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WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
President and Pastor
May 2, 1974
Dear Brethren of God's Church:
It is vital that you read carefully every word of this
letter.
Do you know where we are right now, IN PROPHECY?
We are in the very time of Daniel's prophecy: At "the
time of the end, many shall be purified, and made white, and
tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked
shall understand; but the wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:9-10).
God's people are in the time of final trying and testing
-- like taking final exams to determine whether we graduate.
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.
Some wonder whether they can leave God's Church, and still
be true and real Christians -- whether they could then enter GOD'S
KINGDOM with His GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE. I will answer that in this
letter.
We are also in the time of JESUS' prophecy: "Take heed
that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, SAYING
I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many. ... But he that shall
endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this GOSPEL OF
THE KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto
all nations; and then shall the end come. ... For there shall arise
false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the
very elect" (Matthew 24;4-5, 13-14, 24).
Also it seems highly possible we are entering the very
beginning of John's prophecy of Revelation 12: "And there was war
in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon
(Satan); and the dragon fought and his angels (demons), and
prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the
Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: ... Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth...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 (Church)..." (Rev. 12:7-13).