Church of God News

COGwriter

Because of the current economic situation, many of the nations of Southeast Asia have decided to try to come up with their own currency as well as a political confederation somewhat based upon the success of the European Union:

Southeast Asian countries plan EU-style union by 2015

EUobserver – March 2, 2009

Unlike the EU which has the economic power of Germany behind it, the nations of Southeast Asia do not seem to have anyone that could quite fill the role the same way there (unless some larger nations later decided to participate).  Of course, the “European Union” initially began as a trading group of three fairly small European nations known as BeNeLux, thus some major players could conceivably join with this new Asian confederation.

Bible prophecy indicate that in the future a major Asian confederation will form as a warring force:

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared…to gather them to the battle (Revelation 16:12,14).

See also Daniel 11:44.

Because of this, it needs to be mentioned that those nations of Southeast Asia will likely form some type of military confederation with China, Japan, Korea, and/or probably India and others.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Will it become a major economic player? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?  Will God save the Asians?
Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Japan, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Any Witness? This is a draft of an in-process article about Japan. Have they had any witness?
Japan, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: Prophecy Japan in prophecy. What is prophesied for Japan. Will God save the Japanese?
India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness? The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage and discusses some of the witness to them.
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters This article provides information showing that the Chinese peoples must have known about various accounts in the Book of Genesis up until their dispersion after the Tower of Babel.
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China When did Christianity first come to China? And is there early evidence that they observed the seventh day sabbath?

American and British Aircraft Carriers

COGwriter

We in the Living Church of God have long warned of the future decline of the military might of the Anglo-American nations.

The recent financial problems in the USA are expected to cause it to lose its military dominance.  Back in September 2008 I reported on an LCG commentary about that  (see LCG: What if We Can’t Afford the Military?).

But the United Kingdom has been experiencing this for decades, and even more in the past decade.  Notice the following news item which includes comments from a grandson of Winston Churchill:

British military facing becoming ‘second division without major spending increase’

Britain must increase its defence spending by £15 billion a year or accept that it has become a “second division” military power, a major independent report has warned.

Telegraph – March 2, 2009

The shortfall in the armed forces’ budget has reached such a critical point that the Government may soon have little choice but to scrap key orders for equipment such as aircraft carriers, armoured vehicles or even the replacement for the Trident nuclear missile programme, it claims.

In a foreword to the report, Winston Churchill, the grandson of the wartime prime minister, bluntly states that if defence spending stays at its current level, Britain’s armed forces will “no longer play a significant role on the world stage”.

He said the country will lose its seat at the “top table” of international affairs, becoming “unable to defend her wider interests”.

He adds that a shortfall in defence funding over the past 10 years has left the armed forces “stretched to breaking point by a combination of over-commitment and under-resourcing”.

The report, published by the UK National Defence Association, comes after Britain’s most decorated serving soldier, Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry VC, berated the Government for its “disgraceful” failure to provide proper mental health treatment for servicemen returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Government has faced persistent accusations of failing to honour its “covenant” with the armed forces since the Afghanistan conflict began in 2001.

Senior officers have questioned ministers’ commitment to the forces after such controversies as the failure to replace lightly-armoured Snatch Land Rovers to patrol heavily mined areas, which has led to dozens of avoidable deaths and injuries.

Scandals over the state of forces housing, medical care and payments to severely injured veterans have also highlighted the lack of funding.

The UKNDA, an independent body which campaigns on behalf of the armed forces, states that the cost of “repairing” the armed forces, if Britain is to continue with its current foreign policies as well as funding major orders for equipment, will be £15 billion per year.

The represents a 40 per cent increase on the current £35 billion budget, but little more than the amount of money written off at a stroke to fund the recent 2.5 per cent VAT cut.

The report’s author, Tony Edwards, a former head of defence export services at the Ministry of Defence, says that either Gordon Brown or his successor at the next general election faces a clear choice: either to “repair the damage” of over-stretch in Iraq and Afghanistan or to “lower our profile in the world at large”.

He said: …”In the next five years, at current spending levels, the UK will become a middling second division military power, behind countries like India and Japan.

“It is worth pointing out that repairing the armed forces, and restoring balance and morale, is probably more important than acquiring some of the new capital equipment.”

Among the projects which could be cut if the Government does not increase defence spending are the aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, which will cost £2 billion each; the Harrier jump jet’s replacement, the F-35, which will cost £15bn, or even the replacement for the submarine-borne Trident nuclear missile, which will cost £40-£70bn over 30 years.

Mr Edwards said: “The United Kingdom’s armed forces have been engaged in almost continuous operations for the past 20 years.

“It used to be said that Britain punched above its weight in world affairs, but more recently this has meant that our overstretched armed forces have had to punch above their budget, a far more difficult feat.”

Mr Edwards said the government had delayed making a decision on defence spending until after the next general election by keeping everything “in the air”, such as orders for two aircraft carriers, which have been put back by two years…

“We can’t continue to ask the brave men and women of our armed forces to do what they are doing on the resources that have been given to them, and the Conservatives will conduct an immediate review of defence spending on entering office.”

The report has been endorsed by patrons including Lord Owen and the former chiefs of the defence staff General The Lord Guthrie and Marshal of the RAF Sir Peter Harding. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/4903234/British-military-facing-becoming-second-division-without-major-spending-increase.html

So Britain’s military is no longer “great” (in the sense that its size and total force/influence is much less than it once was) and is becoming second rate.  This to a degree will happen in the U.S.A. as its massive deficits will result in less military spending in certain key strategic areas.

The financial problems in both the UK and the USA will result in those nations asking (and expecting) the EU to fill in the gaps (which some within the EU are now hoping to do, see for example, EU Votes for New Military).  And while the UK is in the EU, the European Union will still turn against it, as it is now sometimes now starting to do.

The Bible both predicted the rise and the fall of the Anglo-American powers.  It also predicts the rise of a massive European power led by the King of the North that will have ties to an ecumenical form of religion claiming to be Christianity.  More and more pieces needed for the fulfillment of future Bible prophecies are coming together.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
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? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
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”? What is ahead for Europe?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans (the Hindus may have some predictions for the next decade as well). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?

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

COGwriter

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.