine own understanding' (Prov. 3:5)."

"[In the 70s there] were at least six or seven in TOP offices next to Christ's apostle in authority -- men trusted and honored. But they were going to make it 'THE CHURCH OF PEOPLE,' instead of the CHURCH OF GOD. They could not see God nor Christ in their mental picture of God's Church. They were LIBERALS!"

"Now churches or works OF THEIR OWN have been started. But they overlook one thing: 'EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, THEY LABOUR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT.'"

"GOD is not building their houses!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Shall We All Leave the Church of God and Join 'The Church of People'?" Good News, September 1980.

"The Word of God clearly teaches us that there is but the ONE Spirit, and the ONE Body. (I Cor. 12:12-13,20)."

"That ONE BODY of Christ, carrying on HIS WORK, must function as a UNIT. It must work in harmony and unity, with teamwork, for God is not the author of confusion. There must be no pulling off in different directions by different men in that one Body. There must be no competition, or division. And any who knowingly promotes, or encourages anyone in promoting, such disharmony, competition, and division, becomes the enemy of God, and serving the devil and not God!

"In order that this ONENESS -- this UNITY of purpose and action -- this HARMONY and co-operative teamwork, be maintained and preserved in GOD'S WORK, God has ordained GOVERNMENT IN HIS CHURCH. And He has empowered His Church with DIVINE AUTHORITY.

"That government in God's Church is government from God, thru Christ, thru apostles, thru evangelists, thru pastors, thru other elders, in that order!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Must God's Ministers Be Ordained by the Hand of Man?" Good News, October 1962.

"During the first 300 years after Christ, entirely apart from the true Church, more than fifty different professing 'Christian' sects appeared... They tried this idea of 'having LOVE' for those with whom they disagreed. But the DIVINE Love of God -- the same Spirit that guides all brethren in GOD'S WAY, into ALL TRUTH -- was not the kind of love they had. Their human 'love' only divided them in error! It proved no foundation for unity. It brought repeated DIVISION."

"The [Catholic] Church evolved the 'primacy of Peter' doctrine. The principle of authoritative government in the Church was God's -- but their system of using it was Satan's. It was not GOD'S government, but that of men swayed by Satan."

"Until the time of Luther, this counterfeit Church government, however, did prevent division! The Roman Church continued many centuries undivided. But the system of applying the principle of Church government was all wrong. It ruled by the will of man, Satan-inspired. It preserved unity by physical FORCE. It was the instrument of Satan. Therefore its fruits were EVIL!

"The Protestant movement failed to correct what was wrong. Because the Catholic government was a counterfeit mis-rule, they abolished the rule, instead of yielding themselves to the divine government of GOD. They reasoned that every man ought to do what was right in his own eyes."

"Some...wanted DEMOCRACY -- government by the whole congregation."

"They went the way that seemed right in their own eyes. But, devout though they were, they had no firm basis for UNITY. They split and re-split, and today we have hundreds of Protestant denominations!

"[These same] ideas held by a small few in the Church today...have been put to the test of experience and TIME. And they have proved the very CAUSE of division and confusion. They have not unified the Church members in TRUTH -- but divided them in ERROR!"

"Brethren, it is because we did not as yet ourselves fully comprehend this working of GOD'S GOVERNMENT in His Church, and because no such authority was exercised in the parent church at Eugene, Oregon, that a division came about which did split the Church there."

"If some one trouble-maker appears, bent on attracting a following and dividing the Church with some wrong doctrine or idea, we shall obey God's Word in the exercise of His government, and mark that person, and, as Paul commanded in I Cor. 5:13, 'put away from ourselves that wicked person.'"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Christ Did Put Authority and Rule in His Church," Good News, January 1957.

"Now suppose a member thinks he or she has found an error in our doctrines. How must you proceed? IF you have found truth, we all want to know and embrace it! But how MUST you proceed? NEVER by trying to convince another member of your 'finding,' lest you fall guilty of Romans 16:17-18.

"WHAT, then?

"Take it to your local minister or write to headquarters. What must a local pastor do? Send it to headquarters. If it is felt to be a valid truth, it will be brought to me personally, and the LIVING CHRIST will make it clear to my mind!"

"[This is] how a member should proceed who thinks he has found where the Church is in error on a doctrine, or where he thinks he has discovered 'new light' the Church does not yet have."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal," Good News, April 1979, (see also Good News, June/July 1979, "A Correction").

"In God's Church, we ministers do not tell you what to believe, and command you to believe US, without even looking into your Bible. That is what the Roman Catholic Church does -- but not God's Church."

"Am I now asking you to merely believe ME -- to take my word, without proving it to you by GOD'S WORD?

"But suppose, when you study your own Bible, you come across something you feel is contrary to the teaching of the Church? Must you hide your eyes from what you see in your Bible? CERTAINLY NOT!"

"Well, what then shall you do, then?

"LISTEN! UNDERSTAND THIS! You must not go to any other member with what you feel you have found is contrary to the Church's teaching. Instead, YOU MUST BRING IT TO THE MINISTERS! If you are a member of a local congregation, take it to your pastor. Go into it WITH HIM -- but with NO ONE ELSE, lest you foment division, and be cast out of the Church! If there is no local pastor, bring it to one of God's ministers, or write to HEADQUARTERS.

"God's ministers will go into it with you. If you are right -- if you have found any place in the Bible where we are in error, then WE WANT TO KNOW IT. We hate error, and love truth, even though the truth correct and reprove us! Bring it to us. If YOU are wrong, we will patiently show you, and explain it more perfectly to you. If WE are wrong, we will correct it BEFORE THE WHOLE CHURCH, so that ALL the Church may, with one mind, believe the TRUTH, and speak the SAME THING!

"If any other member comes to you to point out where the Church is wrong -- DO NOT LISTEN! Rather, tell him to take it to the CHURCH! And then report him to Headquarters.

"This, Brethren, is the ONLY way we can have unity!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Should We Listen to Others?" Good News, May 1960.

"Until about 1969 we in God's Church did all 'speak the same thing.'

"By 1978 many of the ministers were speaking different things! God had withdrawn from us His blessing and power that for 35 years caused the Work of His Church to grow at the approximate rate of 30 percent every year over the preceding year!

"WHAT CAUSED GOD TO WITHDRAW HIS BLESSING AND POWER?

"Precisely the same thing that choked the growth of the Church of God at Corinth from A.D. 56, 25 years after the Church was founded at Jerusalem. They were following different leaders, speaking different things, watering down the sacred and precious truths of Christ!

"Christ's apostle wrote to the Corinthian church, in A.D. 56, 'Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment' (I Corinthians 1:10).

"They were starting to follow different leaders teaching different doctrines. The Church was becoming divided! And a church divided against itself cannot stand!"

"It is only common sense to realize that if everyone teaches what he, personally, believes, or if we follow different leaders each speaking his own thing, WE HAVE ONLY CONFUSION!"

"But the self-minded among us, even the few in the ministry, DO NOT UNDERSTAND!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "And Now Christ Sets Church Back on Track Doctrinally," Good News, April 1979.

"I want you, brethren, to think about and understand what happened to God's Church in the 1970s lest history repeat itself! I want you to see the 'fruits' of rebelling against God's way and God's government.

"After all, the basic issue all along was that of God's government in the Church. One who followed one liberal who, as the apostle Paul predicted, sought to draw away followers after himself (Acts 20:30) said, 'We are liberated from that church government and now have a loosely knit organization, and that's the way we like it.'"

"The Church is 'built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord' (Ephesians 2:20-21). Note, the Church is organized and fitly framed together, not organized with competing and differing branches.

"Notice Ephesians 4, there is only one organized church 'fitly joined together and compacted' (verse 16) -- compacted as if welded together into one well-organized body. And how did He organize this body? How was it governed? 'And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith...(Ephesians 4:11-13). It is not DISunity or some other type of organization and government. Paul also said 'that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment' (I Corinthians 1:10)."

"To make clear one of the reasons -- if not the primary reason -- for the conflict caused by the liberal element, I quote from a Western newspaper. In an interview with a former minister, who had sought to draw away a following of members after himself, it was stated concerning this split-off church that they have 'a completely different administrative structure.'

"Most of the dissension of the past in the Church has been over the matter of government. The dissenters believe in a very liberal government -- the way of Satan and his world."

"We who remain in the one and only true Church grieve over the loss of those who are so far failing in their final exams."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Recent History of the Philadelphia Era of the WCG," Worldwide News, 24 June 1985.

"God says to His Church, through the apostle Paul, 'Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment' (I Corinthians 1:10).

"This passage continues saying the church at Corinth, precisely like today's Church of God, was following various and differing men with differing doctrines."

"What happened in those churches in the first century has happened to us today. Those guilty of causing division are fighting God and shall be judged by Him!"

"This group of liberals assumed the authority of setting Church doctrine [with the goal of unity in mind]....that is, unity in watered-down doctrines that older loyal ministers did not and never would accept! THAT WAS NOT UNITY -- IT WAS DIVISION!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "What Is a Liberal?" Good News, March 1979.

"...the one and only true CHURCH is NOT an ORGANIZATION OF MEN, but a SPIRITUAL ORGANISM. Yet that fact does not preclude organization."

"This spiritual organism is the 'Body of Christ' existing for the PURPOSE of carrying on THE WORK OF GOD."

"If every individual in it goes out alone, independently, trying to carry out the divine Commission in whatever way he sees fit, we shall have confusion, a house divided against itself."

"Christ has, indeed, ORGANIZED HIS CHURCH, SO FITLY joined together as a physical building put together with the precision of every part of the most expert craftsmen."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Just What Is the Church," article reprint, 1970.

"The [Sardis] church -- the only true Church left on earth -- was falling apart like the decayed branches of a tree! The ministers would not strengthen that which was ready to perish!"

"The remaining brethren retained the name 'Church of God,' with headquarters finally at Stanberry, Missouri. Among local congregations only a few individuals repented and strengthened the truth that was ready to perish in their midst. But most of the ministers resorted to organizing pitifully weak evangelistic work on the pattern of state conferences rather than yielding themselves to God's government and direction in the carrying of the gospel with power."

