Church of God News

COGwriter

A few days ago the electronic version of the March 31, 2008 edition of The Journal came out (the print version should be in the mail by now, though I have not received my copy yet).

Its main articles were about a new “ministry” in Big Sandy, Living God Ministries, UCG’s rebuttal of Aaron Dean (on that subject, for more details, please see United Church of God Council Censures Elder Aaron Dean), UCG’s Eric Snow had an article about when to split a church (for two articles of related interest, please see Unity: Which COG for You? and Beware, Doctrinal Compromise is in the Air!), Alan Knight discussed some aspects of early Christianity (for more, please see the The History of Early Christianity), and two deaths (for one covered earlier here, please see The Journal Reports the Death and Funeral of Jim Ussery).

Here is some of what was published about the new Big Sandy ministry:

BIG SANDY, Texas—Wes and Nancy White recently announced the creation of a new ministry, Dynamic Christian Ministries (DCM), to serve the Sabbathkeeping Churches of God. The following is an interview with Mr. and Mrs. White about DCM.

Q: There are already a lot of ministries within the Churches of God. Why create another one?

Wes: One of the biggest problems in the independent Church of God community today has to do with demographics. Our congregations are getting old and we are not bringing in new people to replace all of us oldtimers as we die out. DCM would like to assist in that area if possible. Every year at the Feast I hear people ask, “Why can’t we evangelize better so we can bring more people to the real Jesus of the Bible?”

To the best of my knowledge, DCM a very small ministry. To answer the last question, I would simply state that modern history has shown that the small independent ministries are always ineffective in public proclamation and that those truly interested in the Philadelphia work of the Church should unify and support the largest group that has that as its focus, which is the Living Church of God (please see the three articles There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God?, Independent Members of the COG: Herbert W. Armstrong Comments, Plus Questions and Answers, and Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work?).

I should add that the Living Church of God should NOT be confused with Living God Ministries which is a very small operation ran by Bill Glover and his son Stephen. However, both groups have members in Kenya and The Journal article was about LGM’s visit there.

Here is also a death report from The Journal:

Roy McCarthy dies
SOMERSET WEST, South Africa—Roy McCarthy, 83, a member of the Worldwide Church of God and former director of the WCG’s efforts in the Netherlands and South Africa, died March 23, 2008, apparently of pneumonia.

I do not recall if I met Roy McCarthy when my wife and I were there for the Feast of Tabernacles in 1985. Apparently he did not oppose the changes in WCG.

The pdf front and back page of The Journal can be accessed from www.thejournal.org/issues/issue126/ja033108.pdf

The current Greek 2 Euro coin shows a woman (Europa) riding a beast (allegedly Zeus, but biblically something a little different).

COGwriter

While flying back from Turkey yesterday, the following headline from the 5/16/08 edition of the International Herald Tribune caught my attention:

Economy of Europe defies U.S. slowdown

This was of interest because the world is now beginning to see that the U.S. is not the only major economy that the rest of the world depends upon. In a relatively short time, the world will all marvel at the Beast power that is now forming in Europe and that will bring great prosperity to the merchants of the world.

And soon, probably before the end of the next decade, the U.S.A. will be no more.

Articles of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?

While the Living Church of God rarely owns church buildings, Jehovah’s Witnesses normally do.

COGwriter

Did you know that the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the United States is the prophesied King of the South in Daniel 11?

Well, the JWs have a variety of misunderstandings in that area of prophecy.

Amazingly, they teach about the USA & Britain are the King of the South, even though they should realize that there own writings suggest it is impossible. Notice in their booklet titled Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! the Jehovah’s Witnesses correctly teach,

The designations “the king of the north and “the king of the south” refer to kings north and south of Daniel’s people, who were freed from Babylonian captivity and restored to the land of Judah (p. 218).

But, of course, the USA is almost entirely NORTH of Judah.

Notice what else the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach in Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy!:

When World War I broke out in 1914, Egypt belonged to Turkey…Britain…declared Turkey a British protectorate. Gradually forming close ties, Britain and the United States of America became the Anglo-American World Power. Together, they came into position of the king of the south (p.247).

