It is with heavy heart and deep regret that I write the following. This will not be an attack on Mr. Pack’s character. Know this up front before continuing, as we move along there will come a point where the lines between doctrine and character will seem to blur. We all know that each and everyone of us have problems in the area of character and there is no need to throw rocks while living in a glass house. What I am about to say concerns doctrinal issues of the most important kind. The following will contain three identifying signs of the unpardonable sin as well as an identifying trait or result of this sin.
The issue at hand is an enormously wrong teaching in Mr. Pack’s November 4th sermon True Biblical Loyalty. I will interject here at this point that at first it may have been an oversight and may have been the result of not enough preparation. At first I believed, and still do to some extent, that Mr. Pack did not commit this mistake with malice. But the real issue, as will be shown later, is the lack of addressing the problem to the point of a cover up. And that can not and must not be taken lightly!
This sermon is no longer available on the Internet. It was removed from the website, without Mr. Pack’s knowledge, in order to protect any that might hear it. Looking back, maybe it should have been left where it was so others could hear and prove for themselves just what Mr. Pack has allowed himself to become. I’m sure the sermon will appear somewhere so all can listen. For you that have a copy of the tape the portion in question is approx. 20 min. long and is located on the first half of the first side.
In this sermon, as has been previously reported on one other website, you will find the following statement:
"So clearly, if we are against any of the above 3 points we are blaspheming the Holy Spirit. That's serious! Now people who may be doing that now, may repent of blaspheming the Holy Spirit."
I urge those who are reading this to pay close attention because absolutely no one in RCG caught this point during the sermon or on tape in the other RCG congregations. If it was the subject of question no one, to my knowledge, reported it.
When Mr. Pack was made aware that this situation had become a topic for discussion for those outside RCG he had asked if I thought there was anything to it. I said, at that time, that there was nothing wrong with what he had said and not to worry. (Do not misunderstand, I’m not trying to portray myself as some kind of ministerial advisor or doctrinal guru.) I did, however, revisit the subject later and realized that I was wrong. I assumed that when the bible said in…
Matthew 12:32 "And whosoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against (blaspheming) the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."
… that this verse meant there was room for repentance if one realized what they were doing was wrong and committed this sin unknowingly. The Bible states that one will not be forgiven for blaspheming the Holy Spirit. It does not specifically say that one can not repent. It was only later that I came to learn that in order to commit a sin of this magnitude, (1) one has to have complete and unfettered knowledge, (2) a the willingness to forgo this knowledge. And thus (3) taking an active stance against the Holy Spirit making repentance at this point impossible.
At this time I approached Mr. Pack with this subject again. He, at first, with head bowed, (1) realized he made a mistake and (2) understood what he had done. His next reaction was one of extreme frustration and anger. Mr. Pack’s excuse was (3a) “I have all these gnats (small irritating problems) flying around… I don’t’ have time to pay attention to every little thing (paraphrasing)…” “With all that has happened with this person and that person (past employees) I can’t seem to get these gnats away from me….” I ask this question. When we stand before God and give an account will God allow us to say “Yeah but, he did this and she did that”? No, God will not!
There is one more aspect to this story that should be known. Mr. Pack did say that he would be willing to clean up the tape and pull out the comment in question. There was even a time when the tape was qued-up and ready to go, according to his instructions, (3b) but he decided at the last minute not to listen. At least a week went by and nothing was done. It was back to business as usual. There was not even the instruction to take the sermon off of the website so as not to cause harm to anyone who might stumble across it until something could be done. It was like he pretended nothing happened. So, at this point we have three problems and one undeniable symptom:
1. The knowledge of the original error
2. The excuse = the willingness to forgo the knowledge
3. The cover-up = the active stance against the Holy Spirit
4. Symptom of Committal - Denial = self deception (to be covered shortly)
I think that we can all agree that something should have been done to address this issue. This issue is of such importance that it should have been taken care of immediately! I personally thought that this would have been a perfect opportunity for Mr. Pack to show all of his detractors that he was capable of correcting himself and also at the same time take advantage of a wonderful opportunity to rightfully answer those who doubt and ridicule. But I was told that he could not answer his accusers.
If history is to be remembered correctly, it is not only the crime that gets you in trouble it is the cover-up! By disregarding instruction he is again dangerously close to committing exactly what he erroneously said could be repented of. If God through his spirit is showing any of us a correction that needs to be made and we constantly ignore him we are ignoring the power with which he works, the Holy Spirit! And thus on the verge of committing the unpardonable sin.