"[In Rev. 3:8] is a Church with little strength, few in numbers, but which has kept the word of God; one which has not denied the truth. Here is a Church which is preaching the gospel with power because Jesus promises to set before it an open door until the work of the Church is completed."

Herman L. Hoeh, A True History of the True Church (USA: Radio Church of God, 1959), p. 26.

"Why are the different branches of 'Christianity' talking about UNION? WHY is it possible for them to make overtures toward compromise?

"And anyway, is it not right that they should all GET TOGETHER? WHY should Christianity be divided?

"The Vatican Second Ecumenical Council is making many overtures toward both Protestants and the Eastern Orthodox church. They are even taking a conciliatory attitude toward Jews. Recently Pope Paul VI assured the non-Catholic Christian world of his purpose to clear away every obstacle blocking 'Christian unity.'"

"The BIG question is WHY is such compromise possible?

"Can you imagine Jesus Christ beginning to compromise and get together with the Pharisees?"

"Did all the hundreds of differing and disagreeing sects and denominations calling themselves 'Christian' receive their varying faiths from the SAME SOURCE? Quite obviously not!"

"Now we ought to begin to see the answer to the question, HOW can these differing religious groups compromise and get together? Their beliefs, their customs, are the inventions of HUMANS. In actual fact, they did not receive their beliefs from the true and living GOD -- or from His Word, the Bible. Their religions are of HUMAN ORIGIN. Therefore humans feel at liberty to alter or change their own beliefs and ways."

"We ought to understand, therefore, how those who, like the Roman Catholic Church, reject the Bible as the supreme AUTHORITY -- setting themselves, as a CHURCH, ahead of it as supreme authority....we ought now to understand how they can compromise and GET TOGETHER."

"Since [the one and only true Church] is ruled and guided by the living God, whose written Word means what it says, it cannot and will not compromise or unite with the churches of this world."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal from the Editor," Plain Truth, December 1964.

"The first full, inside story of 'Operation Thunderbolt,' titled 90 Minutes to Entebbe, is just off the press."

"I have just picked up a copy. I'm so impressed with the striking parallel between the Israeli's determined policy on never compromising with terrorists and compromising with GOD'S TRUTH, that I have come immediately to my typewriter while the supremely IMPORTANT truth may flash hot off my mind onto paper to be printed for you to read.

"Sometimes, whether in terrorist skyjackings, or handling the Word of God, temptations tend to sweep us off our feet. So far as I can think of right now, the only nation that has had the WILL, the DETERMINATION -- the STEADFAST FAITH -- to refuse to give in to terrorist threats is the comparatively small but tenacious nation of Israel.

"Forty-three years ago, the living Christ commissioned to me His GREAT COMMISSION."

"But during these 43 years, I have frequently been pressured to compromise -- 'just a little' -- with God's TRUTH."

"[God] entrusted me with this precious TRUTH."

"But honestly, now, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

"Wouldn't it be all right to compromise, 'just a little,' on some 'unimportant minor point'? Especially on some ostensibly unimportant point where we appear 'crazy' to the world."

"Nevertheless, if we begin to compromise with God's TRUTH, even in smallest, slightest manner, we have allowed Satan to get a foot into the door of the Church, and soon he will push open the door (he is stronger than we) and take over the whole Church.

"A little leaven leavens the WHOLE LUMP! ...I have been charged with the commission of KEEPING GOD'S WORD. Keeping it inviolate -- NO COMPROMISE! I have NEVER compromised with God's TRUTH -- regardless of the cost or the circumstances. I never shall!

"There is a striking parallel in the recent skyjacking 'Operation Thunderbolt' -- the spectacular Israeli rescue to deliver innocent terrorist hostages from violent death in the 90-minute strike at Entebbe Airport in Uganda.

"Other nations, one after another, have given in and submitted to terrorist demands. But Israel, a tiny nation, has an IRON POLICY NEVER TO COMPROMISE EVEN ONE INCH WITH TERRORISTS.

"The real philosophy of this was printed in a brief foreword in the new paperback book just out on newsstands: 90 Minutes to Entebbe. I want you to READ IT -- carefully, and even a second time.

"Quoted in the book, Yerucham Amital, former Deputy Chief of the Israeli Air Force, said: 'If Israel should ever fail to protect her own, she would cease to have meaning. We have been forced into aggressive defense and the stakes keep getting higher.

"'In the end, we may have to choose between action that might pull down the Temple of Humanity itself rather than surrender even a single member of the family to the executioners.

"'Survival in other circumstances is not survival at all. And all of us, whatever our race, won't be worth a damn if we buy our lives at the cost of our conscience.'

"Just as Israel is LITTLE in population and financial means among the nations, so GOD'S CHURCH is LITTLE in numbers and popularity among churches or religious organizations. But ISRAEL stands STRONG and ALONE among this world's nations in determination to NOT YIELD ONE INCH TO THE OUTRAGEOUS METHODS AND DEMANDS OF TERRORISTS!

"Satan is the chief of terrorists. He HATES God's holy, sacred Word."

"I will CHANGE whenever proved wrong. I will accept NEW TRUTH as often as PROVED to be new truth to me or to the Church. But I will not compromise with the truth! I never have!"

"I won't compromise -- not even 'just a little.'"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal," Good News, December 1976.

"Do you think YOU are immune from the wiles and subtle deceptions of Satan? DON'T SO UNWISELY UNDERESTIMATE SATAN! Satan is the strongest personage God ever created, except for the other two archangels Michael and Gabriel.... God's Word warns us to be constantly ON GUARD against Satan's wiles."

"Let me illustrate. One is walking along in a thickly wooded forest on a moonless pitch-dark night. But just ahead of him is an experienced guide with a lighted lantern. If he follows that lighted lantern he will be led safely out of the woods. But if he turns aside just a step or two and hesitates, the light continues on out of his sight. Then he is really lost. If one turns aside from God's truth on just one point, or one doctrine, and does not quickly repent, the light of God's truth moves on. In his self-centered effort to find the light of truth, he now walks blindly in wrong directions. He takes more and more steps in the wrong direction. That is, he proceeds on into more and more error, all the while losing more and more of what truth he had."

"So comprehend the illustration. We all were lost in the dark woods of sin. On first realization of it, with repentance and belief, we received a first portion of God's Holy Spirit....The Spirit of God, by lighting up the Bible, leads us a step at a time, into more and more truth, and a step at a time out of error and sin. But if and when you reject one point of truth, it is like stepping aside in the dark woods. You are no longer being led by the Spirit of God opening the Bible to right understanding. The light -- the Spirit of God -- leaves you. God's TRUTH marches on! It leaves you behind. You are in darkness again. Lost again in the darkness of sin! You stumble around in the thick dark woods trying to find the lighted lantern. But every step you now take is taking you farther away from the lighted lantern, proceeding on the SURE path out of the woods.

"Take the example of some ministers who left God's Church. Some tried to incorporate new 'churches' of their own. But they were not GOD'S churches. These men had all rejected one or more points of truth, or Church doctrine. They almost immediately began to add new points of false doctrine of their own -- not of God. Soon they began rejecting points of TRUTH. Perhaps it was tithing. Perhaps healing. Perhaps voting in this world's governments. Perhaps it was God's Government in the Church. Soon they were rejecting God's annual Holy Days and feasts. Soon they were rejecting more and more of GOD'S TRUTH and turning to more and more FALSE doctrines and errors. THEY, PROFESSING TO FOLLOW CHRIST in their new way, WERE GOING FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY FROM HIM. They were going closer and closer to Satan and Satan's WAY."

"It started, in every case, by taking one first step in Satan's direction -- compromising -- becoming 'liberal' -- or resenting and rebelling against GOD'S GOVERNMENT in His Church -- or letting a spirit of SELF enter in -- it could be self-righteousness, or self-centeredness in COVETING POWER. More than one has been led into spiritual darkness by coveting POWER in God's Church."

"YOU LET DOWN YOUR GUARD AND ALLOW SATAN TO DECEIVE AND USE YOU when, once you have known the truth, repented, received God's Spirit, started on GOD'S WAY, you take a step away from that way, begin to liberalize, compromise with Satan."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "'Satan Deceive and Use Me? Never!!'" Worldwide News, 1980(?).

"Yes, more than generally realized, Satan was manipulating things to make God's Church and His Work more and more secular -- more like any other purely worldly and human activity!

"The realization of this was brought forcibly to my mind by my thinking over a criticism from one whose understanding needs updating. He said I was surrounded by 'yes-men.'

"That set off a chain of thought. This expression yes-men is a bit of modern terminology, generally meaning passive, extra-docile, weak-minded men who go along purely to serve their own personal interests or through fear.

"In that category, our administrative personnel and our ministers, most assuredly are NOT yes-men.

"But there is another meaning that could be applied to that expression. And in that sense I want to be a yes-man myself -- and I hope that all of us, whether lay members, ministers or administrative people, are this kind of yes-people."

"I was brought to the REPENTANCE that is complete SURRENDER to the will of God! I was brought to the unconditional surrender of being willing to say, with Christ, 'Not MY will, but THINE be done!' I was brought, not only to complete repentance, but to living FAITH -- to BELIEVE GOD -- that is, to believe what He says!

"To God I said, 'YES, SIR!' In utter sincerity, I literally GAVE MYSELF to Jesus Christ. He had bought and paid for me with His life's blood. He OWNED me. I BELONGED TO HIM!

"I became a YES-MAN to Christ!"

"I hope all of our administrative people and all our ministers and their wives, as well as the entire body of God's Church, also are that kind of yes-men.

"There is a vast difference between being an insipid yes-man weakling through cringing FEAR, and being resolute and strong-minded, imbued with the Holy Spirit of God.

"On the other hand there is also a vast difference between that and being stubbornly mule-minded, each pulling his own way and doing his own thing!

"What God intends us to be -- what we MUST be to succeed in His Work -- are resolute people, imbued with the HOLY SPIRIT of God, recognizing that Jesus Christ is our LEADER. And we plunge forth, all of the same mind (that of Christ) -- in PERFECT HARMONY AND UNITY -- all speaking the same thing.