This causes the Jehovah’s Witnesses several problems as they indicate with the image of Daniel 2 that the Anglo-American World Power formed over 100 years prior to WWI, plus the fact that since Britain and the USA no longer control Egypt that they are not south of Judah (actually, all of Britain and the USA, with the exception of the Falkland Islands and some minor territories, are north of Judah).

A chart that the book Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! has on page 284 shows that the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that “Anglo-American World Power” became the “king of the south” around WWI, were also the king of the south in WWII, were also the king of the south during the time of the “cold war”, and will be at the final end.

In addition, unlike the LCG, the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach:

Similarly, the king of the south is not destroyed by the king of the north (p. 285).

But the New World Translation of the Bible (the version that the JWs use) shows:

And in the time of [the] end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing, and against him the king of the north will storm with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships; and he will certainly enter into the lands and flood over and pass through (Daniel 11:40).

Sadly, the misunderstanding of prophecy that many groups (like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and even many who are affiliated with some of the COGs) will deceive them about end-time events.

They, and others, need to read their Bibles and realize that that the USA and Britain are not the King of the South and that the Bible DOES SHOW that the King of the South will be destroyed by the King of the North.

Articles of related interest may include:

Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Living Church of God Both groups claim to represent the original Christian faith. Do you know much about them? Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?

COGwriter

Although people like Ronald Weinland believe that the Great Tribulation began in 2008, the truth is that for reasons that I have given here previously (no King of the North, no King of the South, no deal for Daniel 9:26-27, etc.), the end cannot be now.

However, the end apparently is very soon.

Throughout history some of those professing the Jewish or Christian religions taught and believed that God has a 7000 year plan. The first six thousand years for humans to rule themselves, followed by a one thousand year reign of Jesus Christ–the Great Tribulation will begin before the 6000 years are up.

There is an old tradition that the prophet Elijah taught that there would be six thousand years for humans to rule under Satan’s kingdom, followed by one thousand years of abundance in the kingdom of God.

Edward Gibbon from the 1776 work “THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE”, where he documented the facts regarding the first century Christians…

“The ancient and popular doctrine of the Millennium was intimately connected with the second coming of Christ. As the works of the creation had been finished in six days, their duration in their present state, according to a tradition which was attributed to the prophet Elijah, was fixed to six thousand years. By the same analogy it was inferred that this long period of labor and contention, which was now almost elapsed, would be succeeded by a joyful Sabbath of a thousand years; and that Christ, with the triumphant band of the saints and the elect who had escaped death, or who had been miraculously revived, would reign upon earth till the time appointed for the last and general resurrection”. – Vol I, p.403

While traditions should never supersede scripture, the above is certainly an interesting and ancient tradition as it shows that the idea of a 6,000 year plan followed by Christ establishing His kingdom on the earth was a common teaching among the early ones who professed Judaism, as well as Christianity.

Here is are specific traditions related to the millennium from the Jewish Talmud:

R. Kattina said: Six thousand years shall the world exist, and one [thousand, the seventh], it shall be desolate, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day {Isaiah 2:11}.

Abaye said: it will be desolate two [thousand], as it is said, After two days will he revive us: in the third day, he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight {Hosea 6:2}.

It has been taught in accordance with R. Kattina: Just as the seventh year is one year of release in seven, so is the world: one thousand years out of seven shall be fallow, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day,’ and it is further said, A Psalm and song for the Sabbath day {Psalm 92:1}, meaning the day that is altogether Sabbath — and it is also said, For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past {Psalm 90:4}.

The Tanna debe Eliyyahu teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand there was desolation; two thousand years the Torah flourished; and the next two thousand years is the Messianic era (Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Sanhedrin Folio 97a).

And while there are some errors in the above, it is true that there is an apparent six/seven thousand year plan, that the current two thousand years essentially represents the Church/Messianic era, and that a one thousand year period remains.

Essentially, it was believed that since God a day is like a thousand years to God (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8), God recreated the earth in six days (Genesis 1:3-31), and rested on the seventh (Genesis 2:1-2), that God had a 7,000 year plan.

Many who keep the seventh-day Sabbath are aware of this. Most who do not, simply do not realize this.

Some articles of related interest may include:

Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it. Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near?
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?

The above is an old photo we took of modern Izmir during the Feast of Tabernacles in 1990. Izmir was anciently called Smyrna, which is one of the seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3 (you can click here for more of Joyce’s Photos of Smyrna).

