I ADMIT IT! ~ I AM A READING JUNKIE! For years I have been
addicted to reading: books, magazines, newsletters, tracts, you name it
- and have subscribed to a number of magazines. Many are good,
for example: Acts & Facts from the Institute of
Creation Research - The Berean Call Newsletter from Dave
Hunt's Berean Call organization - Israel & Christians
Today from Christians For Israel USA - Converge Point
from the Baptist General Conference, aka Converge Worldwide - Imprimis,
a newsletter from Hillsdale College - Grace In Focus
from the Grace Evangelical Society - Fellowship, a
publication of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Not that I
agree with everything they write, nor all their doctrines, but I learn from all of them.
All of that on top of many books I have in my personal library: Christian, Cult, historical novels, and, to a lesser degree, even some novels which are not historical, but catch my interest. After getting all wound up in my writing and study efforts all day - to unwind at bedtime, I often turn to historical novels to relax. Why historical novels? Well, I love history, but most often reading history books is like eating plain cake and often tends to be somewhat dry - but when a knowledgeable author has taken those same historical facts and wrapped a stirring novel around them, that is like having a delicious icing on my cake. I learn while being entertained.
And then. I walk a wee bit on the wild side, subscribing to magazines which I know are from cult organizations. Some forty plus years ago I became aware of the cult church, Worldwide Church of God, founded by Herbert W. Armstrong. My step-father got my mother involved in that church. At the time it did not bother me, for I was not yet a Christian. But, in 1987, when I became a Christian believer - I was concerned for my mother and began to learn more about Armstrong's church. What I discovered was not good. Their theology did not align with mainstream Biblical Christianity.
After Armstrong's death in 1986, the new leader of that church, Joseph W. Tkach, slowly began to move their theology more in line with mainstream Christianity - and, in 1997, that church was admitted into the National Association of Evangelicals. As a result, many of the diehard Armstrong followers left the Worldwide Church of God and formed their own Armstrong clone churches. Later, to escape the stigma of Armstrong's reputation, the decreased Worldwide Church of God changed its name to Grace Communion International.
Why have I said that the Armstrong following churches are cult? This, from the GotQuestions web site, explains:
When Tkach led the Worldwide Church of God (Grace Communion International) into theological alignment with mainstream Christianity, many Armstrong devotees and followers left that church. A partial list of the offshoot churches and splinter groups which left to follow Armstrongism teachings in newly formed churches is:
Now, why am I writing about these churches? And, why do I subscribe to and read their magazines? Well, while their theologies are, for the most part, still mired in the cult teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong - their grasp and knowledge of world affairs and how those relate to Scripture is pretty solid. And, I read their magazines to know what non-Christian churches, i.e., cult churches, are teaching. Yet, for that same reason, I most often hesitate to refer Friends to their articles for fear that a brother or sister who is not firmly grounded in God's Word - may be led astray. In many articles from these churches, the article and what it teaches, comparing current world events and Scripture, is often very solid. But, before ending the article most attempt to lead the reader back to some teaching of Armstrongism. That I will not pass on to my readers.
Such cult magazines can present two dangers for new believers, (1) the lure of secular society's flawed values, and (2) the lure of skewed teachings from cult churches. We must be diligent that we do not help either of those enemies of Biblical teachings in their attempts to mislead new believers.
All this is leading up to my real reason for writing this article. This week I received the May-June issue of the The Real Truth magazine, published by the Restored Church of God. The lead editorial, Personal From David C. Pack, is titled "True Conversion - Explained!" And, the article starts of pretty good (as do most cult teachings) with:
But, from there the article goes south!
The article "True Conversion - Explained" tells us:
This is part of their teaching of a "salvation through works" theology. According to their teaching, no one is saved UNTIL he repents and is baptized. One can look at repentance as a spiritual change of heart, spiritually turning from following the world and turning to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This is not a physical act, it is a inner spiritual change and cannot be considered a "work."
On the other hand, baptism is most certainly something we do physically - after we have received the Holy Spirit through regeneration, i.e., been saved. The very moment we sincerely confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10), we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.