"Listen, then, to God's command:

"'Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you: but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment' (I Corinthians 1:10).

"God did not inspire the apostle Paul to mean that wrong kind of yes-men -- insipid, weak, fear-minded men concerned with self-interest. What He did mean is that we should all be led by the same Spirit -- God's Holy Spirit."

"You are not, then, allowed by God each to preach his own interpretations, but rather as Christ leads the TEAM!"

"We must always keep in mind that JESUS CHRIST is the living HEAD of the Church... He does NOT lead God's Work through the self-will of each minister or individual, each pulling his own direction to do his own thing.

"Jesus Christ leads God's Work through human leaders whom HE (not the members by vote) CHOOSES and works through."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "The Great Majestic God," Good News, 31 July 1978.

"There's no question about it -- God commands emphatically that we in His Church do 'all speak the same thing' (I Cor. 1:10).

"For many years I have striven to bring all God's children into a unity of belief (Ps. 133:1).

"... of all the religions and all the more than 250 denominations and sects in 'Christianity,' NOT ONE, except the Worldwide Church of God, knows WHO and WHAT God is! NOT ONE knows what, and why, MAN IS! NOT ONE knows the TRUTH about the nation Israel -- WHY God chose them, yet gave none but their prophets His Holy Spirit -- where they are today. NOT ONE knows what is the TRUE GOSPEL Christ proclaimed! NOT ONE knows what happens in the hereafter -- the transcendent human potential."

"NONE but God's one and only TRUE CHURCH has the full knowledge God has revealed to His own Church. NOT ONE knows what salvation really is!

"Doesn't it, then, become abundantly apparent that we must all know precisely what God has prepared for those who love Him -- and that we speak these amazing TRUTHS as they are -- all speaking the same thing?"

"But first, WHY is it important that we all believe and speak the same DOCTRINES? Continue in I Corinthians 1:10: 'that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.'"

"A corollary to I Corinthians 1:10 is Romans 16:17-18: 'Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.'

"'Avoid them' means just that. Walk away from them. Do not invite them into your home. 'If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed' (II John 10)."

"To the Thessalonians God made this a command: 'Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the traditions which he received from us [that is, from Christ's true apostles] ... And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him' (II Thess. 3:6, 14).

"This is SO IMPORTANT to GOD that He had the apostle John, in the 90s, A.D., write, as quoted above, 'If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine' (as received through Christ's apostles), 'receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed' (II John 10)."

"WHY DOES GOD WANT US -- COMMAND US! -- to mark and avoid those who come with a different doctrine? Because they create DIVISION among God's people!' 'And' (Rom. 16:18) 'by good words and fair speeches' they DECEIVE those who listen -- they claim to serve God -- but they DO NOT AGREE with God."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal," Good News, April 1979.

"Are some of trying to be more kind, merciful and considerate even than GOD? Are we actually disobeying God in our soft, fence-straddling approach toward certain others?"

"'Now we COMMAND YOU, brethren, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly,' and, 'if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him ...' (II Thessalonians 3:6, 14)."

"God is far more strict in all such matters within the Church than we have sometimes been inclined to be."

"We MUST NOT appear to try to be more kind than God. Christ will say, 'Depart from me!' WE MUST NOT COMPROMISE! GOD DOES NOT!"

"I do pray for all such. I pray that God will BLESS THEM -- with whatever He in His supreme wisdom knows is BEST FOR THEM -- even though that may be severe PUNISHMENT!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Can We Fellowship the Disfellowshipped?" Worldwide News, 1980(?).

"Ministers were crying for more and more watering down of truths Christ had put into His Church through His apostle."

"I had repeatedly asked ministers or members to contact me personally on problems in the field -- but my requests fell on deaf ears.

"[My son] then brought [a minister of his choosing] back as 'head of the ministry.' He was [his] tool, working with...the 'intellectuals.' Ministers who should have been fired were left in. [The minister my son chose] always has worked to keep people 'friendly' to him.

"As the ancient prophet Eli was condemned and punished by God for allowing his sinning sons to remain in the priesthood, so ministers who should have been eliminated were left in. [This head of the minstry] would offend no one. After [my son] was put out of the Church, [the head of the ministry] did all he could to keep disqualified ministers loyal to him personally, building power for himself."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Christ Now Moves to Put God's Government Back of Track," Good News, September 1979.

"If you have truly repented, you have stopped using human reason and acting according to the way you look at it! ...If you have received God's Holy Spirit, it is to lead you into all TRUTH -- which means understanding of GOD'S WORD, and what it instructs on all these questions, so that you know what to obey. Therefore you will look into the Bible for your answer.... God will not accept worship 'according to the dictates of man's conscience.'"

"YOU are to have fellowship only with those who know and obey the TRUTH!"

"When the so-called 'Jehovah Witnesses' come to your door, should you admit them?

"'Well, the way I look at it,' some might say, 'is this: it would be discourteous not to admit them, and that would not be "Christian," would it?'

"BUT HOW DOES GOD LOOK AT IT? God says 'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD' (Isa. 55:8). What does God COMMAND?

"'For many deceivers (including "Jehovah Witnesses") are entered into the world .... Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not (obeys not) in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God .... If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (of Christ, and of God's true Church), receive him not into your house, neither bid him God-speed: for he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker of his evil deeds.' (II John 7-11).

"These 'Jehovah Witness' people DO NOT OBEY GOD! They argue against God's Commandments, and especially against the Sabbath."

"'Jehovah Witness' people especially will argue against God's Law. They DO transgress God's Law, and they abide not in the doctrine of CHRIST. Therefore their deeds are EVIL. God says you, also, are partaker with them of their evil deeds if you receive them into your home."

"When these people come to your door, just smile and tell them politely, but FIRMLY, you are not interested -- you do not discuss religion -- and be closing your door as you say it ..."

"But all these temptations to ensnare you into the world -- into false doctrines -- into forbidden fellowship or false worship are mild compared to the one in our very midst, HARDEST OF ALL TO RESIST!"

"The Apostle Paul, speaking his farewell to the elders of the large Church of God at Ephesus, said:

"'I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.' (Acts 20:29-20).

"THAT DID HAPPEN IN THAT CHURCH!

"The greatest danger of all is when one who is among us, supposed to be one of us, approaches you with some doctrine or interpretation CONTRARY to that of God's Church, and of God's ministers.

"Whether it be a so-called 'Jehovah Witness' or even one supposedly a member of God's own Church, remember THIS COMMAND: 'If there come ANY unto you' -- it does not say member of another church -- it says if ANY come unto you -- 'and bring not this doctrine, RECEIVE HIM NOT INTO YOUR HOUSE ...' -- DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!"

"What we say is, do not listen any longer to those who bring a DIFFERENT doctrine! If you have already seen these truths for yourself -- already PROVED them in your own Bible -- already proved this is the true Church of God, then GOD'S TEACHING, as I have shown you in this article from the BIBLE, is, DO NOT LISTEN to those who bring a different doctrine."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Should We Listen to Others?" Good News, May 1960.

"Paul gave the reason, in the following verses, for GOVERNMENT and AUTHORITY in the Church -- 'For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers...whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses (even as those fighting against order and government in God's Church are doing today), teaching things they ought not (as right now), for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, (lazy gluttons -- RSV), ...This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.' And Paul adds, chapter 2:15, '...and REBUKE, with ALL AUTHORITY.'

"Yes, God's Government is NECESSARY in His Church, and He PUT IT THERE!

"Notice what Jesus taught...[in Luke 22:24-26 and] in Mark 10:42: '...ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them...but so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be chiefest, shall be servant of all.'"

"Years ago, seeing this, and not considering the many, MANY Scriptures charging some in the Church with authority, rulership, saying to 'rebuke' the unruly, etc., I took the above scriptures to mean there is no authority in the Church. I did not want to exercise authority. I was still NEW in God's truth (this was over 40 years ago). So, in the early days of the parent Church of the Philadelphia era, at Eugene, Oregon, I allowed 'wolves in sheeps' clothing' to come in and sow the seeds of discord among brethren. It resulted in splitting the church in two -- possibly turning half my flock onto the way that leads into the lake of fire! God had His own way of REBUKING ME SOUNDLY, making me see this in its true light. Jesus here is talking about THE MANNER in which the authority Christ delegates is used. He is NOT saying there is NO AUTHORITY."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 2 May 1974.

"Let's let GOD tell us what He means by UNITY.

"Paul's final word to the Corinthians was this: 'Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace.' Being of ONE MIND is the WAY to peace, and unity. (II Cor. 13:11).

"'...stand fast in ONE SPIRIT, with ONE MIND, striving together for the faith of the Gospel.' (Phil. 1:27).

"'Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.' (Phil. 2:2). Notice how being AGREED and of ONE MIND is continually connected with true love in God's Word! It says nothing about showing love by disagreement. God FORBIDS you to do something according to what is right in your own eyes!"

"A house divided against itself cannot stand. Therefore Christ, of necessity, had to provide A WAY of preventing disagreement and divisions."

"Brethren, it is because we did not as yet ourselves fully comprehend this working of GOD'S GOVERNMENT in His Church, and because no such authority was exercised in the parent church at Eugene, Oregon, that a division came about which did split the Church there. Several whom we loved and had served in love for years turned bitterly against us and left the Church. THAT MUST NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. If some one trouble-maker appears, bent on attracting a following and dividing the Church with some wrong doctrine or idea, we shall obey God's Work in the exercise of His government, and mark that person, and, as Paul commanded in I Cor. 5:13, 'put away from ourselves that wicked person.'"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Christ Did Put Authority and Rule in His Church!" Good News, January 1957.

"God's instruction to ministers of local churches is this:

"'I charge thee therefore before God...PREACH THE WORD; keep at it in season, out of season; REPROVE, REBUKE, EXHORT with all patience and doctrine' (II Tim. 4:1-2). He said the time would come when some in congregations ministered by GOD'S TRUE MINISTERS will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts heap to themselves teachers -- turning away their ears from the TRUTH.'"

"Should the brethren HATE God's minister when he properly uses God's Word, and declares is boldly?"

