SOME QUOTES FROM HERBERT ARMSTRONG CONCERNING LAODICEA AND HOLDING TO DOCTRINE

"...the final generation of the Church shall be LUKEWARM -- not less emotional, but more 'liberal,' more secular and less spiritual -- less strictly biblical --" "Speaking of the present 'Philadelphia' era, it says...because we have kept God's Word faithfully, not liberalizing nor watering down, God will keep us from the 'hour of temptation, which shall come upon all them that dwell on the earth' to try and test them." --"Personal from Herbert W. Armstrong," Plain Truth, August 1980. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"But, the BAD NEWS, as it appears today, my dear brethren, is that we, undoubtedly of the Philadelphian era...are in serious danger of BECOMING also the Laodicean era. I am personally much concerned about that. If YOU are NOT concerned, then indeed we are in mortal DANGER." --"Personal from Herbert W. Armstrong," Good News, August 1979. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This group of liberals...[wanted] unity in watered-down doctrines that older loyal ministers did not and never would accept! THAT WAS NOT UNITY -- IT WAS DIVISION!" "That is the WAY of the LIBERAL -- who wants to water down the truth of God and go as far into this world -- which means as far in Satan's way -- as possible and still get into God's Kingdom." --Herbert W. Armstrong, "What Is a Liberal?" Good News, March 1979. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Church was...going as far as possible in the...beliefs of this world's Christianity'..." "The HARM that was done...is INCALCULABLE! ...It led to lukewarmness, a more careless attitude toward real or strict obedience to the ways of God. It led to wrong and false concepts on points of doctrine." --Herbert W. Armstrong, "Reports About Garner Ted False," Worldwide News, 6 March 1981. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The parables show that the convert who does not grow in Spirit and character development will lose out. He represents one who 'received Christ' and considered that he was already 'born again' but did not think he needed to overcome, grow spiritually, or develop spiritual character. He thought he was 'already saved.' He said he didn't believe in salvation by 'works.' What he didn't realize is that while salvation is a free gift, we are rewarded according to our works (Matt. 16:27). But by doing nothing, he lost not only the reward, but he lost out on the free gift of eternal life. "Christ's answer to such, when He returns with the Kingdom of God, is, 'Thou wicked and slothful servant'....He failed utterly in God's real purpose -- reproducing in us the holy, righteous character that we may receive from God. "Many have been deceived into a false 'salvation.'" --Herbert W. Armstrong, The Incredible Human Potential, (New York: Everest House, 1978), p. 85. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Brethren, do we think we are so superior to those of the first, second and third centuries that Satan could not have tried to pervert God's TRUTH today?" "God has restored original TRUTH! HOW PRECIOUS IS IT TO YOU? -- or do you trample it underfoot as swine would trample into the mud the most precious diamonds, rubies and precious stones, and go for the slop? "Yes, Satan has tried to WATER DOWN true doctrine -- to turn God's Church to false truths. Apparently it is unhappily true that some willingly fall by the wayside and shall not...enter...the KINGDOM OF GOD!" --Herbert W. Armstrong, "How Satan Injects False Doctrines," Good News, August 1979. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...Jesus Christ...has been moving dynamically to set God's Church and Work back on track.... My son demoted the men highest and oldest in service -- such as Dr. Roderick C. Meredith...Dibar Apartian.... He demoted and removed to minor positions the top-ranking ministers, senior in years of service -- THOSE MEN HE KNEW WOULD BE LOYAL TO THE CHURCH UNDER GOD'S APOSTLE....We had been tending to forget God, letting Laodicean lukewarmness leaven us." --Herbert W. Armstrong, co-worker letter, 28 June 1978. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It is now clearly evident that God brought me back for a vital purpose by CPR from death by heart failure. Had I remained dead, the Church of God would have been virtually destroyed by the liberal element that had crept in....I want you, brethren, to think about and understand what happened to God's Church in the 70s lest history repeat itself! I want you to see the 'fruits' of rebelling against God's way and God's government." --Herbert W. Armstrong, "Recent History of the Philadelphia Era of the Worldwide Church of God," Worldwide News, 24 June 1985. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Laodicean is the dominant Church attitude at the end." "At the end, the Laodicean condition of luke-warmness dominates in the churches." --Herbert W. Armstrong, radio broadcast of approximately 30 years ago. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"[Christ] said, 'I will come unto you quickly and will remove your candlestick out of its place.' And that candlestick was removed out of its place. Jesus removed it. He took out the true Church -- the light-giving candlestick -- from the unrepentant local congregations where they had assembled. Now congregations carried on, visible organization of the church carried on, but the true Christians were finally removed. They were persecuted and they were cast out. So the real Church, the real candlestick, it was these people that did follow the true gospel and the Word of Christ, they were cast out. So that's what Jesus meant here when he said, 'I will come unto you quickly and will remove your candlestick out of its place.' Jesus took it away. That's Revelation 2:5. After He had told them that He knew their labor, their patience, how they cannot bear them that are evil, and all that kind of thing, 'nevertheless,' He said, 'I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love. Remember, therefore, from whence you are fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto you quickly and will remove your candlestick out of its place except you repent.' Well, now, the majority that had been in the Church fell away and they didn't repent. And the real candlestick -- those that remained true and faithful -- the real Church was taken out -- those individuals that were persecuted and taken out of the political and the visible organization." --Herbert W. Armstrong, radio broadcast of approximately 30 years ago.-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Those in the true Body of Christ shall be protected until this tribulation will be over (Rev. 3:10-11)--applying to those faithful in God's Work now going to the world. Rev 12:14; Isa. 26:20. But YOU must make your own decision -- and to neglect doing so is to have made the wrong decision! God isn't kidding! This is for real!...The decision in now yours!"--Armstrong, Herbert W. The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy. 1975; p:60-------------------------------------------

And he's right, the decision is now yours! For more information, please check out Laodicean Warning for God's People.

B. Thiel, 2000