COGwriter

My wife and I have been in Asia Minor for the past week and a half visiting places of religious and historical interest. This is our third visit to Turkey, but it also has been our longest one (and if any of you sent an email that I have not responded to, it is because I have not been able to respond for a while–I hope to get caught up with them next week).

On this trip, we have been able to visit the several of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3. On prior trips we have visited Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamos. On this trip, we got to spend more time in Smyrna (now called Izmir), plus were to visit Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea for the first time.

(We also got to visit Istanbul–once called “Constantinople”–as well as Cappadocia, and other towns of ancient Asia Minor.)

Since many people do not realize that the churches in Revelation 2 & 3 have both historical and prophetic ramifications for representing the seven consecutive eras of the true church throughout the entirety of the church age, most people simply do not realize what happened to the early Christian Church.

The plain truth is that the New Testament canon was first put together in Asia Minor, most books of the New Testament were directly written to or from people in Asia Minor, and the last of Jesus’ original apostles (John) died in Asia Minor.

Asia Minor, and not Rome nor Alexandria, was the primary location of the first and second century Christian Church.

Those interested in the truth about the early church may wish to study the following documented articles:

The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 Do they matter? Most say they must, but act like they do not. This article contains some history about the Church of God (sometimes referred to as the continuation of Primitive Christianity) over the past 2000 years.
1. The Ephesus Church Era was predominant from 31 A.D. to circa 135 A.D. The Church of James, Peter, Paul, and John, etc.
2. The Smyrna Church Era was predominant circa 135 A.D. to circa 450 A.D. The Church led by Polycarp, Melito, Polycrates, etc.
3. The Pergamos Church Era was predominant circa 450 A.D. to circa 1050 A.D. An especially persecuted Church.
4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition.
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the Living Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era was predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. Non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church.
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
Apostolic Succession What really happened? Did structure and beliefs change? Are many of the widely-held current understandings of this even possible? Did you know that Catholic scholars really do not believe that several of the claimed “apostolic sees” of the Orthodox have apostolic succession–despite the fact that the current pontiff himself seems to wish to ignore this view? Is there actually a true church that has ties to any of the apostles that is not part of the Catholic or Orthodox churches? Read this article if you truly are interested in the truth on this matter!

By COGWriter

One of the most popular links at the COGwriter website is to the Who Wants to be a Biblical Millionaire? quiz, developed by Michael Thiel.

Have you played it lately?

It is an interesting game and Michael is always adding more questions to it. Think of it as an entertaining way to assist your doctrinal memory.

By the way, since Michael is always looking for more questions to add and you can send him additional questions and answers to mike10z@aol.com

While I believe that this and other quizzes at the site help people better learn the Bible, the major reason I have quizzes, animations, photos, and even news, as opposed to only doctrinal articles, is to attempt to better follow the Apostle Paul’s example which was:

I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you (1 Corinthians 9:22-23).

Besides, the Bible teaches that there is a “time for every purpose under heaven” (Eccl 3:1).  Hence, there are new items, games, and other materials than simply doctrinal ones at the www.cogwriter.com website.

Michael’s Free Bible Quizzes and Public Domain Animations.

Self Grading Bible Quiz 15 questions and a report card when you finish.
The Good Samaritan A public domain claymation for younger people.
Paul in Damascus Not a quiz, but a Lego-animation.
John 21 Not a quiz, but (other than a Lego suggesting a long-haired Jesus) a biblical story for young people.
David vs. Goliath A higher level animation for older young people.
Solomon’s Temple This is a a 5 minute animated film that shows one artist’s understanding of the details about Solomon’s temple.
Bible Crossword Puzzle
Who Wants to be a Biblical Millionaire? A sophisticated quiz.
Pentecost Quiz This is a Pentecost quiz based upon the Old and New Testaments in the Bible.
The Antichrist Quiz Do you really know much about the Antichrist?
Michael’s Feasts and Fasts Quiz 15 questions, amusing wrong answer screens.
The Ten Commandments Quiz Developed by my son Michael.
Michael’s Day of Atonement Quiz Another free on-line Bible quiz by my son Michael.
Bible Hangman Michael’s most interactive Bible game to date. Another one of his free online Bible games.
Michael’s Sabbath Quiz Test and learn a little more about the Sabbath.