"What about those few disgruntled, unhappy and rebellious ones who twist the truth into believing a preacher shows 'LOVE' by condoning them in their sins?"

"God has given instruction in HIS WORD as to how His ministers whom He has set in authority shall deal with those who have thus departed from HIS LOVE, and who stir up dissension among brethren."

"In past years your Pastor tried to show 'love' by not acting drastically or harshly with such people. God has punished him, and brought him to see how such people MUST be dealt with, for a little leaven will leaven the whole lump. And hereafter God's ministers will demonstrate IN POWER, if necessary, the authority God has given, and carry out His instructions, that the love and the spiritual growth of THE MANY shall not be perverted and destroyed by FEW!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Local Assemblies Are Not Social Clubs!" Good News, October 1957.

"The apostle Paul instructs that in the Church we must be of one accord all speaking the same thing (I Cor. 1:10). We are to mark those who, in hostile attitude, cause division and controversy among brethren and avoid them.

"If the entire Church had followed these commandments from God's Word we would not have had the troubles in the Church in 1974 and the later 1970s."

"God's Church must follow these biblical instructions..."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 1 April 1984.

"In the Church we are commanded that all must speak the same thing as Christ does -- all AGREE 100 percent. The CHURCH must be 100 percent in LOVING SUBMISSION to God's authority. Just one hostile teammate on an athletic team will cause the whole team to lose games. One rotten apple rots those next to it in the crate. God COMMANDS we must MARK those who cause division and are in hostile attitude, and avoid them by disfellowshipment. It is because we did not obey that command in Scripture that we had trouble in the Church for a few years up to four or five years ago."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 20 September 1983.

"A primary reason for the contentions and slowing down in the growth of the Church during the liberal years is the fact that, in our desire to hold rebellious and liberal ministers and members within our fellowship, we did not rigidly obey the command of Romans 16:17..."

"To make clear one of the reasons -- if not the primary reason -- for the conflict caused by the liberal element, I quote from a Western newspaper. In an interview with a former minister...it was stated concerning this split-off church that they have a 'completely different administrative structure.'

"The story continued to explain that they totally differ with the governmental structure of God's Church. He was quoted as saying 'he also does not believe in expelling people from the church if they do not live up to its teachings.' It also stated they believe 'the church is where people belong to help them overcome their problems.' In other words the liberal idea is to disobey God's instruction to disfellowship and avoid those who are contentious and cause division and accept members who believe and live contrary to the teachings of Christ and the Bible."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Recent History of the Philadelphia Era," Worldwide News, 24 June 1985.

"In Romans 16:17 it speaks of marking 'them which cause DIVISIONS and OFFENCES CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH YE HAVE LEARNED.'"

"In II Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15 is the COMMAND: 'Now we COMMAND YOU, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye WITHDRAW yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us .... And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed ...'"

"It is a COMMAND. And if we try to be MORE KIND -- MORE RIGHTEOUS -- than God and DISOBEY THAT COMMAND, we convict ourselves of disobedience to God's COMMAND!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Which Family Comes First?" Good News, April 1980.

"Any government, organization, operation or activity without a directing, governing HEAD is riding to disaster!"

"We would suppose, according to organizational patterns, that the top authority in a college or university would be the trustees, or the regents... But what is happening in actual practice? Do they, in practice, exercise authority? Are they really in charge?

"After the student uprising and violence, 1968, at Columbia University, William S. Paley, a trustee...said: 'It is essential that we make it possible for students to work for the correction of such conditions legitimately and effectively... Legally the university is the board of trustees....but actually,' he continues, 'it is very largely the community of teachers and students.'

"In other words, the trustees have weakened and in practice relinquished their authority to the teachers and students. He continues:

"'That a board of trustees should commit a university community to policies and actions without the components of that community participating in discussions leading to such commitments has become obsolete...'

"For the top authority to question teachers and students, to learn their attitudes and ideas, to carefully consider them, arrive at a judgment, set a policy and enforce it is one thing."

"At Ambassador College, the top authorities, in whom the government is legally invested, govern. It is authority from the top down, not from the bottom up. Students come here to learn -- to receive what they know we have to give, not to teach us.

"On the other hand, if we did not keep abreast of student attitudes, needs, and welfare -- if we gave them reason for grievance, we might expect opposition. It is our responsibility to remove all just reason for student discontent or revolt."

"So today, trustees almost everywhere -- except at Ambassador College -- are re-examining their role in college government. This is the typical TREND in American and British thought today."

"The president's job is to provide administrative leadership, to enforce policies and rules. Unless there is this leadership, and this enforcement, the institution will run downhill."

"But Britain and America are sold on the idea of government directed from the bottom up."

"So presidents are becoming timid, gradually relinquishing disciplinarian powers. Faculties and militant student minorities are taking advantage of this weakness and tendency toward appeasement."

"So what is emerging?

"A relinquishing of power and control at the top. A loss of pride in our power! A tendency toward government dictated from BELOW. For those who need to be taught and governed, a tendency to rule over their superiors, and dictate how they would like to be governed."

"It's the same principle of the Biblical prophecy come true in our time: '...children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you, and confuse the course of your paths' (Isaiah 3:12 RSV)."

"WHO IS IN CONTROL?"

"The answer, to quote a university alumnus magazine, 'is at once simple and infinitely complex: The trustees are. The faculty is. The students are. The president is.'"

"But NOT AT AMBASSADOR COLLEGE!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal," Plain Truth, July 1969.

"'PITTSBURGH (AP) -- An educator said yesterday colleges have no business meddling with the sex lives of their students. "The college," he said in a lecture, "should not establish standards of student dress, dictate the length of male tresses, or attempt to regulate the sexual morality of the students."'"

"WHY is it that on AMBASSADOR COLLEGE campuses -- in Pasadena, in Texas and in England -- there is PEACE, and ORDER, and RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY, unchallenged! WHY?

"WHY do you find, on these unique campuses, NO hippies -- NO dirty, sloppy, long-haired, unkempt males lolling around shiftlessly and aimlessly? No painted-up, micro-mini-skirted, frowzy, stringy-haired, slovenly females who think chastity has gone out of style. NO cigarette-smoking lung-cancer victims. NO beatniks. NO despondent, discouraged-looking, depressed, frustrated young people who see NO FUTURE ahead."

"What IS that basic DIFFERENCE between Ambassador and the decadent colleges and universities in chaos, allowing militant students to take them over or destroy them?"

"There is ONLY ONE Source that has the right ANSWERS... Education has REJECTED that Knowledge-Source, and so Education is decadent, and today GROPING IN CHAOS!"

"And we are developing, at the three Ambassador campuses, the EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM of the WORLD TOMORROW!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Education in Chaos!" Plain Truth, August 1968.

"Jesus came to call people out of this world to be prepared to teach and rule under him when he becomes King and takes over the throne of the earth."

"God's CHURCH was designed in his supreme master plan to prepare that dedicated and organized personnel of GOD BEINGS."

"Let us illustrate by an analogy. Many states in America have state teachers' colleges. The states could not start or conduct schools until they had first trained teachers for those schools. The Church may be called God's teachers' college to prepare rulers and teachers for the kingdom of God when God does offer redemption and eternal life to the world as a whole."

"The CHURCH, as initially called in this life, is NOT YET capable of RULING the earth....of administering THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD.

"And THAT IS WHY God has placed HIS GOVERNMENT in his Church. That is WHY God's Church government is theocratic instead of democratic. That is why God has set ranks of government in his Church, apostles, evangelists, pastors, elders, both preaching and non-preaching, 'till we [in the Church] all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ' (Eph. 4:13)... That is WHY it is hierarchial in form -- government from GOD at the top on down, not from the bottom up. Otherwise those at the bottom would be ruling GOD!"

"The Church is God's special school for training those he has selected and called to be trained in his Church -- to be kings and priests, to rule and to teach -- for their part in that kingdom."

"The very purpose of the Church of this present time is to provide God's training school or teachers' college to train in spiritual knowledge, education and godly character, to supply all the positions at the beginning of this wonderful 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Mystery of the Ages (Pasadena: Worldwide Church of God, 1985), pp. 210,227,228,256,351.

"Christ's apostle is accused of using 'total thought control' over the Church. What is the TRUTH?"

"One of my son's 'fair speeches' (Rom. 16:18) intended to deceive and draw away members tries to turn the very command of God, that we must all speak the same thing, into an accusation that I am using MIND CONTROL over our members.

"So he sends out a 'fair speech' in writing, attempting to associate God's Church with the Jim Jones Guyana cult. He says: 'For too many years' (when he was in God's Church) 'I tried with all my being to encourage our brethren to think for themselves.' In other words, to QUESTION and doubt the validity of the doctrines CHRIST had put in the Church. He continues, 'The demoniac preacher Jim Jones used extreme forms of total dictatorial control over his followers.' Then he spoke of 'total thought control' -- inferring that now, all of a sudden, I am another 'Jim Jones' and exercising 'total thought control' over you members.

"He says that when I say, with I Corinthians 1:10, that we 'all speak the same thing,' I am using mind control over you, and he sends out letters and booklets EMPHASIZING that HE DOES NOT AGREE WITH OR PREACH the SAME THING as his father."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal," Good News, April 1979.

"Let's summarize the whole reasoning. It simmers down to the idea that each individual must be free to decide for himself what is right, or what is wrong, for him. It all revolves around the false idea of what constitutes free moral agency. This reasoning proposes that each member of God's Church, in order not to be robbed of free moral agency, must be free to decide for himself what constitutes SIN -- and every other member is supposed to have tolerance for his belief and way of conduct. This attitude resents having God's ministers show the people their sins, and wants them to preach the soft and smooth things."

"Free moral agency means God has decreed that the individual is free to decide for himself whether he will obey God... The individual is NOT left free to decide for himself WHAT is sin -- but free moral agency allows him to decide WHETHER to sin!"

"And when we come to these vague, disputable questions of DEFINING God's Law in respect to sin, it is GOD'S prerogative, not that of the individual, to set the definition."

"In the time of the Judges, it is written of the congregation of Israel: 'Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.' (Judges 17:6). But GOD had commanded, just as He who is the SAME today commands today: 'Ye shall NOT do after all the things that ye do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.' (Deut. 12:8).

