Ronald Weinland Against Roderick Meredith on Christ

Roderick C. Meredith, Presiding Evangelist of the Living Church of God

The following is from the Don’t Drink the Flavor Aid website (an anti-Weinland website):

False Prophet Ronald Weinland was in Lubbock, TX this weekend. Ron has laid off the prophecy for a bit, spending a good deal of the sermon attacking Rod Meredith for his article on the origin of Christ which differs from Weinland’s own pet doctrines on the subject.

I tried to listen to Ronald Weinland’s latest sermon this morning, but his church website made an error and instead listed his prior sermon twice. However, I wrote Mike at the Don’t Drink the Flavor Aid website who graciously sent me something he had on it.

The main thing Ron Weinland seemed to state is that “the truth” about the nature of Christ was not known by the true church until he erroneously concluded that Jesus did not pre-exist until a few years ago. Apparently he feels that no Christian understood about Christ until then. He then indicated that this change in doctrine was revealed to him, but not Roderick Meredith, and that this is somehow proof that his church is the correct one. He said that the those who wish to be part of true church now “are held accountable by God… “they must acknowledge this truth…this is foundational to them for repentance”. How something this “new” can be considered as “foundational” then for repentance is another bizarre stretch by Ronald Weinland. Ronald Weinland said that those who do not accept his teaching on Jesus from now on are blind and “have sealed their own fate”.

In the magazine article by Dr. Meredith, that Ronald Weinland referred to, it was written:

In 1 Corinthians 10:1–4, we read that ancient Israel was baptized into Moses and they all “ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”

Although Ronald Weinland said that the Rock that followed them was Christ, he also indicated that Jesus really wasn’t there–that He only followed them (later, I presume, as he did not specify). In essence, once again Ronald Weinland is indicating that the Bible does not mean what it says. Ronald Weinland also referred negatively(though more briefly) to some writings that UCG has on Christ (he actually seemed to confuse WCG with UCG in some of what he said, but finally did refer to a UCG document).

But, of course, none of what Ronald Weinland says on this matter is particularly relevant as he has long been in biblical error on this topic.

Ronald Weinland has taken unitarian stances in the past with statements like the following:

But there is only one eternally-existing member of Elohim and that is the ETERNAL ONE (Yahweh). Mr. Armstrong was never able to come to understand this about God. (2008 – God’s Final Witness, pp. 204, 206).

Jesus Christ has not eternally existed (Weinland R. The Mystery of God Revealed, Pt. 2. Sermon, February 23, 2008–near 56 minute point).

Jesus Christ cannot be the Eternal One–ever! (Weinland R. The Mystery of God Revealed, Pt. 4. Sermon, March 15, 2008–before the middle point).

Jesus Christ is not Yahweh Elohim (Weinland R. Our Commission, Pt. 3. Sermon, February 21, 2009–about the 1/3 point).

Notice what the Apostle Jude admonished Christians to do:

3… to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 3-4).

Yet, Ronald Weinland is claiming that a basic, FOUNDATIONAL (in his words), truth was not known until the 21st century. Ronald Weinland is clearly denying the truth about Christ. This is further proof that he relies on himself instead of the Bible and that he is one that Jude was warning against.

Notice what the Apostle Peter was inspired to write:

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Ronald Weinland has repeatedly been shown to be a false prophet and false teacher. I strongly believe that the above scriptures are warning about people like him.

Ronald Weinland’s statements are inaccurate and irrelevant, as his false prophecies have frequently demonstrated.

What is relevant is that I had read Roderick Meredith’s article and here is more of his some biblically proper doctrine about Christ:

The Origins of Jesus Christ

The Apostle John makes it clear that the One who became Jesus Christ existed from eternity: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1–3).
Here John points out that the Word—the Logos or Spokesman—had been with God from the beginning. He was the creative agent—acting for God the Father in making everything that is. Later: “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (vv. 10–12)…
Turning to Genesis 1:1, we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” All scholars know that the Hebrew word here translated God is “Elohim,” a plural noun—like church or family—as would signify one family with several members. And now notice Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”
Note that God said, “Let Us make man in Our image.” So the Father and the Logos or “Word”—who later was born as Jesus of Nazareth—were both included here. Acting for the One we call God the “Father,” the One who became Jesus Christ was used by the Father from the beginning in dealing with mankind.
We see this also in Genesis 18. Here the Logos appeared to Abraham. He did not appear in His full glory in dealing with Abraham, Moses and others, but more in human form—yet apparently with a “difference” so that Abraham recognized that he was dealing with the “Lord” (vv. 3, 27). After the Eternal had explained to Abraham His intent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their perverted sins, Abraham asked, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (v. 25).
Here Abraham was certainly dealing with the One who became Jesus Christ! For Christ Himself revealed later, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). Abraham was certainly not dealing with God the Father. For the inspired Word also tells us, “No one has seen God at any time” (John 1:18).
Jesus Himself said: “‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM’” (John 8:56–58). The Jews recognized that the expression “I AM” referred to the God of Israel. They thought that Jesus was both lying and blaspheming. So “then they took up stones to throw at Him” (v. 59). These Jews were blinded to the fact that Jesus had been the very Personality who had been the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel! They were standing right there talking to the One who was their God! And they did not know it. http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/cgi-bin/tw/tw-mag.cgi?category=Magazine58&item=1230797224

While unitarians like to deny that those scriptures mean what they say, the truth is that Jesus always existed. Ronald Weinland should repent and believe what the word of God teaches instead of indicating that Roderick Meredith was in error.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses believe it was, but was it?
Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?
Is The Father God? What is the view of the Bible? What was the view of the early church?
Jesus is God, But Was Made Man Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what?
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it?
Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008. Is he a false prophet? He has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the COG.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God?
This is an article for those who wish to easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.