A photostatic copy of a page from Ilustração Portugueza, October 29, 1917, showing the crowd looking up

COGWriter

Today is the Roman Catholic feast day for “Our Lady of Fatima”.

Here is some of what the Catholics have reported about it:

May 13

Our Lady of Fatima

Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria, near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon. (See February 20 entry for Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto).

Mary asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for sinners and for the conversion of Russia…

Mary gave the children three secrets. Since Francisco died in 1919 and Jacinta the following year, Lucia, who later became a Carmelite nun, revealed the first secret in 1927, concerning devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary….

Pope John Paul II directed the Holy See’s Secretary of State to reveal the third secret in 2000; it spoke of a ‘bishop in white’ who was shot by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows into him. Many people linked this to the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981.

The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was approved by the local bishop in 1930; it was added to the Church’s worldwide calendar in 2002. Sister Lucia died in 2005 at the age of 97.

Comment:

The message of Fatima is simple: Pray. Unfortunately, some people—not Sister Lucia—have distorted these revelations, making them into an apocalyptic event…

(The Comment above is from the American Catholic website.)

Of course, I do not believe that Mary actually appeared before those children, but do accept that they could have seen some type of apparition.

But it is true that various ones affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church have indicated that the Fatima message had more to say than most Catholics have been told.

Here is what Wikipedia reports:

The Vatican withheld the third secret until June 26, 2000 – despite Lúcia’s declaration that it could be released to the public after 1960. Several sources, including Canon Barthas and Cardinal Ottaviani, said that Sr. Lúcia insisted to them it must be released by 1960, saying, “by that time, it will be more clearly understood.” When 1960 passed without any such announcement, immense speculation over the content of the secret materialized.

Some sources claim that the third part of the secret revealed in the year 2000 was not the real secret, or at least not the full secret. This was long suspected because it was known that the third part of the Secret began with the words, “In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved etc.” Sister Lúcia revealed this in her Fourth Memoir. These words and even this theme were not reflected by the version released by the Vatican on June 26, 2000…

Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) said in November 1984 that the Secret would cause “sensationalism” and dealt with the “end times.” This comment could not be understood if the Secret referred to the assassination attempt in 1981.

On November 11, 1984, as reported in the Pauline Catholic magazine Jesus, Cardinal Ratzinger stated that he had “read the text of the Third Secret.” When asked why he had not revealed it, he replied that “in the judgment of previous Popes, it adds nothing to what Christians must know respecting what is stated in the Book of Revelation.”

This followed the report in the October 1981 issue of the German Catholic magazine Stimme des Glaubens of a discussion at Fulda in November 1980 when Pope John Paul II had stated to a select group of German Catholics, in response to the question why he had not revealed the Third Secret of Fatima, “If you read that the oceans will inundate continents, and millions of people will die suddenly in a few minutes, once this is known, then in reality it is not necessary to insist on the publication of this Secret.” (Our Lady of Fatima. Wikipedia. Viewed 4/15/08).

Furthermore, here are some comments from a Catholic priest:

How often we hear the questions, in the context of all the confusion in the Church, the troubles in the world, “What is it leading to? Where will it end?” We know exactly where it’s going to end, because Our Lady of Fatima said, “In the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph …”…

The very substance of that chastisement is set forth in the Third Secret of Fatima. What is the Third Secret of Fatima?…But the Third Secret properly, so called, is not that vision — that pertains to the Secret — it is part of the Secret, but the Secret consists of Our Lady’s words…

“The False Church of Darkness”

This is what Our Lady meant when She said that the Holy Father would be persecuted; the Church would be persecuted. Anne Catherine Emmerich, the stigmatic Augustinian nun, described the counterfeit church, what she called the “False church of darkness”. The errors of Orthodoxy and of Protestantism will be embraced by that false church, it will be an ecumenical church because the Anti-Pope will be recognized by the world — not by the faithful, but by the world — by the secular world and the secular governments.

The Anti-Pope will be recognized as the legitimate Pope of the “church,” and the legitimate head of the Vatican State. That “church” will be united with all the false religions. They will be united together under the universality of the Masonic umbrella. In that motley ecumenical union will be the established religion of the so-called civilized world. This is how we will get into the time of great persecution such as the world has never seen.