"Yes, those who do not want GOD'S GOVERNMENT thru His ministers of HIS choosing, but want to do whatever is right in their own eyes today, actually want to DISOBEY the direct command of GOD! Let them read these Scriptures, and then try to answer GOD in the final judgment!"

"And this system of disobeying the DIRECT COMMAND: 'Ye shall NOT do...every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes,' has split and re-split the churches of this world since Christ."

"Two men in the Church at Philippi were in disagreement over some point. In his letter to the church there, Paul gave them a command. He did NOT say, 'each of you go ahead believing what is right in your own eyes, and have tolerance toward the other.' He rather commanded 'that they be of the same mind IN THE LORD.' (Phil. 4:2). Notice carefully, not merely of the same mind! Not the same mind in error. But IN THE LORD!"

"The Church is to be perfectly joined together -- that's UNITY! But HOW? -- 'in the SAME MIND' -- 'all speaking the same thing.' But it must be the RIGHT thing, and it must be the MIND OF CHRIST!

"Now, I ask you, brethren, HOW can this be possible, when different minds see things in different ways, UNLESS GOD HAS PROVIDED A CENTRAL AUTHORITY, DIRECTLY INSPIRED AND LED OF CHRIST, WHICH CAN RIGHTLY APPLY THE PRINCIPLES OF GOD'S LAW IN DOUBTFUL INSTANCES WHERE MINDS LESS MATURE SPIRITUALLY CANNOT CLEARLY AGREE?"

"Remember, every member starts out as 'a babe in Christ.'"

"Yet bear in mind, with emphasis, it is GOD'S LAW, in His Word, that defines SIN. Not even the Apostle Paul was able to know, of his own mind or reason, apart from the Law, what was right or wrong for him."

"But, again, all members of the Church do not have ability rightly to apply the PRINCIPLES of the Law, aided by Biblical examples, in order to define what is or is not SIN in relation to some of these occasional isolated questions.

"The very fact of disagreement among members demonstrates this fact. And it is when there is such disagreement -- when questions are left undefined by CHRIST'S authority and threaten division in the Body -- that the very machinery Christ set within His Church for defining such questions must be put into action."

"Some apply themselves more diligently -- study harder -- spend more time in prayer and study and meditation... And it is these...whom Christ has CHOSEN as His ministers!"

"And it is THESE, who form the central authority, or the instrument within the Church, thru whom CHRIST HIMSELF may REVEAL the true definition of HIS LAW, and SETTLE such disputes or differences of opinion."

"The Epistles of Paul form a large part of the New Testament. They are corrective. They have to do with problems that arose in the Church, which Paul settled with authority. They are administrative letters."

"If any do not wish to submit to GOD'S RULE, as God Himself has chosen to administer it -- THRU CHRIST -- thru His apostle and ministers -- then they have not surrendered to GOD and His authority over them -- they have not repented -- they have not even made the very first step toward conversion, and they certainly are NOT members of the Body of Christ!"

"It is never a matter of God's ministers deciding what we, as humans, think is right, and then imposing our beliefs or views on the other members. It is a matter of GOD, thru Jesus Christ, leading thru His Holy Spirit those in the Church that are the ELDERS to understand what is GOD'S LAW on the question."

"God's ministers are required to use wisdom and judgment, and they are never going to interfere in private lives unless there is a BIBLE reason."

"How about you? Will you withdraw from God's true Church, because God does not allow you to decide WHAT to obey -- because the LAW comes from GOD, even applications of it from God thru His CHURCH?"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Christ Did Put Authority and RULE in His Church!" Good News, January 1957.

"The sophisticated churches of the world seek leaders who are intellectual, socially cultured, leaders in the community. But when GOD chooses His human instruments, He is far more concerned about the sincere and honest of HEART. He calls imperfect (all men are anyway) but sincere and dedicated human instruments. THEY ALL MAKE MISTAKES!"

"Even though it is God's Work, directed, empowered and blessed by Him, He carries it on through frail, weak HUMANS, and we humans are ALL of us subject to mistakes!"

"Any criterion that assumes God's TRUE Work through humans is absolutely perfect, unable to be wrong or make mistakes or hold to any error, is a false measuring stick and will mislead you."

"If you are looking for a leader who claims that he is PERFECT, and you think you have found him, and he is human, HE IS A FALSE LEADER."

"Peter made mistakes. He was openly rebuked by Paul (Gal. 2:11-14). All prophets and apostles were IMPERFECT -- all made mistakes."

"No one but the enemies of ALL GOOD will accuse!"

"I have never tried to induce leaders to FOLLOW ME -- but to follow CHRIST, and to follow me only as I follow HIM."

"As I have said, Moses made mistakes, Abraham made mistakes, David made mistakes, Elijah made mistakes, Peter made mistakes, and so have ALL MEN God has ever called and used. Making a mistake is NOT any evidence at all that a man is NOT being used of God."

"The BIG POINT is -- WE HAVE BEEN GETTING THE JOB DONE -- and no one else on earth has!"

"You know, I'm reminded of the time Jesus was criticized, persecuted, misrepresented by His enemies. He asked His disciples, 'Will ye also go away?'

"'Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? THOU hast the word of Eternal Life!'

"And we in His Work, today, have those SAME WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE!'"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal," Tomorrow's World, February 1972.

"When one receives the Holy Spirit by God's grace, this Spirit dwelling in him is tentative and conditional SALVATION. But IF one again changes his mind -- changes his LIFE'S GOAL -- takes his eyes completely off the Goal of God's Kingdom, and fixes them PURPOSELY on going back to THE WAY of worldliness and sin -- IF he changes his WAY of life back to the CARNAL WAY of the world, leaving the ROAD he was traveling with CHRIST -- THEN he has set his mind on predetermined, premeditated, deliberate WILLFUL SIN!

"IF he decides he no longer WANTS to go GOD'S WAY, deliberately and intentionally changes his OVERALL ATTITUDE, and desires, and CHOOSES the world and its ways --deliberately chooses a life of rebellion, comes to have contempt and disregard for God's Law, then that man either has done or is in danger of doing despite to God's Holy Spirit which a merciful and loving God had GIVEN by grace!

"SUCH A MAN is surely in grave DANGER of BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT!"

"This may come from wrong reasoning; from wrong desire thought out to a final fixed, permanent decision as to his WAY OF LIFE; or, from allowing resentment in his heart toward either God or some person who may have wronged him. To allow resentment to embitter him, until he comes to change his whole life course, turning from God.

"I cannot put too much emphasis on guarding against harboring resentment. It is a spiritual POISON -- deadly spiritual poison. If ever you begin to feel resentment against some injustice, go PRAY, asking God to remove it QUICKLY. Do not let it well up inside you -- never harbor it. If you do, you will become 'hooked' with it as a dope addict becomes 'hooked' with heroin! It is that serious [Heb. 12:14-15]!"

"The modern 'Pharisees' of this world's organized but deceived 'Christianity' -- resisting the same true Gospel of the Kingdom of God, now being heard by the MILLIONS worldwide today through this Work of God, use the same tactics against us [as the Pharisees did against Jesus]! They falsely accuse us of being what they are -- false prophets. They deliberately misrepresent what we teach. They falsely say we teach what we do not -- and that we do not teach what we do!

"Jesus had been casting out demons. The crowd was awed! Many were beginning to believe! These religious leaders said to the crowds, 'He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of demons casteth out demons' (Mark 3:22).

"To these scribes and Pharisees -- and to the crowds -- Jesus replied:

"'Verily I say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: BUT he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but IS IN DANGER OF eternal damnation' (March 3:28-29).

"Now what does 'blaspheme' mean?

"The Greek word, in which it was originally written, means 'intentional indignity offered to God or sacred things.'

"With these scribes and Pharisees, it was intentional. And they KNEW it was false. To say a thing like this in ignorance of the true facts, or impulsively in emotional anger without thinking, would be different. But these religious leaders knew their accusation was false! Their blasphemy was deliberate, premeditated, intentional. They had just been counselling together on HOW to discredit Him, and to murder Him."

Herbert W. Armstrong, What Do You Mean..."The Unpardonable Sin"? (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1972), pp. 33, 34, 38-39.

"The FRUITS of this work are these: For the first time in more than 1850 years the same Gospel Jesus preached, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, is being preached and published into all the world as a witness. It is offending many in this world. The religious leaders of today -- the modern Pharisees -- attack it as the work of the Devil -- they call us false prophets, as they did Jesus. We are persecuted by the world. The world hates us. But many precious lives are being changed, converted, begotten of God! God is producing a precious harvest for His Kingdom. New churches are being raised up around the world. New offices are being established. The flock is being fed. Evangelists, pastors, elders, are being trained as God calls them. The sick are being healed, the demons cast out.

"The FRUITS of this tree are not corrupt -- they are the SAME FRUITS that the SAME HOLY SPIRIT produced in the human body of Jesus -- in the collective Body of Christ in apostolic days! THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES THE WORK, and the work is exactly the same -- the fruits the same -- as the days of Christ and the apostles!

"Brethren, we whom God has called and is using are mere human persons. We are men of like passions as you -- as Elijah, as David, as Peter and Paul. We make mistakes."

"...you may speak a word against us, personally, as human men, and be forgiven."

"But -- and here's where you need to TREMBLE IN FEAR! -- if and when you criticize or accuse or condemn THE WORK, then you are speaking against the Holy Spirit -- and if and when you do that, YOU SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN!"

"This sort of thing always starts out with personal criticism and fault-finding against the one God has chosen and is using in the office of apostle in HIS WORK. But oh, brethren, how we have been grieved to see a few here and there along the way, thru the years, start out by finding fault against the human person of God's servant, and then in that disgruntled and embittered spirit proceed progressively into condemning THE WORK OF GOD, and denying that it is the work of God.

"This work has grown too great and powerful to be the work of a human man, apart from either God or the devil. If this is not the very WORK OF GOD, then it must be that of SATAN. And to accuse it -- to condemn it -- I ask you, brethren, IS IT NOT MORE THAN POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS SPEAKING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT, and therefore is the UNPARDONABLE SIN?"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "How You Could Commit the Unpardonable Sin!" Good News, March 1960.