It could very well be that this will be the point in time in Mr. Pack’s personal Christian history that God will have him look back and he will be made to understand that it was here that he crossed the line. And that all his work and all his striving and dedication will have come to nothing! God help us all! All of us reading this are no better and should realize that we all can fall into this pit ourselves if we do not “watch and pray always”.
Again blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is fighting and or continually working against the Holy Spirit. The very power through which God works!
The result of fighting God’s Spirit is the same and opposing spirit that causes satan to continue his attempt to take over God’s Throne! By Jesus’ triumph over satan I know he has lost and you know he has lost but this spirit is also the spirit of grave deception and or denial. Satan has convinced himself that he can still win. This is the same delusion that we leave ourselves open to when we think we can fight against God. Ask yourself what kind of a spiritual ego says “I WILL FIGHT GOD AND I WILL WIN”? It is that same spiritual ego that satan finds is the perfect tool to undermine God’s people and God’s plan. Show me some one who thinks he has got it made spiritually and I will show a dead man walking.
Now the next question should be. How can the man supposedly known for “doctrinal precision and exactness” take the one sin that God says can not and will not be forgiven and get it WRONG? You can take every error in that list of heresies and they do not even come close to blaspheming against the Holy Spirit! Even “That Prophet” can still repent! To use an all too familiar phrase, “So Says Your Bible”.
I urge all that are still in RCG to realize just who and what you are dealing with. (Just as those who have written these same types of letters before, save one). If you see this spirit at work and are actively watching this happen you are in a sense taking part in what will NOT be forgiven! Tithes and offerings are doing nothing but supporting and furthering this agenda.
Watch him. He will become very unstable after this. Mr. Pack will reason out his mistakes this way and say that, “I am overwhelmed and I do not have the time I need”. First of all just using the term overwhelmed insinuates that God has given him something that is beyond his scope. We all know that God does not do this. He is only as overwhelmed as he makes himself out to be.
He now will be a man twisting and turning in a verbal straight jacket. He will have to watch every word like never before and it will, in time, cause him to implode. Words and most importantly the spinning of those words are his whole life. If he can’t spin he can’t win. He has said in the past that if RCG was not the work of God that it will come to nothing. We will see that this will soon be the case. He will not be able to keep with everything he says to everyone straight. Sooner or later one more person will put two and two together and then another and then still yet another.
Every time before he has been able to deflect these issues because most have gone after character and personal conduct. Something which God’s people can be easily swayed with their undeniable ability to forgive. While I agree conduct is very important and must be considered. It has always been purity of doctrine that we all have been striving for. As long as we are willing to change our conduct in order to grow, our conduct with repentance has always been understood and accepted.
Mr. Armstrong taught us all that if he found that he was wrong he would change. That is the essence of repentance. Mr. Pack discovered he was wrong. And not only did he refuse to change he is using, and will continue to use, spin and manipulation to hide his inconsistencies to control those around him.
I was, at one time, one of Mr. Pack’s most ardent supporters. I do not wish anyone ill will. Many of you know that I do not do this because I have given up, or because I am tired, spiteful or angry. Ironically it is through this situation that I find myself, more than ever, willing to stand and do what is right.
I did not come to work in the office for money or position. Two of those that were in the office when I arrived were exposed because of their true motives and had to flee. One went cross-country and the other left town to work elsewhere. All I wanted to do was help in whatever manner I could. If I am willing to walk away from what I have always wanted, since the first time I heard Mr. Armstrong on TV, then one will also recognize that what I am saying is true and not contrived by any stretch of the imagination.
If it was my intent to cause damage just for damage’s sake that would have been easily done. I could have run off with the mailing list. I also had complete control of both websites both at the office and from my home. I would not have had to sneak around the office in the early morning hours or tell people I was going out of town in order set one last trap. I could have wreaked as much havoc as I desired.
I am more than saddened than anything else by this outcome but at the same time very thankful that God has allowed my wife and I to survive. The fight is not over. Satan will always be just beyond trees looking for whom he may devour. We will continue to struggle and soon, I pray God will put an end to this fight that we all find ourselves in, so that those who care for nothing other than God’s way of life can help those in the world tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Jim and Charlotte Leighty
jleighty3@juno.com