In other words, you were indwelled, sealed by the Holy Spirit - upon believing, the moment you believed - not upon being baptized. As a matter of fact, you would have to be very fast to have believed, received Him (John 1:12), and at the same moment, be baptized. Think about it. If you are not a believer, there is no reason to be baptized. So, first, you believe and receive Him - at which time you are saved, you are a Christian believer. THEN, at the soonest possible time, to be obedient to Christ, you should be baptized in His name. That could be a few minutes later, a few hours later, or another day - but, you are already a saved and justified believer.
Churches which teach "salvation through works" will quote this Scripture passage:
I like the way that Pastor David Guzik, Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, explains this passage in his Study Guide for Acts 2:
The article "True Conversion - Explained" continues:
This is teaching us that we are being "saved" all through life. Yet, God tells us in Ephesians 1:13, "In Him, you also, after listening to (hearing) the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise." We are sealed in Christ, saved, the very moment that the Holy Spirit indwells us. If we were not yet saved, we would still be seen as corrupt and filthy in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6) - and there is no way that the Holy Spirit is going to take up residence in a filthy, unclean temple.
The article in GotQuestions titled "What is impartation?" tells us:
So, the teaching found in the article "True Conversion - Explained" - that when we receive the Holy Spirit within us, i.e., when we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, that is only the beginning of being saved - cannot be true. For if a person is not yet saved, that person is still filthy in the eyes of God - and cannot receive the Holy Spirit.
What does happen when one becomes a believer? There are three phases of a believer's life: Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification.
What is Justification?
What is Sanctification?
What is Glorification?
The churches which continue following the teachings of Armstrongism, the doctrines of Herbert W. Armstrong, are cults. Why? Armstrongism denies the Trinity.
Armstrongism teaches soul sleep and annihilation - it teaches salvation through works - and it teaches one judgment for all. All of these teachings contradict God's Word, the Bible.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
All of that on top of many books I have in my personal library: Christian, Cult, historical novels, and, to a lesser degree, even some novels which are not historical, but catch my interest. After getting all wound up in my writing and study efforts all day - to unwind at bedtime, I often turn to historical novels to relax. Why historical novels? Well, I love history, but most often reading history books is like eating plain cake and often tends to be somewhat dry - but when a knowledgeable author has taken those same historical facts and wrapped a stirring novel around them, that is like having a delicious icing on my cake. I learn while being entertained.
And then. I walk a wee bit on the wild side, subscribing to magazines which I know are from cult organizations. Some forty plus years ago I became aware of the cult church, Worldwide Church of God, founded by Herbert W. Armstrong. My step-father got my mother involved in that church. At the time it did not bother me, for I was not yet a Christian. But, in 1987, when I became a Christian believer - I was concerned for my mother and began to learn more about Armstrong's church. What I discovered was not good. Their theology did not align with mainstream Biblical Christianity.
After Armstrong's death in 1986, the new leader of that church, Joseph W. Tkach, slowly began to move their theology more in line with mainstream Christianity - and, in 1997, that church was admitted into the National Association of Evangelicals. As a result, many of the diehard Armstrong followers left the Worldwide Church of God and formed their own Armstrong clone churches. Later, to escape the stigma of Armstrong's reputation, the decreased Worldwide Church of God changed its name to Grace Communion International.