"The mind of Satan can conceive of almost impossible and unbelievable false accusations and monstrous lies."

"When John the Baptist was in prison and such scurrilous accusations were being made against the character of even the very Son of God, John sent his disciples to inquire of Jesus if he really was the Messiah. Jesus merely said go and tell John what you see being done. He did not need to refute their false, slanderous accusations. Jesus said, 'By their fruits you shall KNOW' the truth."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 25 June 1985.

"HOW can you recognize the one and only true Church of God -- the very Church Jesus said He would build -- HIS BODY, thru whom the Spirit of God today carries on the work of God?"

"What is God's order of authority in His Church?

"You find it in Ephesians 4:11-12: 'And He (Christ, the HEAD of the Church) gave some, APOSTLES, and some, EVANGELISTS, and some, PASTORS (leading or presiding elders of local churches), and TEACHERS; for the perfecting of the saints, for THE WORK of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come to the unity of the faith...' In other words, to prevent separate, independent, and competing work which would introduce confusion, and division, driving many out of the Body of Christ, GOD HAS ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT in His Church."

"It operates from GOD, at the top, on down. It is government of and by and from GOD the Father, thru CHRIST, thru God-called and ordained APOSTLES, thru EVANGELISTS, thru PASTORS, thru TEACHERS, in that order. This government means TEAMWORK. It works for UNITY, not division."

"Acts 15...was a coming to the HEADQUARTERS Church, where the Apostles sat in COUNCIL, with AUTHORITY, for decisions inspired by the Holy Spirit, thru APOSTLES, God's chief human offices under Christ."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Must God's Ministers Be Ordained by the Hand of Man?" Good News, October 1962.

"When there was a dispute in the Church at Antioch in the days of the original apostles, the question was settled thru God's Headquarters Church at Jerusalem. But those apostles and elders were mere instruments of CHRIST. Read it again, in the 15th chapter of Acts."

"When God's apostle and ministers come together today to consider a matter in question, the procedure is the same. First there is the appeal to God to reveal HIS will, and guide us that the decision will be HIS, not ours. Then there is the discussion. This is an earnest seeking for all the facts bearing on the question.

"Quite often, in our own minds, we feel that the decision is going to be just the opposite of what it finally turns out to be, under God's guidance."

"In every instance where God's ministers in this Philadelphia era of the Church have come together to make a ruling, our minds have been put in complete accord. There is no voting. But if there were a secret ballot, it would be found that God has led us and made us unanimously of one mind. In no sense do I, as the senior ranking minister, impose any decision of mine on the other ministers. In every instance the decision has been as much their definite conviction as mine.

"There has never been a dissenting voice -- never a doubt in any of our minds in regard to the final decision. This very fact is proof that it is the mind of Christ, thru the Holy Spirit. It is proof that this is GOD'S Church -- that it is led, not by the will of men, but RULED and directed by GOD."

"It is never a matter of God's ministers deciding what we, as humans, think is right, and then imposing our beliefs or views on the other members. It is a matter of GOD, thru Jesus Christ, leading thru His Holy Spirit those in the Church that are the ELDERS to understand what is GOD'S LAW on the question. It is always the LAW OF GOD, as that Law has existed from the beginning, and as that law applies to the specific question, that is the ruling."

"We ministers know that we serve a dynamic, living, all-powerful supernatural GOD! We fear to disobey, or to fail to be submissive. We know well what would happen to us if we should ever permit self-will to sway us in any decision."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Christ Did Put Authority and Rule In His Church," Good News, January 1957.

"Whenever there is doubt in the mind of any about some truth, doctrine, or God's way in any problem, we ministers meet together in council, asking GOD'S guidance and wisdom, seeking HIS truth!"

"God's Word instructs us: 'In multitude of counsellors there is safety.' So we meet and counsel together, seeking God's true understanding from His Word. God is always willing to give it. As long as each man is yielded to God in his heart, there will always be unity. Yet not one of these men would yield to the conviction of the others if he believed God's Word revealed otherwise."

"If any one of us comes up with something NEW, not previously understood and agreed to be the true revelation of God's Word, he does not speak it publicly, or write it in any article, UNTIL we ministers can all study independently into it, and counsel together regarding it, and all come to the same mind."

"[When a question arose and] we went into it prayerfully with 'multitude of counsellors' the truth became very plain to all. There is a great deal more joy in finding GOD'S way, even when contrary to our own previous beliefs or desires, than having our own way!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Heart to Heart Talk with the Editor," Plain Truth, April 1957.

"Who are the 24 elders mentioned several times in the book of Revelation?"

"The 24 elders rule with God in Heaven."

"These 24 elders...are spirits, a part of the created heavenly host of beings. They have been given positions of responsibility as advisers in the Government of God through which He rules the universe."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Short Questions from Our Readers," Plain Truth, September 1961.

"I want an Advisory Council of Elders... I have always done that, as you older ministers know. And you know how far back we used to meet together....it was the way we functioned as God's ministers..."

"Often we went into a session with divergent ideas. Always after an hour or so, sometimes less, sometimes more, we were all united because we only wanted God's truth....And we always came to a unanimous idea."

"Sometimes I didn't agree with the others when we went in and when we came out I did."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Congress of Leading Ministers," Worldwide News, 6 March 1981.

"In the organizational pattern of God's Church an ADVISORY COUNCIL OF ELDERS has been formed. It is not a legal board of directors.

"...the GOVERNMENT in God's Church, a spiritual organism, is government from the top down."

"God says through Solomon that in multitude of counselors there is safety. We are told not to put our trust in a man, but there is safety in a number of counselors. I have always followed that admonition. Beside prayer and looking to God through Christ for guidance, I have always counseled with those I consider best qualified to advise in the subject at hand.

"This ADVISORY COUNCIL OF ELDERS, therefore, is a safety valve, in addition to relying on guidance from God.

"For this Council I have chosen from among our older, tried and proven loyal ministers -- men whose fruits show the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit, men of spiritual wisdom and balance."

[Men selected for the Advisory Council of Elders as listed in the 1981-82 Ordained Ministers of the Worldwide Church of God booklet: Dibar Apartian, Dean Blackwell, Herman L. Hoeh, Harold Jackson, Ellis LaRavia, Raymond F. McNair, Roderick C. Meredith, L. Leroy Neff, Norman Smith, and Joseph Tkach Sr.]

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Advisory Council of Elders Formed," Worldwide News, March 1981.

"We are not to put our trust in MAN, but in God. On the other hand, through Solomon God says that IN MULTITUDE OF COUNSELORS there is safety."

"...I have formed the new ADVISORY COUNCIL OF ELDERS. That Council, at present, is composed of...experienced elders, all of many years' faithful and loyal experience as ministers in God's Church."

"I have NEVER SAID I expect to live until Christ comes.

"But, just in case of my disability for any reason, to prevent Satan from causing division, I feel God has inspired me to delegate power to the Advisory Council, during any such complete disability, to take full charge of the Work and all its assets and activities.

"The CHURCH must not be scattered. It must not become scattered, because there is no COMPETENT, CHRIST-CHOSEN SPIRITUAL SHEPHERD, TO BECOME MEAT FOR BEASTS (human) OF THE FIELD! (See Ezekiel 34:5.) This is a safeguard for YOUR protection."

Herbert W. Armstrong, co-worker letter, 19 March 1981.

"Brethren, put your faith in Christ and the living God and not in me. If Christ should remove me, He will direct the Advisory Council of Elders to select one of them to continue leading you until the coming of Jesus Christ in power and in glory."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Recent History of the Philadelphia Era of the WCG," Worldwide News, 24 June 1985.

"While we are in this place of safety three and a half years, the two witnesses shall be preaching to the whole world, protected from Satan. But Satan in his mad wrath will then make war with the REMNANT Church. This has to be the Laodicean era of the Church (Revelation 12:17).

"Finally, what of the Laodicean era of God's Church? Remember, it, too, is GOD'S Church -- having the commandments of God and Testimony or Word of Jesus (Revelation 12:17).

"But that era of the Church is pictured in Matthew 25. Matthew 24 shows the sign Jesus gave prior to His coming to end the present world order, and the Great Tribulation, Day of the Lord and Second Coming.

"Matthew 25 shows the time just before Christ shall return. It pictures the Laodicean Church as 10 virgins who took their lamps (their Bibles) and went forth to meet Christ at His coming. But five of them -- half of the Church -- took their lamps (Bibles) but without oil to light the lamps (having the Holy Spirit to enlighten their minds to UNDERSTAND the Bible). Some translations render this into English indicating they were losing the Holy Spirit, because of negligence, lack of prayer, fellowship with the brethren and with God and Christ and being overcome with materialistic and worldly interest. Are some of us like that, even now?

"While they -- the backsliding half of the Church -- were trying to get back closer to God, the coming of Christ shall take place, and the door into God's Kingdom will be SHUT in their faces! WHAT A TERRIBLE AND AWFUL TRAGEDY! It could happen to you or me."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "What Lies Ahead Now?" Good News, January 1984, (Co-Worker letter, 20 January 1981).

"Now back to Revelation 12:17: Satan shall be full of WRATH against the REMNANT -- the last remaining generation of the Church -- the 'Laodicean' Church, and will terribly persecute her. But Matthew 25 shows that though that final generation of the Church shall be LUKEWARM -- not less emotional, but more 'liberal,' more secular and less spiritual -- less strictly biblical -- yet half of them shall be SAVED at Christ's coming, though half shall be spewed out of Christ's mouth (Revelation 3:16)."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal," Plain Truth, August 1980.

"We are getting frighteningly close to the END of this age.

"This Church was drifting into a Laodicean condition."

"The Laodicean church will be characterized by spiritual lukewarmness -- half of its membership (Matt. 25:1-13) will be shut out of the Kingdom of God.

