December 3, 2010

“. . . I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the Seven Churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea” (Revelation 1:11).

The History of God’s One and Only True Church

By

Alton (Don) B. Billingsley

Continued from 4-13-2010, 4-23-2010; 4-30-2010; 5-7-2010; 5-17-2010; 5-21-2010; 5-28-2010; 6-11-2010; 6-18-2010- 6-25-2010; 7-2-2010; 7-16-2010; 7-23-2010; 7-30-2010; 8-6-2010; 10-15-2010; 11-12-2010; 11-26-2010

Regarding the establishment of His Church, Jesus Christ said to the apostle Peter and the rest of His disciples:

“. . . On this ROCK (Greek: Masculine, Petros, Feminine, Petra, meaning Jesus Christ Himself, Deuteronomy 32:3-4; I Corinthians 10:4) I will BUILD My Church, and the gates of Hades (graves, I Corinthians 15:54-55) shall NOT prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18).

The Church in Philadelphia - The Church of Brotherly Love - began in October 1933 (with 19 members) and is ongoing —

And to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write, "These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens, and no one can shut, and shuts and no one opens: 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.

Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews, and are not, but lie— indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trail which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast which you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God and he shall go out no more.

I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of of My God, the new Jerusalem, wwhich comes down out of heaveen from y God. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches (Revelation 3:7-13).

This Present Historical Writing continues with the History of the Philadelphia Era of God’s true Church—

Good News
June-July 1958
Vol. VII, Number 6 

Amazing 2000-Year History of the Church of God

     by Herman L. Hoeh 

Today's Church Prophesied!

   Notice the amazing description of the next event in the history of God’s people.  John writes to the "Church at Philadelphia":  "I know thy works: behold, I HAVE SET BEFORE THEE AN OPEN DOOR, and no man can shut it: FOR THOU HAST A LITTLE STRENGTH, AND HAST KEPT MY WORD AND HAST NOT DENIED MY NAME" (Revelation 3:8).

   Here 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 because Jesus promises to set before it AN OPEN DOOR until the work of the Church is completed. [Note – Don Billingsley: My emphasis throughout]

   Here is a Church which Jesus loves despite its weakness!  Here is a Church to which He says: "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience [which Jesus interprets in Revelation 14:12 as KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS and the faith], I also will keep thee FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION (Great Tribulation), WHICH SHALL COME UPON ALL THE WORLD, TO TRY THEM THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH" (Revelation 3:10).

   This verse pictures a Church which is carrying the gospel just prior to the last great time of trouble that will engulf all the world.  THIS IS THE CHURCH OF GOD TODAY!

 The Gospel Goes to All the World

   Jesus chose Paul, who was highly educated, for spreading the gospel to the Gentiles.  He later raised up Peter Waldo, a successful businessman, to keep his truth alive during the Middle Ages.  In these last days WHEN THE GOSPEL MUST GO AROUND THE WORLD, Jesus chose a man amply trained in the advertising and business fields to shoulder this mission -- Herbert W. Armstrong.

   Paul was struck down.  Waldo was shocked by the sudden death of his friend.  In like manner God three times swept away Mr. Armstrong's business in order that he might come to understand the truth.

   Shortly before this event, God had opened the mind of Mrs. Armstrong to understand the Sabbath truth from an elderly Church of God woman.  After six months of study, in a persistent effort to prove Sabbath-keeping unscriptural, Mr. Armstrong also SURRENDERED HIS WILL TO GOD and accepted the Sabbath.

   From this moment forward, God opened the minds of Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong to understand one truth after another.  The Church of God brethren with whom they associated became so intensely interested that Mr. Armstrong soon found himself speaking at their insistence -- then PREACHING to small groups in Oregon!

   Not long after his ordination, a momentous juncture occurred. A movement was under foot to organize the local congregations of the Church of God under human government -- a financial board of seven men [7^th Day Church of God, Sardis Era].  By 1933 certain leading ministers demanded that no more NEW truth be preached to the brethren.  They were refusing to repent and allow the Holy Spirit to work through them to establish the truth that was ready to perish!