Why have I said that the Armstrong following churches are cult? This, from the GotQuestions web site, explains:
A religious sect can be considered a cult when it denies the basic theology that defines the Christian faith. Armstrongism, with its denial of the Trinity, its false prophecies, and its promotion of Law-based justification, has always been considered a cult. The Restored Church of God, in seeking to restore the original doctrines of Armstrongism, falls into the same category. “‘They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord” - Jeremiah 29:9. ("What Is The Restored Church of God, And What Do They Believe?" - GotQuestions)
When Tkach led the Worldwide Church of God (Grace Communion International) into theological alignment with mainstream Christianity, many Armstrong devotees and followers left that church. A partial list of the offshoot churches and splinter groups which left to follow Armstrongism teachings in newly formed churches is:
The Philadelphia Church of God (Gerald Flurry) - Restored Church of God (David C. Pack) - Living Church of God (Roderick C. Meredith) - Intercontinental Church of God (Garner Ted Armstrong) - United Church of God, an International Association (Victor Kubik) - Church of God's Faithful (Robert G. Ardis) - Independent Church of God (Ronald L. Dart) - Church of God, an International Community (David Hulme) - Christian Biblical Church of God (Fred R. Coulter) - The Church of God - Preparing for the Kingdom of God (Ronald Weinland) - House of Yahweh (Yisrayl Hawkins) - God's Church, Worldwide (David Moore) - Church of God, Faithful Flock (Alton Billingsley, a.k.a., Don Billingsley) - Church of God, a Worldwide Association (Clyde Kilough) - Plus numerous smaller splinter groups which still follow the cult teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong.
Now, why am I writing about these churches? And, why do I subscribe to and read their magazines? Well, while their theologies are, for the most part, still mired in the cult teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong - their grasp and knowledge of world affairs and how those relate to Scripture is pretty solid. And, I read their magazines to know what non-Christian churches, i.e., cult churches, are teaching. Yet, for that same reason, I most often hesitate to refer Friends to their articles for fear that a brother or sister who is not firmly grounded in God's Word - may be led astray. In many articles from these churches, the article and what it teaches, comparing current world events and Scripture, is often very solid. But, before ending the article most attempt to lead the reader back to some teaching of Armstrongism. That I will not pass on to my readers.
Such cult magazines can present two dangers for new believers, (1) the lure of secular society's flawed values, and (2) the lure of skewed teachings from cult churches. We must be diligent that we do not help either of those enemies of Biblical teachings in their attempts to mislead new believers.
2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
All this is leading up to my real reason for writing this article. This week I received the May-June issue of the The Real Truth magazine, published by the Restored Church of God. The lead editorial, Personal From David C. Pack, is titled "True Conversion - Explained!" And, the article starts of pretty good (as do most cult teachings) with:
What is true conversion? Is it merely “professing Jesus as Lord and Savior”? How and when is one converted? Is it (salvation) sudden - meaning, immediate? Or (is it) a gradual process, lasting a long time? So many struggle with problems, weaknesses, and sins. Does God expect overcoming - and growth? And what does this mean? How is it done? What role does the Holy Spirit play? What about faith and repentance?
But, from there the article goes south!
The article "True Conversion - Explained" tells us:
The apostle Paul wrote, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). A Christian, then, is one who has the Holy Spirit leading him. But is having God’s Spirit absolutely essential to being a Christian? In context, Paul had already said this: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (vs. 9)!
It is that simple! . . . All those who are truly converted have the Holy Spirit in them. But is receiving God’s Spirit all there is to Christianity and conversion - or is there more? . . .
How does one actually receive God’s Spirit? And how can he know for certain that it has been given? Since this moment constitutes conversion, at what point can the would-be Christian be assured that God has given His Spirit? Since not having God’s Spirit precludes one from being a true Christian, surely God would not leave His servants in doubt as to whether they have it - or exactly when they receive it!
The book of Acts states, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (2:38).
Receiving the Spirit of God comes upon real repentance and a correct baptism.
This is part of their teaching of a "salvation through works" theology. According to their teaching, no one is saved UNTIL he repents and is baptized. One can look at repentance as a spiritual change of heart, spiritually turning from following the world and turning to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This is not a physical act, it is a inner spiritual change and cannot be considered a "work."
Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
On the other hand, baptism is most certainly something we do physically - after we have received the Holy Spirit through regeneration, i.e., been saved. The very moment we sincerely confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10), we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13, "In Him, you also, after listening to (hearing) the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise."
In other words, you were indwelled, sealed by the Holy Spirit - upon believing, the moment you believed - not upon being baptized. As a matter of fact, you would have to be very fast to have believed, received Him (John 1:12), and at the same moment, be baptized. Think about it. If you are not a believer, there is no reason to be baptized. So, first, you believe and receive Him - at which time you are saved, you are a Christian believer. THEN, at the soonest possible time, to be obedient to Christ, you should be baptized in His name. That could be a few minutes later, a few hours later, or another day - but, you are already a saved and justified believer.