In the Third Secret we have in some very cut and dry detail, exactly what will be the nature of that Great Chastisement…

Pope John Paul II, at the Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia in 1976, when he was not yet Pope — he was still Cardinal Wojtyla — he spoke about that chastisement, that which is the substance of the Third Secret of Fatima. And he said that the Church must undergo a great trial, it will be the struggle between the Church and the anti-Church; the Gospel and the anti-Gospel.

And shortly after he was elected Pope in 1981, he returned to that same theme, and this time he spoke explicitly of this being the substance of the Message of Fatima, the Secret of Fatima. And he reiterated that the Church must soon undergo great trials.

Are They Lying to Us?

So what is in the Third Secret of Fatima? On the twenty-sixth of June, 2000, five years ago, the Vatican published a vision which they claimed was the entire Third Secret of Fatima. I was talking with a Brazilian Bishop, and he asked me, “Well if there’s more to the Third Secret than the vision, are they lying to us, because they said that was the whole Third Secret?” I answered, “Cardinal Ratzinger is using a mental reservation. The entire Secret is implicitly contained in that vision. In that sense, in that very restricted sense, it is the whole Secret.”

But the Third Secret properly, so called, is not that vision — that pertains to the Secret — it is part of the Secret, but the Secret consists of Our Lady’s words. As Father Valinho, the nephew of Sister Lucy, pointed out, that phrase “in Portugal the dogma of the faith will always be preserved, etc.” is where the Third Secret begins…

Proof: “Truly That Was Not All of It”

What was revealed on June 26, 2000, was four pages of Sister Lucy describing a vision. It was not the words of Our Lady. It is such a well known fact that the Secret is divided into three parts, and we have the text of the first two parts. And therefore, where that text ends, in mid-sentence, with the “etc.”, that’s where the Third Secret begins. It’s a matter of common sense, one does not have to be a philologist, and get into a great deal of analysis of textual criticism, to reach the conclusion that this is where the Second part of the Secret ends, and the Third part begins.

But there is really no doubt about it. On the 2^nd of September, 1952, when Father Schweigl had been sent personally by Pope Pius XII to Coimbra, to interview Sister Lucy on the Third Secret, he spoke personally with Sister Lucy, authorized by the Pope to do so. He returned to Rome and at the Russicum, where he lived, he told his confreres, when they asked him about the Third Secret of Fatima: “I cannot reveal anything of what I learned at Fatima concerning the third secret, but I can say that it has two parts: one concerns the Pope. The other, logically — although I must say nothing — would have to be the continuation of the words: In Portugal the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved.”

So it is a quite certainly established fact that the words of Our Lady of Fatima continue after that “etc.” And in the memoir of Sister Lucy, after that “etc.” she puts in parenthesis the words, “Here begins the third part of the Secret“.

Those who have studied Fatima know that what was published five years ago, on the 26^th of June, is not the whole Secret; it simply is not. The night before, I should say the early morning of the 26^th of June, I went to bed; I left the instruction: it doesn’t matter how early it is, as soon as that Secret is published, bring it to me — wake me up if you have to…

The Third Secret is About Vatican II

This professor is a priest that I know personally, and a number of people that I know, know this priest personally. He pressed on further for an answer, he would not back off. And he demanded, “What is in the Secret? If that’s not all of it, well, what is there?” Ratzinger’s answer makes it clear. There’s no longer any mystery why they have kept it hidden for so many years. And why the Vatican officials, during the pontificate of Pope John XXIII, said in their press release that, “It may never be published,” it may not ever be released. Ratzinger said that in the Third Secret, Our Lady warns that there will be an evil council. And She warned against the changes: She warned against making changes in the liturgy; changes in the Mass. This is explicitly set forth in the Third Secret…

Pope St. Pius X said he had a vision, and he saw in the vision his successor fleeing over the dead bodies of his brethren, and that this Pope would have to go into exile. He would go into hiding, he would have to wear a disguise to conceal his identity. He would live in retirement, but then he would be discovered, and he would suffer a cruel death.