"But, the BAD NEWS, as it appears today, my dear brethren, it that we, undoubtedly of the Philadelphia era -- my son's ridicule notwithstanding -- are in serious danger of BECOMING also the Laodicean era. I am personally much concerned about that. If YOU are NOT concerned, then indeed we are in mortal DANGER."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "What God Never Did -- Never Will -- Allow to Happen," Good News, August 1979.

"...when my son...came to take over more authority than had been delegated to him, surrounding himself with a group of liberals, who LED him, and MISled him into watering down God's doctrines -- under their false influence a Laodicean lukewarmness and indifference, losing the LOVE of God's TRUTH, found root in the Church."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "And Now Christ Sets Church Back on Track Doctrinally," Good News, April 1979.

"The Church was being turned upside down. It seemed to be a matter of going as far as possible in the ways and beliefs of this world's 'Christianity' as influenced by Satan -- which amounts to going as far as possible into Satan's ways and AWAY FROM GOD'S WAYS!

"The HARM that was done as a result of this attitude to GOD'S CHURCH is INCALCULABLE! It harmed, in a way I think my son did not realize, thousands of members of the Church of the living GOD. It led to lukewarmness, a more careless attitude toward real or strict obedience to the ways of God."

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Reports About Garner Ted False," Worldwide News, 6 March 1981.

"Instead of wholeheartedly OBEYING Christ through HIS WORD, THE BIBLE, there was creeping in, during years when I was in other parts of the world up to 300 out of 365 days in the year, a LIBERAL spirit of SATAN.

"Those leaders to whom I had delegated the responsibility of ADMINISTERING the POLICIES and DOCTRINES Christ had set in God's Church through His apostle, went way BEYOND the authority given them. They started CHANGING POLICIES and watering down God's TRUTH, changing DOCTRINES, compromising -- seeing HOW CLOSE they could go -- and lead the Brethren in going -- to the ways of SATAN! They wanted to be more LIBERAL -- more like THIS WORLD OF SATAN."

"...there still remains among a FEW of us a tendency to LET DOWN -- to lose our zeal -- and even to become LUKEWARM."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 15 September 1980.

"The Superior Court in Los Angeles has now removed the Receiver, but the lawsuit is not over."

"We need to ask seriously, WHY is God allowing [this trial]? I can answer that. Our people of this 'Philadelphia' era were becoming lukewarm, drifting little by little into the ways of this world. Even some ministers were 'watering down' the truths and doctrines a loving Christ had put in His Church.

"We need a real EXPLOSION to wake us up!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 24 February 1979.

"Of the 'Philadelphia' Church, Christ says, 'I know that you have but little power.' It is probably the WEAKEST in numerical and physical strength and power -- the smallest in membership, of any of the Churches from the time of the Apostles until the Second Coming. It has but few ministers."

"But SOME of those in the Church today will grow weary with well-doing. They will brag about being the true Church -- thinking they are spiritually rich, when they are, in fact, almost spiritually destitute. Because they are indifferent to the real WORK OF GOD, lukewarm, lacking in zeal, Christ will spew them out of His mouth. THEY cannot be used in His work. THEY shall lose the very salvation they boast of having unless they repent! God help you never drift into the LAODICEAN church!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Must God's Ministers Be Ordained?" Good News," October 1962.

"'A house divided CANNOT STAND,' says Jesus. My son has made God's Church DIVIDED! Up until ten years ago, WE WERE NOT DIVIDED!"

"Again God says to us, 'Except GOD build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' GOD through the living JESUS CHRIST built God's Church of OUR time, as surely as the time of the first original Apostles. The Work GREW AND GREW with God's blessing for the thirty-five years up to 1969 -- SINCE THEN GOD'S BLESSING HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN. We had been tending to forget GOD, letting Laodicean lukewarmness leaven us. CHRIST SAYS NOW, A W A K E ! Rise up from this stupor that has drugged us! RALLY BEHIND CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLE! LET'S GET ON WITH GETTING THE JOB DONE."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 28 June 1978.

"Jesus Christ, the Head of God's Church, has been moving swiftly to RE-AWAKEN and set His Church back on the track, during the past five months."

"We are shaking off the Laodicean lukewarmness that was beginning to drug us to sleep."

"We're OFF TO AN INSPIRED, AROUSED NEW START! Let's now INCREASE our dedication and deep devotion. GOD'S WORK IS FAR FROM FINISHED!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 23 October 1978.

"We CANNOT AFFORD TO BECOME LUKEWARM! We cannot afford to let our minds drift from the intense NEED for this very special mission of this particular time in world history, so shortly before Christ's coming and HIS KINGDOM!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 19 March 1981.

"When we face a serious or alarming situation, there is...a tendency toward LETTING DOWN IN PRAYER -- in BIBLE STUDY, and consequently in that zeal and willingness to sacrifice for GOD'S WORK."

"Do you suppose Satan does not know all this? He knows! He will do all in his power to get you DISCOURAGED -- to get you to find some fault -- to LET DOWN in prayer and Bible study -- to LOSE YOUR INSPIRED ZEAL for God's Work!"

"I KNOW that most of us have not, yet, come back to that full WHOLEHEARTED energetic ZEAL for GETTING ON WITH THIS WORK that we MUST have to finish it!"

"Looking at present FACTS, and TRENDS, that might seem impossible! But this is THE WORK OF GOD -- A WORK OF FAITH -- and existing facts, trends, circumstances, HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH FAITH. The living Christ has resources, and ways WE KNOW NOTHING OF!"

"And whereas, it is incumbent on us...to CONFESS and deplore...our SINS in allowing worldly interests and pleasures to start drawing us away from our God, and our zeal for HIS WORK, I call on all Brethren to CONFESS this lukewarmness...and to PRAY, with all FERVENCY and CONTRITION, for God's pardon for these offenses, and for a permanent BLESSING on HIS WORK, henceforth, continuously to its final completion."

"Brethren, many if not most of us have let other interests creep into our minds and hearts till we do not have ANYWHERE NEAR the ZEAL for the GREATEST WORK ON EARTH, that the football players have for a football game."

"WHY can football players get themselves 'UP' in almost fanatical ZEAL, motivated by HATE, when we are indifferent, 'DOWN,' and lukewarm about the MOST IMPORTANT AND GLORIOUS CALLING OF ALL TIME?"

"Jesus Christ is DOING HIS PART -- opening new doors. Only ONE THING has been WRONG! -- and we must FACE IT! -- too many of us have been GROWING LUKEWARM..."

"We may think, because we keep [God's] Sabbath, that we have no wickedness or sins to turn from. But laxity...can be sin."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 2 November 1972.

"Brethren, I am terribly DISTRESSED and sick at heart at the reports from all over, that MANY of our members are LUKEWARM, or entirely LETHARGIC, spiritually. If YOU are one of those, I have to warn you -- you may not be on the way to God's Kingdom -- but on the way to your END in the LAKE OF FIRE!"

"Reports indicate that many have 'come in' to God's Church in this manner: They have come to really SEE and KNOW that this is, truly, GOD'S Church. They know there is terrible WORLD TROUBLE just ahead. They have heard how God's Church is to be taken to a PLACE OF SAFETY... So these people come in, selfishly, for a sort of spiritual and physical SECURITY -- to assure PROTECTION when the Great Tribulation bursts upon the world! But they are NOT themselves 'on fire for GOD!' They are spiritual DRONES! And God will not give them protection!"

"If so, LET ME BURN YOUR EARS before the Almighty GOD burn YOU in the Lake of FIRE! If that has been YOUR attitude -- if YOU are only on the GETTING side, and SHUN helping, and giving to the cause of GOD, then I say to you ON AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST, if you don't REPENT and QUICKLY, and change...you DO NOT BELONG in GOD'S CHURCH! You are some of the ROTTEN, PUTRID, spiritual WASTE that has been PLUGGED UP INSIDE THE SPIRITUAL BODY OF CHRIST'S WIFE..."

"And if THAT doesn't make your ears tingle, and AWAKEN you, then Jesus Christ says to YOU through me, YOU are in danger of the Lake of Fire!"

"Did you ever read of Gideon's experience in choosing men for battle? There were 32,000 men. There are about 32,000 actual BAPTIZED adult members (or professing members) in the Church of God today! God had Gideon proclaim to them: 'Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead. And there returned of the people 22,000; and there remained 10,000.' Then God put them to a TEST, and, finally, ONLY 300 out of that 32,000 were chosen by the living ETERNAL!

"Oh BRETHREN! MUST it be that way with God's CHURCH today -- the very BODY of the living Christ?"

"Unless I PUSH you -- PULL at you -- REMIND you to act in this DUTY TO GOD AND HIS WORK, you don't go along on God's road -- you lie down and QUIT..."

Herbert W. Armstrong, letter to brethren, 2 March 1967.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance defines Laodicea as "a people having the self-evident right to execute decisions":

"2993....Laodikeia...from a compilation of 2992 and 1349; Laodicia, a place in Asia Minor: -- Laodicea."

"2992....laos...apparently a primitive word; a people...: -- people."

"1349....dike...right (as self-evident), i.e. justice (the principle, a decision, or its execution): -- judgment, punish, vengeance."

"Greek Dictionary of the New Testament," Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

"WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness -- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

The Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776.

"Laodicea mean justice of the people."

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1889), p. 468.

"laos... c. the people -- a. in contrast to their leaders....b. the people in contrast to the Pharisees and legal experts....c. the people in contrast to the priests..."

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, revision of Walter Bauer's Fifth Edition.

"In the dream I determined to speak immediately with the man they were trying to influence adversely. I told him I knew they were 'lobbying' against the Church and against me.

"'Yes,' he replied, 'but I have to tell you, Mr. Armstrong, I think these men have something worth listening to. They say you arrogate to yourself too much power. You make yourself the leader of the Church. They say the people ought to have all the "say so." The people ought to vote on who they want to be their leader and on what they want to believe and accept as Church doctrine. That sounds like a good idea to me. I think we need more DEMOCRACY.'