   Most of the congregations succumbed to error.  The age of the Church of Sardis was over.  THE CHURCH PERIOD OF PHILADELPHIA WAS TO BEGIN!
 
A DOOR Opens

  The time had come for the gospel to go AROUND THE WORLD! Having tested and proven that Herbert and Loma Armstrong would remain faithful and subject to His government, God opened before them and a few faithful brethren the marvelous DOOR of radio and the printing press to carry forth the gospel.  From a minute beginning in Oregon, in 1934, the work of God spread to cover much of North America in 19 years.  In 1953 it leaped to Europe and the world!

   This is very significant.

God gave the Apostolic Church just two nineteen-year cycles to carry the gospel to the Old World.  He opened a DOOR to the apostle Paul AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND NINETEEN-YEAR CYCLE by which the gospel went to Europe (Acts 16:9; II Corinthians 2:12-13).

[NOTE – Don Billingsley: This was Dr. Hoeh’s belief in 1959, but he came to see his error in following years – there would be more than Two 19-year cycles]

   So now just before the second coming of Jesus Christ, God has given His Church -- THIS CHURCH -- JUST TWO 19-year cycles in which to carry the gospel to the world!

   The first cycle HAS ALREADY PASSED.  God opened the door for the second cycle in January 1953, and the gospel is now going to all the world!

   Do you catch the significance of this?

   It means that this work, this MISSION to which God has called us ALL, is a DIVINE WORK, a DIVINE MISSION! -- not the work of some one man.  WE ARE THE CHURCH OF GOD to whom Jesus committed the GREATEST task ever to fall upon mortal man -- the carrying of His gospel, the good news of the Kingdom of God, to ALL nations.

   We are a people with "little strength," but God has set before us an OPEN DOOR WHICH NO MAN CAN SHUT [Jesus Christ Re-Opened the Door to the Church of God, Faithful Flock, in 2006, after having closed it in January 16, 1986.]  We must use that door. We must become zealous, working, praying, studying, giving tithes and offerings as we have never given before, so that this gospel can go IN POWER around the world.

[NOTE -- Don Billingsley: The door seems to be opening for this little flock to be able to not only place Mr. Armstrong’s Radio Broadcasts on live Radio Internet, but possibly back on radio stations as well. We are working with this and hope to have it going by this coming January. We need your fervent prayers to that end for more laborers in the harvest and the finances to make Radio possible. The following is omnious – Satan will be striking at us to try and stop this from taking place, but Christ said no one will be able to close the DOOR – until He Himself closes it – which may be in a short period of time. WE MUST NOT BE FEARFUL – “If God be for us, who can be against us!” Romans 8:31.]

Future Is Dangerous

    This is the time of the end when prophecies hidden for ages are being revealed [NOTE: They were then and are in our time].  TRUTH is being restored [NOTE: Then and since 1995], knowledge is rapidly increasing.  But knowledge brings RESPONSIBILITY; it becomes DANGEROUS if not rightly handled.

   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" (Revelation 3:15, 16).

   This frightful condition lies just ahead of us!  Just as the Sardis era of the Church existed side by side with the Philadelphia era, SO WE WILL CONTINUE OUR WORK at the very same time that another work will develop.  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."

   It is time to WAKE UP!  If YOU become complacent, lacking in zeal, looking upon a local church as a social club, instead of having your heart in the gospel, you, too, may end up in the "Church at Laodicea." Jesus, then, will NOT deliver you from the impending, horrifying tribulation.

   Notice Jesus' admonition in Luke 21:36.  "WATCH ye therefore and PRAY ALWAYS, that ye may be  accounted worthy to escape ALL these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

   Let's PRAY and WORK, TOGETHER to carry this gospel to all nations so Jesus will say to each of us, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

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