I think we can safely conclude that these prophecies may be fulfilled in this Pontificate of Benedict XVI…

“The False Church of Darkness”

This is what Our Lady meant when She said that the Holy Father would be persecuted; the Church would be persecuted. Anne Catherine Emmerich, the stigmatic Augustinian nun, described the counterfeit church, what she called the “False church of darkness”. The errors of Orthodoxy and of Protestantism will be embraced by that false church, it will be an ecumenical church because the Anti-Pope will be recognized by the world — not by the faithful, but by the world — by the secular world and the secular governments.

The Anti-Pope will be recognized as the legitimate Pope of the “church,” and the legitimate head of the Vatican State. That “church” will be united with all the false religions. They will be united together under the universality of the Masonic umbrella. In that motley ecumenical union will be the established religion of the so-called civilized world (Kramer P. The Imminent Chastisement for Not Fulfilling Our Lady’s Request. An edited transcript of a speech given at the Ambassadors of Jesus and Mary Seminar in Glendale, California, September 24, 2004. THE FATIMA CRUSADER Issue 80, Summer 2005, pp. 32-45 http://www.fatimacrusader.com/cr80/cr80pg32.asp viewed 4/15/08).

Here is information from another Catholic source:

Father O’Connor quotes from Holy Scripture, the stunning prophecies of St. Vincent Ferrer, Pope St. Pius X, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John Eudes, Sr. Lucy of Fatima, Pope Pius XII and Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. Father explains how God will and is punishing the world for sin, and that the Fathers of the Church all wrote that the False Prophet would be a Catholic Bishop who will become an invalid anti-pope while the real Pope dies a cruel death in exile.http://www.catholictreasures.com/cartdescrip/20104.html 10/12/07

“This final false prophet will be a bishop of the church and will lead all religions into becoming one.” – Father O’Connor (http://www.geocities.com/rebornempowered/ApparitionsofMary.htm 10/12/07)

The truth is that the final Pope, will be demon-influenced, hence in that sense he will be an antipope, as well as anti-Christ.

FWIW, I have long felt that many Catholic prophecies about an old pope fleeing and then dying seemed to possibly be pointing to Pope Benedict XVI (especially, because according to the Malachy prophecies, there is only one pope listed after the Benedictine pope, see Bander, Peter. The Prophecies of St. Malachy. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973).   And according to another “private prophecy” (Helen Wallraff, 19th century) a pope is supposed to flee and die in Cologne, Germany (Dupont Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 78)–and Germany would seem to be a place that a German pope may flee to (Pope Benedict XVI is German).

Another, considered fringe, Catholic named Kathleen Keating has stated:

You asked if the next pope would be the antipope. Valid prophecies seem to think so, but there are a few prophecies that indicate there might be another pope before the antipope arrives. It’s really up to God, but we also have to add in the One World Order crowd and what they are doing to bring the antipope to power. God of course, takes all that into consideration. How will we know the next pope is the antipope? All we have to do is to observe him, and discern what he says and does.

It will be quite clear if the man is the antipope if he systematically abolishes tradition, changes the Mass or incorporates a new practice, a new faith on the premise of it being much more conducive to our modern way of life.

With the conditions the ways they are today, the next pope could very well be the antipope…

Right now there is a concerted effort to cast a dark shadow over the Fatima prophecies (Keating K. Audio Update Transcript – 10/13/2004; Written by admin Friday, 16 June 2006. http://kathleenkeating.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61&Itemid=2 viewed 4/15/08).

Notice the following from the stigmatic nun Anne Catherine Emmerich on May 13, 1820:

Then I saw the connection between the two Popes and two temples…in authorizing the erection of false temples, he had allowed the only true God , the only true religion to be lost among so many false gods and false religions…

I saw the fatal consequences of this counterfeit church ; I saw it increase (Schmöger Carl E. The Life and Revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich, Volume 2. Approbation: Bishop of Limbourgh Peter Joseph. TAN Books, reprint 1976, pp. 280,281).

Hence, prior to Fatima, there were Catholic visions that an “anti-pope” would arise towards the end. And it is true that the last “Pope” will be demon-influenced, will appear ecumenical, and will be the final Antichrist.

Those interested in what church is, and will remain, faithful, may wish to read the following articles:

Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist. This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet”.
Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? Will the final “Anti-Christ” be Jewish, insist on Saturday, be opposed to the trinity, and bring in the millennium? Catholic writings indicate this, but what does the Bible show?

Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

COGwriter

In its Good News magazine, UCG reported:

Europe’s first president: Prophetic significance?

In January 2009 the United States will inaugurate its 44th president. The selection process has been underway for many months. But few realize that, across the Atlantic, it’s quite possible that the European Union (EU) may see its first president also assume office in January of next year, beginning a 2½-year term.

Currently the two primary candidates are former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Jean-Claude Juncker, current prime minister of Luxembourg. The EU process of selection runs roughly parallel with this year’s U.S. presidential race, although the methods are vastly different. The much less democratic EU selection will be by a “council of chiefs of state and government created by the Lisbon Treaty” (International Herald Tribune, Jan. 22, 2008).

Europeans who oppose Tony Blair’s candidacy point to Britain’s ambivalence about its EU role in general. The U.K.’s choice to reject the euro as a national currency doesn’t help his cause either. Britain’s participation in the Iraq War is yet another important factor. However, in January Mr. Blair delivered a strong pro-Brussels speech in the French language at a Parisian conference in the presence of the new president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Prime Minister Juncker’s reputation is “that of a European federalist or super-state advocate” (ibid.). Many in Britain oppose his candidacy. Perhaps a compromise choice will eventually emerge.

The term of office and the powers of this new EU presidential office are definitely limited in scope for the present time. Still, many European observers consider it a groundbreaking move forward for Europe. This is just one more step in the steady EU progression towards greater political union with a European military force firmly in the EU vision. In retrospect, the progress made in the last 50 years has been nothing short of astonishing.

And the reality is that not only has Europe’s unification “progress” been astounding, it is even more astounding when one considers the fact that the European peoples themselves (specifically the Western ones) have generally not approved the plans for this unification. (It is also astounding that Tony Blair became a Catholic last year, which would tend to help his chances, see also UCG: What About the President of the European Union? and Tony Blair a Catholic EU Leader?).

Now another source has reported the following:

Secret deal between EU-3 blocks Blair as EU president

EUobserver – April 21, 2008

UK prime minister Gordon Brown has agreed to a secret deal with Germany and France which effectively rules out Tony Blair as a new EU president but the British ex-leader is also interested in the new role of Europe’s foreign chief, a UK daily is reporting.

And while Tony Blair may or may not be the first EU President (and thus may or may not actually be blocked), he most certainly will NOT hold onto power as the EU will eventually destroy his native land.

Biblical prophecy shows that a Beast-power will arise, will invade the Anglo-Saxon powers, and Europe (for many reasons) is the logical place for the location of this Beast-power. And the Church of God has been warning about this for over 60 years!

We in the Living Church of God will further continue to warn people that the Beast-power is forming in Europe and will eventually destroy the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand–as well as impose its new order religion on the rest of the world.

Two articles of related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? What kind of religion will he attempt to impose on the world? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?

COGwriter

Adventist scholar Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote:

The Roots of Eternal Security Are Found in Gnosticism

Some scholars trace the roots of eternal security back to the Gnostic teachings that found their way into the early church, especially through Augustine. For example, Jeff Paton notes: “Ultimately, the roots of eternal security are in the Gnosticism that preceded Augustine. But it was Augustine that has the unwelcomed honor of leavening the whole lump.”⁵

Gnosticism was a religious movement that flourished during the second and third centuries A. D., and presented a major challenge to Christianity. Most Gnostic sects professed Christianity, but their beliefs differed sharply from those of the majority of the early Christians. The term Gnosticism is derived from the Greek word gnosis (“revealed knowledge”). The Gnostics taught that sparks or seeds of the Divine Being were imprisoned into certain human beings. Reawakened by knowledge, the divine element in humanity can return to its proper home in the transcendent spiritual realm.

The gnostics divided mankind into three categories: the spiritual (pneumatic), the carnal (hylic), and the in-between (psychic). The spiritual Christians were a special or higher class than the ordinary Christians. They were said to be saved regardless of what they did because they had received, as the elect of the good deity, a divine spark into their beings that allowed them to be redeemed. This teaching is strikingly similar to the Calvinistic doctrine that God elected some people to be saved and others to be lost.

