August 21, 2009

Why Members Go Astray

Dear Brethren,

Over the many years I have been blessed by our Father and Jesus Christ to be a member (since 1952), a deacon (1957), an elder (1958), and pastor (since 1975), in God’s true Church, I have seen members many times make the decision to leave God’s Church.

Those of us who are yet members of God’s Church, Faithful Flock, have also seen elders and members come and go from this little flock during the past few years.

This is always sorrowful for we have learned to love each one. And to see them go is especially sad for from what Holy Scripture makes known they have left the Congregation of the Remnant of the Philadelphia Era of God’s Church. The Congregation Jesus Christ is now using as an instrument for a final witness and warning to Israel and the Church of God.

Perplexing

This may appear to be hard to understand by many in view of the 450 Corporate Churches and their approximate 50,000 membership; as well as the few thousand scattered members who are not connected with anyone.

Yet when one examines their leadership, beliefs and teachings, one can easily see they are not fully on track with what Jesus Christ led the apostle John to write to the Church of Philadelphia Era.

In the letter to this Church era, Jesus Christ speaks of their faithfulness to Him and His teachings with the promise of protection because of their faithfulness; whereas, the others have not continued with them fully. And unless they come to be repentant, Scripture makes known they will end their human lives during the Great Tribulation.

This letter also includes A WARNING not to let anyone replace us and take away our promised crown to aid Jesus Christ in His ruler-ship and teaching in His soon-coming world.

The Basis of Knowing Where Jesus Christ is Working

Though each of the corporate Churches say that Jesus Christ is doing a work through them, yet when one takes a close scrutiny of their beliefs and teachings, and contrast them with what that letter to the Philadelphia Church Era reveals, it can be seen they are in error.

The letter reads as follows:

“And to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true . . . I know your works. See I have set before you AN OPEN DOOR, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have KEPT My Word and have NOT denied My name . . .

Because you have KEPT My command to PERSEVERE, I also will KEEP YOU from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to TEST those who dwell upon the earth. Behold, I am COMING quickly! HOLD FAST what you have, that NO ONE may take your crown . . .” (Revelation 3:7-13).

Based upon what is said in this letter, and our belief structure, as far as we can determine, this Congregation is the sole continuation of the Philadelphia Era that Jesus Christ used Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong to begin in 1933 with 19 members.

At the same time— Holy Scripture makes known there is yet A REMNANT of the Philadelphia Era of possibly 7,000 members who are yet scattered that Jesus Christ will bring together shortly before the time to flee for our lives (Romans 11:4-5).

My Record as Pastor in God’s True Church

For those who do not know me, it seems necessary to make known a little about myself in this perilous time of strong deception and relate my past and present record. Our belief structure of Church of God, Faithful Flock can be examined by going on our website (www.cog-ff.com) and reading our statement of beliefs as well as my autobiography.

I am the pastor of the Church of God, Faithful Flock, a continuation of the Philadelphia Era of the Church of God, having been ordained by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong in 1958 as an elder, later ordained a preaching elder, and shortly thereafter made a senior pastor, and have remained faithful to what I was taught from the teacher Jesus Christ sent to all of us in this end-time.

God has been wonderfully gracious to me by placing a passionate love for Him and His true teachings from the beginning years of my conversion. This has kept me faithful to Him.

I have also remained faithful to the doctrinal teachings restored by Jesus Christ through Mr. Armstrong through trial and test with various ones with whom I have been associated since the death of Mr. Armstrong:

The Worldwide Church of God, United Church of God, Church of God International Community (David Hulme), Church of God Modesto (EIM), Church of God Wales

I have extracted myself from each one (the last two mentioned here chose to extract themselves from me due to their choice of not accepting my role as the pastor and wanting to be on their own— government). I chose to leave them after seeing them go off track in doctrine and/or leadership. This has been through tears and much sorrow for I loved these people.

Regardless of what any of them might say to the contrary what I have written here is factual and no one that knows me can say differently!

At the same time I give praise and full credit to God our Father and Jesus Christ who have enabled me to remain faithful by Their Spirit of LOVE to Them, Their laws, teachings, and government. I hasten to say this has not been without much mercy shown to me all through these many years.