Churches which teach "salvation through works" will quote this Scripture passage:
Acts 2:37-38, "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' "
I like the way that Pastor David Guzik, Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, explains this passage in his Study Guide for Acts 2:
b. Repent, and let every one of you be baptized: Responding to the question, "What shall we do?" - Peter gave them something to do. This means that we must do something to be saved, we must do something to follow Jesus; it doesn't just "happen."
c. The first thing Peter told them to do is repent. To repent does not mean to feel sorry, but it means to change one's mind or direction - they had thought a certain way about Jesus before (considering Him worthy of crucifixion). Now they must turn around their thinking, embracing Him as Lord and Messiah.
i. Repent sounds like such a harsh word in the mouths of many preachers and in the ears of many listeners, but it is an essential aspect of the Gospel. Repent has been rightly called "the first word of the Gospel."
ii. When John the Baptist preached, he said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 3:2). When Jesus began to preach, He said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). Now when Peter begins to preach, he starts with repent!
iii. Repentance must never be thought of as something we must do before we can come back to God. Repentance describes what coming to God is. You can't turn towards God without turning from the things He is against.
iv. In this sense, repent is a word of great hope. It says "You don't have to continue the way you've been going, you can turn to God," something many people desperately want.
d. The second thing Peter says they must do is be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, as an expression of their belief and complete trust in Him.
i. Baptism made a clear statement. In that day, Jews were not commonly baptized, only Gentiles who wanted to become Jews. For these Jewish men and women to be baptized showed just how strongly they felt they needed Jesus.
ii. "While baptism with water was the expected symbol for conversion, it was not an indispensable criterion for salvation." (Longenecker)
The article "True Conversion - Explained" continues:
Receiving the Spirit of God comes upon real repentance and a correct baptism. . . With these things also comes the remission of sin - or forgiveness. So there is a specific moment when conversion (salvation) begins. There is a definite time when the Holy Spirit enters the mind and one becomes a true Christian - and God has begotten a new son.
Now we must ask, is salvation now finished in the Christian? Is he or she now “saved”? Is the newly begotten child of God suddenly perfect, unable to ever sin or go wrong, because he thinks he has already been saved?
Bill Gray Note: No Christian is perfect and sinless, regardless. Only Jesus Christ can make that claim - and that is why He had to die in our stead, because our righteousness is like dirty rags in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6). Since no man can be righteous in the eyes of God, the only way we can be saved is to have the righteousness of Christ imputed, i.e., attributed, imparted, to us (Romans 3:21–22, 2 Corinthians 5:21). So, when this article writer asks if the new Christian is unable to sin again or go wrong - he is creating a straw-man fallacy.
Real Christian conversion (salvation) is a gradual process of growing and overcoming - of changing and developing. But how? And at the end of the process, what does the “finished” Christian look like? And what does this have to do with the goal of a Christian - with what he is striving for as his final reward for having been a Christian?
This is teaching us that we are being "saved" all through life. Yet, God tells us in Ephesians 1:13, "In Him, you also, after listening to (hearing) the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise." We are sealed in Christ, saved, the very moment that the Holy Spirit indwells us. If we were not yet saved, we would still be seen as corrupt and filthy in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6) - and there is no way that the Holy Spirit is going to take up residence in a filthy, unclean temple.
The article in GotQuestions titled "What is impartation?" tells us:
The word impart means “to give, convey, or grant.” It is very similar to the Greek word for “reckon” or “credit,” as in Romans 4:3, which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (cf. Galatians 3:6; Romans 4:22). To impart is to credit the account of another without the other having earned it. In Romans 4:3, God imparted righteousness to Abraham’s account simply because Abraham trusted God.
The only way any of us can be declared righteous before God is through impartation. Our own righteous acts are “as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). We have no way of becoming righteous enough to earn heaven or fellowship with a holy God.