"I awoke at that point, thinking about the dream, which had stuck in my mind. But before awakening, I remember I said to this man in the dream, 'Well, the REAL QUESTION is whether this is GOD'S Church or the PEOPLE'S Church! If it is GOD'S Church, then GOD is running it, and revealing what we shall believe and teach. GOD has the 'say so.' God runs it through Jesus Christ, who is the HEAD of the Church. And Jesus Christ runs it through His chosen apostle, whom HE, not men, chose, prepared and now guides and leads. Those men are getting your eyes off of God -- you are leaving GOD out of the picture -- out of the Church. You are looking only to people! If you want to put GOD out of His Church, then you will have to be excommunicated!'

"I awakened considerably impressed with the dream. Was God revealing to me that TOO MANY within the Church membership are leaving GOD out of the picture? -- in their own minds putting GOD out of the Church? Do they think that the kind of men the people would vote for ought to be made the LEADERS in the Church? -- that the people should say to GOD, 'This is OUR Church, God, we want you to GET OUT of the Church and leave us alone. WE will run this Church OUR way!' I awakened impressed that TOO MANY of our people are LEAVING GOD AND CHRIST OUT OF HIS CHURCH, and trying to make it OUR Church -- the church of the PEOPLE, and NOT the CHURCH of GOD!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Shall We All Leave the Church of God and Join 'The Church of People'?" Good News, September 1980.

"The letter to the Church at Laodicea describes the final period prior to the advent of the Lord. It is, indeed, a dark and terrible picture. The Church is seen in a lukewarm condition. It is, however, the Church of the excluded Christ. Nevertheless, though excluded, He waits, knocking at the door and seeking admission."

G. Campbell Morgan, An Exposition of the Whole Bible (USA: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1959), p. 534.

"Next, when our Great Commission is in God's sight completed, we are to be taken...to a place of protection from the Great Tribulation [Rev. 12], which in itself is the furious wrath of a mad and infuriated Satan (verse 14). While we are in this place of safety three and a half years, the two witnesses shall be preaching to the whole world, protected from Satan. But Satan in his mad wrath will then make war with the REMNANT Church. This has to be the Laodicean era of the Church (verse 17)."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-Worker letter, 20 January 1981.

"Now this tribulation [mentioned in Mat. 24:9] DID actually occur, in the typical forerunner sense, to the nation Judah, in 70 A.D. But that was merely the early type, and forerunner of the great NATIONAL invasion and captivity YET to occur."

"[Mat. 24:10-13, 21]: 'And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved...For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be...'

"Now this is also speaking INDIVIDUALLY of truly Spirit-begotten CHRISTIANS who have become so lukewarm, so out of PRAYERFUL contact with God, that they will not be accounted worthy to ESCAPE all these things. And THAT phase of this Great Tribulation is very clearly brought out in the opening of the 5th Seal of Rev. 6..."

"These martyrs [mentioned in Rev. 6:9-11] that WERE killed, centuries ago, allegorically are asking HOW LONG before the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, and the END OF THIS AGE? And HERE'S the tremendous answer! It shall not occur until ANOTHER great TRIBULATION -- another martyrdom of saints -- until their fellow-servants and their Spirit-begotten BRETHREN in the Lord shall be killed, AS THEY WERE!

"And THAT is speaking of the final Great Tribulation."

"The Great Tribulation...is Satan's last persecution and martyrdom against the true begotten sons of GOD whom he CAN'T deceive, as he has deceived the world as a whole!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Catastrophic Events," Plain Truth, October 1954, [The Book of Revelation Unveiled At Last, (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1972), pp. 25, 26, 27, 31].

"The world has sunk into a complacent, indifferent slumber."

"The world is too busy enjoying this new found prosperity, basking in the comfortable sunshine of luxury, to be much concerned about the on-coming NUCLEAR World War III that WILL, unless prevented by Almighty God, simply erase human life from this planet!"

"Soft words and pretty speeches do not arouse people out of this pleasant dream. It takes a jolt!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Personal from the Editor," Plain Truth, September 1965.

"Ezekiel's message is for our day -- a prophetic warning for America and Britain, now!"

"Always the true prophets and ministers of God have stood almost alone, and opposed by the overwhelming majority in Israel. That is Israel's history of old. It is true today."

"Ezekiel catalogs our sins -- our customs and ways which seem right in our eyes but which are contrary to God's laws and an abomination in HIS sight."

"Our people today can't see where these things make any difference! But Ezekiel says the preachers have deceived the people, and led them astray. They have condoned all these things, until the people have lost God's pure TRUTH!"

"And then, beginning chapter 40, the remainder of the Book of Ezekiel reveals the ideal THEOCRACY -- God's NEW ORDER of divine government upon earth -- the permanent forms and institutions which shall express the ideal relation between God and man!

"In the meantime, our job is to WARN America and Britain of what lies ahead! To shout the warning to come out of BABYLON (Rev. 18:4) -- that those who heed may find God now -- may come under His divine protection (Psalm 91), and by a true Spirit-filled life obedient to GOD'S WAYS and laws, be prepared to become a ruler or a teacher in Christ's soon-coming glorious Kingdom!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Will Russia Invade America?" Plain Truth, November 1948.

"There are times, I have to confess, when I feel impotent, helpless, frustrated. I wonder if any of our readers could put themselves in my place, and realize what I see and know, and how I feel."

"Yes, MILLIONS are hearing God's last solemn, frantic WARNING! Would you suppose that fact would fill me with joy, sweep my being with elation? IT DOESN'T! Instead, I feel defeated -- FRUSTRATED!

"Do you know WHY? Because I see, as Christ said of HIS preaching to the people, that 'they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, NEITHER DO THEY UNDERSTAND.' Only at Ninevah did the people ever heed a warning!

"It gives me a feeling of utter futility -- of putting forth supreme effort, fighting thru the years with all my own strength and energy, plus all that I've been able to drink in from God -- and yet, it's like being on a tread-mill -- actually making no progress!

"I, personally, SEE what lies ahead! It fills me with frantic TERROR -- for the safety of all the people whom I love -- people who could be spared and protected from the catastrophes they are bringing on themselves -- even as I fully expect to be spared thru God's supernatural protection -- BUT THEY WON'T!"

"WILL YOU UNDERSTAND? Will you HEED -- and spare your own precious life from the things to come? WILL you take warning?"

"God says that if we ourselves SEE these things coming, and WARN you, we have acquitted ourselves -- your blood is not on our hands. But that is not enough to satisfy me -- just to save my own skin. I WANT TO SEE YOU SAVED, TOO!!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Heart to Heart Talk With the Editor," Plain Truth, April 1956.

"If someone tells me my house is on fire, I'm not going to laugh at him and refuse to take it seriously. I'm going to examine, and BE SURE! If he's wrong, then at least I shall KNOW my house is safe. I learned years ago that it can be very dangerous to carelessly ASSUME, or just take for granted. It's much wiser and safer to get all the FACTS, and then decide.

"And one's LIFE for eternity is much more precious than his house."

"I have given you God's Word faithfully. It is not popular. It is not what the popular majority will tell you."

"My responsibility ends with TELLING you. I have cried aloud. I have lifted up my voice."

Herbert W. Armstrong, Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath? (USA: Worldwide Church of God, 1976), pp. 7, 107.

"God sent His prophets -- HIS DIVINE SON -- His Apostles -- His true ministers, pleading with a world forced to choose -- warning this world of the inevitable result of its folly of rebellion."

"Most people today are like a person in a deep sleep, dreaming a pleasant dream. When one tries to arouse him to tell him his house is on fire and he's about to be burned up, he drowsily protests:

"'Don't! Don't wake me up! Go 'way -- let me sleep!'

"Well, listen! Your house in on fire!"

"I have to warn the people -- or have their blood required at my hand! God Almighty commands me, 'CRY ALOUD, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions.' (Isa. 58:1.) God doesn't say 'whisper.' He does not say, 'preach soft and smooth things soothingly.' He tells me to lift up my voice -- to CRY ALOUD! -- to THUNDER forth His warning!

"The time for soft, dainty, purring, soothing preaching is past!"

"I do not talk softly, soothingly, on the air. I CRY ALOUD! I do not spare you -- I tell you the TRUTH with all the power God gives me!"

"We seek not to please people. We seek only to obey GOD, and to help and to SAVE people -- because we love them!"

"In His Message to His true Church of this time, which is yielding itself to be His instrument for shouting this very warning, and carrying Christ's own GOSPEL to the world, Jesus said: 'Because thou hast kept the WORD of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of trial (Great Tribulation -- DAY of the Lord), which shall come upon all the world.' (Rev. 3:10.) But those that are lukewarm, careless, indifferent, Christ says He will spew out of His mouth. (Rev. 3:16.)"

"I feel exactly as the prophet Jeremiah felt, when God revealed to him the destruction soon coming on the land of Judea, because of the sins of the Jews of his day. The Chaldean armies of King Nebuchadnezzar were about to march on Jerusalem. Jeremiah SAW it -- realistically. But the people were SOUND ASLEEP. It made Jeremiah sick at his stomach.

"'My bowels, my bowels!' Jeremiah cried, clasping his hands tightly around his abdomen. 'I am pained at my very heart! My heart is beating wildly. I cannot keep silent!' (Jer. 4:19.)

"Yes, I know how Jeremiah felt!

"DO YOU THINK I CAN KEEP SILENT, TODAY? God has revealed to me your danger! I can also see your lethargy."

"Some few have written to me gripes and criticisms. Some few have not wanted to SEE such realistic pictures of WHAT'S COMING IN REAL LIFE! Some few have threatened to stop reading The PLAIN TRUTH..."

"...if by God's grace, thru HIS power, I can make this REAL enough, I can be the means of saving some of you. And your lives are VERY PRECIOUS! Every single one that is saved is worth all the effort -- all the criticism from those who want soft and smooth things and deceits -- all the persecution.

"YOUR life is very precious. It's a potential CHILD OF GOD! I hope to see you, and know you, and LOVE you, in the KINGDOM OF GOD! Yes, YOUR life is very precious to ME! I'm going to try to WAKE YOU UP to reality, if I can. Criticize and condemn me, I can do no other than to MAKE THIS WARNING PLAIN! It's motivated by a spirit of LOVE! God help YOU to wake up and HEED!"

Herbert W. Armstrong, "Yes, I Know," Plain Truth, February-March 1955.