An Open Letter

To the true and faithful members of God’s Church

--  Worldwide  --

 

Dear Brethren in Christ Jesus,

“They Didn’t Believe What He said!”  This was the title of a Personal … from Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.  In this letter he wrote of the sickening conditions that he observed while traveling around the world. 

He became convinced that the real root cause of humanity’s troubles and evils could be summed up in six words: “They didn’t believe what He said!” He then added, “And they still don’t believe what He says today!”

The Jewish people did not believe what Jesus Christ said during His ministry here on earth; and tragically the same is true with many of the Church members today. 

Most of the few thousand members who yet remain within the overall framework of the teachings of Christ do not seem to care that their ministers have watered down some of the teachings; while others have walked away from some of them completely!

One elder asked me at the close of a very large conference of ministers, about five years ago, what I thought about that organization.  I replied that I found several doctrinal errors (and named them) – important teachings that had been revealed to Mr. Armstrong.  He paused, and then said, “I’m satisfied.” 

This is where most are today, satisfied; even though there are and continue to be serious problems within the teachings! Very few bother to seriously look into the teachings of the organization they attend.

Many care more about being able to fellowship with others than they do about the Faith Once Delivered to the Saints!  

Too many just do not believe ‘ALL’ that Christ tells us in Scripture about our very own troublesome, trying, and deceptive times! To them ALL of the teachings of Christ do not seem to matter all that much! 

Yet, all of us, are being JUDGED by God today within the standards of ALL of the Scriptural teachings of our God just as He led Peter to write to all of God’s people: 

“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God: … and if the righteous one is scarcely saved, …” (I Peter 4:17-18).

And this judgment that is upon us NOW will determine whether the door to the place of safety and salvation will be OPEN to you and me (Matthew 25:10; Luke 21:34-36).

Numerous times throughout the Scriptures Jesus Christ warned His Church of the danger of false ministers and their subtle deceptive practices, and in particular at this time of the end!  Those times began coming upon us in a very rapid and abrupt manner after January 16, 1986 – the date of the death of God’s late apostle, and the Elijah to come! 

Mr. Armstrong himself warned us time after time in almost every letter about Satan and his devious practices as did the apostle Paul (Acts 20:28-31; Ephesians 6:10-12, plus).

But, the majority of the various Church members do NOT fully believe what Christ or His apostles wrote about Satan and his counterfeit ministers who would come on the scene in our time deceiving ministers and members alike!  Often their reasoning is the tendency to think this WARNING applies to others, and not themselves!

I read these Scriptures back in the 1950s, and I asked myself: “Could these false leaders to come from among us be this one, or that one?”  Then I would answer the question, saying, “No, it couldn’t be!”

It was just too much for me to believe these ministers, named by me in my thinking, could possibly be used by Satan in this manner!  But sadly and tragically it has happened with many!  Some from that time, and many later!  Many were my teachers and all my friends.

While listening to a taped Bible study recently of Mr. Armstrong he made a comment that he had decided to take the Bible study that night rather unexpectedly. 

As a result he was disappointed to find only one minister who was in attendance.  With a note of sadness in his voice, he said, “I would rather have two or three faithful ministers than 500 ministers of Baal!”

Though God blinded him to what would actually take place after his death, he did have grave misgivings. He said as much in his last sermon, “… they are like vultures waiting for me to die!”  Prophecy had to be fulfilled, and it was, and is yet before us today to be further fulfilled!

After the death of Mr. Armstrong, all that we believed and held dear was thrown out on the very first day of our ministerial conference in Santa Barbara in 1994 by the one who had replaced Mr. Armstrong as Pastor-General! Many of us were left stunned and in total shock!

That night left me sleepless and literally crying.  Knowing the changes that had already been made from 1986 until the time of that conference should have prepared me for what this man would do, but it did not.  It hurt me severely.

These men did not really believe that God used Mr. Armstrong to restore His doctrinal teachings within His Church. To further their own goals and achieve their purposes, they pretended to believe Mr. Armstrong was chosen and flattered him (Mr. Armstrong) in his presence.

Do you know most of the ministers today do NOT believe ALL of those doctrinal teachings either! They say they do, but many speak disrespectfully of Mr. Armstrong, and at the same time have made changes in many of those restored doctrinal teachings. 

Since they could not accept ALL of the erroneous changes, as made known by that leader from 1986 to 1994, they were not content to stay within that organization, but carried over the erroneous doctrines they did accept into the newly forming Churches. 

The members have been deceived by these men mainly because of who they are rather than by what they believe and teach!

One member said to me, “I am sleeping!” He still is, for he has remained within the false Church he is in.  It is NOT God’s Church!

Consider the following erroneous teachings I personally know of that are within at least two of the larger organizations: A dual gospel, the one that Christ brought and the other ABOUT Jesus Christ. Another is THEIR version of Born Again, not what was restored and taught by Mr. Armstrong. 

They also do not believe there is any such thing as Physical Sin, thus watering down the belief in Divine Healing, and in so doing this also affects the symbols of the Passover service making them one and the same, with no distinction, or recognition between spiritual and physical sin!

These are just a sampling of the carryovers from the erroneous changes made in the doctrinal teachings restored by Mr. Armstrong that came into existence after his death! Then there is the problem of Government!

And virtually all of them will NOT even consider re-instituting the ruling on Makeup! THEY DON’T DARE -- for they would lose much of their membership and finances -- as did we by so doing!  Even so, it is our desire to obey God in ALL of the teachings regardless of the cost.

One could ask: “Are they like King Saul who FEARED the people rather than God? (I Samuel 15:24)

Many of you are going to the various Feast of Tabernacles sites, where God has NOT placed His name!  I caution you: God’s presence will NOT be there! It would be well for each one to reconsider and determine where God’s presence will be.

With all of these things in mind, we need to think of what Jesus said to those who followed Him, yet would not believe Him: “Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do NOT the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)  To His disciples, He further said, “… there are some of you who do NOT believe” (John 6:47).  Many walked away!  It is no different in our time today.

Mr. Armstrong ends his writing about the world with the following words: “… men, except for the very few, don’t believe what God says!”  Do we? 

Brethren, THE FINAL TIME OF OUR JUDGMENT IS ALMOST HERE!!! Will you and I be judged worthy by Christ to escape ALL of the horrors that shall come to pass? More importantly, will we be judged to be found acceptable to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:36)? Or will we be found sleeping with insufficient oil in our lamps? Unable, or unwilling, to join our Savior for the Marriage Feast.

Brethren, God is using me in these Open Letters to WARN you before the final closing of the door!

Will YOU believe FULLY what Christ said Himself -- as well as what He led His apostles to write, and speak?  Remember, each one of us is being judged as to whether we are truly BELIEVING and LIVING by EVERY word of God (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4).

Let all of us with love and great concern pray for one another.  I, along with others, pray earnestly for all of you.

Don Billingsley

P. O. Box 8819, Modesto, CA 95357 (209) 772-0737. www.cog-ff.com