So, the teaching found in the article "True Conversion - Explained" - that when we receive the Holy Spirit within us, i.e., when we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, that is only the beginning of being saved - cannot be true. For if a person is not yet saved, that person is still filthy in the eyes of God - and cannot receive the Holy Spirit.
What does happen when one becomes a believer? There are three phases of a believer's life: Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification.
What is Justification?
Simply put, to justify is to declare righteous, to make one right with God. Justification is God’s declaring those who receive Christ to be righteous, based on Christ’s righteousness being imputed to the accounts of those who receive Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Though justification as a principle is found throughout Scripture, the main passage describing justification in relation to believers is Romans 3:21-26: “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. . ." (What Is Justification? What Does It Mean To Be Justified? - GotQuestions)
What is Sanctification?
Sanctification is two-part. First, sanctify means to set apart. The moment we believe, God sets us apart from the world, we are now His children. Second, sanctification is a life-long process of maturing in God's Word and growing more mature in our daily relationship with Jesus Christ.
The day we marry our spouse, no one can say that we are a perfect husband or wife. The day we marry, we only start on a life-long journey of growing closer together, to truly being one - one in our love for one another and one in our love relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet, at the moment we speak our love with an "I do!" - and the one officiating, i.e., pastor, judge, justice of the peace, etc., declares, "I now pronounce you man and wife" - you ARE now married! But, you will spend a life-time growing in that love.
To grow, i.e., build, a mature marriage takes work. And, to grow in our relationship with Christ takes work: (1) being in prayer daily, (2) being in God's Word daily, (3) being in continuous fellowship with other believers, helping them grow in the Lord, which helps us to grow in Him. That is the process of Sanctification, but it is not the process of being saved. That was accomplished the moment we asked Him into our hearts, into our lives, to be our personal Lord and Savior, i.e., the moment we said, "I do!" to Jesus Christ.
What is Glorification?
Unless the Rapture happens first, we will all die in this mortal body. The Scripture passage, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, tells us that the moment we leave this mortal body, at that very moment we are in heaven with the Lord. If the Rapture has not yet occurred, then our mortal bodies will be in the grave - but our real being, our spirit, often called our soul, will be in the presence of God.
I see Glorification as a process: (1) When believers die in this mortal body, God removes our Adamic sin nature. Then (2) at the Rapture when we receive our glorified bodies, our Glorification will be complete. We will be like Him ( 1 John 3:2). No, we will not be deity; but, we will have a glorified, immortal body like His ascension body. No more pain, no more tears - just eternal joy in our new and wonderfully made glorified bodies.
We believers will enter heaven in spirit at the moment of our mortal death. We could not enter heaven if we still had a sin nature, for sin, anything impure, cannot enter heaven (Revelation 21:27). It is my belief that this is the first step of Glorification, when God removes all vestiges of the Adamic sin nature so that we can enter heaven sinless.
Then, at the Rapture we will receive our glorified bodies:
1 Corinthians 15:51-53, "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."
When Christ resurrected from the dead, He rose in His glorified body. For forty days, He appeared to His disciples - and then ascended into heaven still in His glorified, immortal body. We are told in 1 John 3:2 that when Christ appears we will be like Him. I believe this is referring to the moment He comes to Rapture His church from this earth. This Rapture and the subsequent Believers' Judgment (Bema Seat Judgment) will be the completion of our Glorification, when we, the church, the Bride of Christ, will be clothed in our own righteousness.
Revelation 19:8, "And to her (the church) it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."
The churches which continue following the teachings of Armstrongism, the doctrines of Herbert W. Armstrong, are cults. Why? Armstrongism denies the Trinity.
"The truth is - and it would shock millions to know - that the Holy Spirit is not a person. . . The Holy Spirit is an agency, a force, a power that is used by the Highest - God the Father - to achieve his purpose. The Holy Spirit, we repeat, is not a person" ("Good News" magazine, Nov./Dec. 1990, p. 9).
Armstrongism teaches soul sleep and annihilation - it teaches salvation through works - and it teaches one judgment for all. All of these teachings contradict God's Word, the Bible.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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