Why Jesus Christ Uses Faithful Flock

This is why Jesus Christ has chosen to use this tiny flock in contrast to all of the other corporate Churches of God as can be proved by what they teach in contrast to what Jesus Christ says to the Philadelphia Church Era.

A good question to ask each one of those who have all of the Recorded Teachings of Mr. Armstrong on their websites: Why did they feel compelled to begin their own corporate Churches? Was it for Fame (recognition) and Gain (through tithes and offerings)? Further— especially so, when they were fully aware of the faithfulness of this little flock through the years!

Why Do Members Leave God’s True Church

The question can be asked as to why members have left Faithful flock when they fully realize it is being faithful to the true teachings of God in contrast to all of the others who are not?

Please note an answer from excerpts of the writings of God’s late apostle, Mr. Armstrong:

How We Go Astray

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong

“I like to picture it this way. You’re in a thick wooded forest. Trees are so thick you can’t see even ten feet ahead of you, not as far as from me to the front row down there.

I’ve been in a, over in the Big Sandy campus it used to be just that thick in woods and brush. You couldn’t even see ten or fifteen feet. But if you’re in a big forest, on a dark moonless night, no light, no moon, and there’s only one way out, and there is a light there and that light is going out and you follow that light. It’ll lead you right out. But if you don’t follow that light, and you go any other way; you’re not going to see very far and I tell you inside of a little time that light is lost, you won’t find it again. You don’t know which way to go now to find it. And you can’t tell which is east, west, north, or south, not at least until the next day. You’ll be lost in the woods.

Now, the Bible is a lamp under our feet, but that lamp must have oil in it. You read of that in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew. Where just before Christ’s coming, it’s really speaking of the Laodicean Church then.

And half of the virgins, who had been Christians, had let the oil go out of their lamps. Their lamps are the Bible, but the oil is the Holy Spirit within THEM. Speaking of course in figurative or in symbolic language.

And I’ve noticed those who go out from among us. They go off on some one point, or maybe two points, and ALWAYS if they don’t repent, it is not long till they’ve gone off on another doctrine and then another, and then pretty soon they’ve just gone all together. And it’s too late.

Now if you make a mistake, if you sin, and you CONFESS your SINS, YOU’D BETTER DO IT QUICK AND DO IT IMMEDIATELY, and it isn’t too late. And He will be faithful and just to forgive you your sins, and to cleanse you of all unrighteous.

But brethren, some have gone out from this Body and this Church, and they didn’t confess their sins right away. And then they began to make another sin, and then another and they’d just given up altogether. They don’t believe any thing any more. They’ve gone farther, and farther, and farther away.

Now it’s good to have this Passover season come once a year. And its good to have us check up once and a while and to remember that when ever we do make a mistake, maybe it was thoughtlessness, maybe it was deliberate even, but you’ve come to yourself and you come to realise it, REPENT and repent quick. Don’t say I’m not worthy to repent, you’re never too unworthy to go to God and ask for forgiveness, and ask Him to get you back on the track.”

The Apostle John’s Writings

It should also be realized at the same time many of these members are only those who have been CALLED, but not CHOSEN, to be counted among the true elect of God’s people.

These apparently are the people that John wrote about who have left God’s Church but were never really a part of it – meaning they were never really converted— never received God’s Holy Spirit, though they were baptized and had hands laid on them for the receiving of God’s Holy Spirit. God knew those whom He had chosen and they were not among them; so, He never gave His Holy Spirit to them.

“They went out from us, but they were NOT of us; for IF they had been of us, they would have continued with us BUT they went out THAT THEY MIGHT BE MANIFEST, THAT NONE OF THEM WERE OF US.” (I John 2:19).

Further, the apostle John wrote:

“We are of God. He who KNOWS God HEARS us; he who is NOT of God does NOT hear us” (I John 4:6).

Though much more could be written this pretty much makes known who we are, in contrast to the other corporate Churches, as well as why we sometimes see members come and go.

Your pastor and servant in Christ,
Don Billingsley

http://bodyofchristonline.us/     http://cog-ff.com     http://www.ezekielwatchman.org/   http://worldnewsbulletin.com

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