The second class, the carnal, were assumed to be beyond salvation, because their lives were governed by material wants and desires. The in-betweens were believed to be capable of salvation if they followed the Gnostic teachings.

It is not difficult to see the striking similarity between Gnostic and Calvinistic teachings. There are some differences, but the essence of their teachings is similar. Both Gnostics and Calvinists agree that Christians are saved not by means of their choice, but on account of their nature. Both taught that people are saved on account of their election. The Gnostic spirituals claimed to be the “elect seed,” because they had a divine spark in their being. Calvinists say that they are elected to salvation by the sovereign will of God. Both agree that their divine election is not affected in a negative way by their actions.

Both Gnostic and Calvinists taught that any sinful action does not affect their eternal salvation. The dualistic Gnostic teaching was illustrated by comparing their spiritual nature to a pure golden ring and their material body to a pile manure. The ring can be placed into a pile of dung, but is not affected by the filthiness of the dung. Its purity remains unchanged.

Both agree that there is nothing that can cause a saved persons to loose their salvation. The Gnostic took this teachings to its ultimate conclusion by pursuing their own lust and passions without restraints. Calvinists, however, believe that Christians who are saved grow in sanctification, though they would not lose their salvation, if they did not.

The similarities outlined above between Gnosticism and the Calvinistic doctrine of “Once saved, always saved,” are too numerous to be ignored. They serve to remind us that the teaching of eternal security is pagan in its origin and stands in open opposition to the teaching of the Bible.

A Biblical Evaluation of the Predestination of the Elect

The notion of God’s arbitrary predestination of some to salvation and other to perdition, is contrary to the overall teaching of the Bible. The message of the Bible is that God is both just and merciful…

Conclusion

The Bible clearly teaches that God wants every human being to be saved. Christ’s atoning sacrifice is for all, not for a selected few. The invitation and call of salvation is extended to all (Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D. ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 197. “ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED”. April 2008).

And on the above he is correct.

And perhaps it should be pointed out that the Apostle Paul made it clear that he did not believe in once saved always saved as he wrote that he could lose his salvation:

But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended (Philippians 3:12-13).

It was Gnostic heretics like the second century Marcion that essentially set the stage of Calvinism, Lutheranism, and certain other forms of Protestantism.

John Calvin himself was a heretic as he condoned the killing of Anabaptists (please see Persecutions by Church and State), endorsed infant baptism, taught against the millennium (please see Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?), and held to a variety of unbiblical doctrines.

If you are Protestant, this may be a good time to wake up and realize that the God of love really does have a plan to offer salvation to everyone who ever lived. And that it was from heretics that “once saved always saved” originated.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account?
Marcion: The First Protestant? Considered to have been an organized heretic, he taught against the Old Testament, the law, and the Sabbath. Some have considered him to be the first Protestant reformer. But was he?
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

COGwriter

Notice the following news item:

It is nice that some group is trying to observe Pentecost–a day that Jesus and His disciples observed both before and AFTER His resurrection.

Yet, also notice what some Catholics teach:

Q. When Is Pentecost Sunday 2008?

From Scott P. Richert,
Your Guide to Catholicism…

Pentecost Sunday, which marks the end of the Easter season in the Christian calendar, celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.

A. Pentecost falls on Sunday, May 11, 2008.

However, because most Protestants and Catholics do not know when Passover was, they fail to count to the 50th day (Pentecost means 50th), thus have missed it by about a month. The 50 days begins the Sunday after the first day of unleavened bread (which comes one day after Passover).

Basically they misunderstand the date because Emperor Constantine declared:

“Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Saviour a different way” (Eusebius’ Life of Constantine, Book III chapter 18),

Basically because of antisemitism, mainstream churches observe Easter Sunday (as a version of Passover for the Catholics and Orthodox) intentionally on a different day than early Christians like the Apostle John and Polycarp did (please see Passover and the Early Church), thus they often do not observe Pentecost on the right day.

Passover occurred after sunset, April 18th, 2008. Pentecost this year will be June 8th, 2008.

Those interested in the truth about Pentecost, may wish to read the article Pentecost: Is it more than Acts 2?

Also consider: Pentecost Quiz This is a Pentecost quiz based upon the Old and New Testaments in the Bible.