Church of God News

Earthquake in Northridge California Destroyed the Above Building on January 17, 1994

COGwriter

It’s been a while since I commented on the inaccurate predictions of Tim Carpenter of Church/Called out ones of God At Morristown TN.  Here are several that he has for 2009 that I will declare will not come to pass this year:

2009…

-Start of the final 42 months
-7 cities attacked, They call it “terror” and blame it on Iran. These 7 cities may come in the form of 3 attacks and then the other 4 at a later date. This is an inside job. “False Flags”. Ezek. 9…
-Dan. 11:20-21 will be fulfilled and the raiser of taxes will take his fall.
-Prince of the Covenant, the one they call Anti-christ, comes to power as an American president. Dan. 11:21-rest of chapter.
-Mark of the beast program announced  (http://www.isawthelightministries.com/2008.html viewed 07/16/09)

I should also remind everyone that Tim Carpenter  essentially claimed that the 42 months began in the Spring of 2008, but now apparently this is to start in 2009 according to him.  But biblically it cannot and will not start then as the 7 year deal in Daniel 9:27 has still not happened (and the 42 months begins about 3 1/2 years after that deal).

No USA President will be the Antichrist (the link contains biblical rationale).

Actually, Tim Carpenter also erroneously teaches that 666 is Vice President Biden:

Daniel 11 Opened Identity of the anti-Christ Revealed!…

Rev.13:18 “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count (or add) the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”Joseph Biden Jr.:
Jys*ph B*d*n Jr (if you sound it out very slow, you can hear the y)
10+10+300+80=400 2+4+50=56 10+200=210
400+56+210=666Joseph means= “let him add”!!! Rev. 13:18 “let him … count (or add)…”!!!Related research you can do on the subjects of the king of the north and biden…

And, no Vice President Biden is not 666 (even if one counts a number for “y” which is not in his normally spelled name, counts junior as Jr. only, and ignores his middle name, which is Robinette), the King of the North, nor the Antichrist.  The King of the North would biblically be the leader of a revised Roman Empire (which would be in Europe and not the U.S.A.) and the Bible shows that the final Antichrist is primarily a religious, not a political leader.

Now Timothy Carpenter also has some other 2009 predictions that remotely could happen as the result of chance:

2009…

-Death rate of church (especially the Elders of the church) increases…
-8 pointer earthquake in California or off the coast…
-Rev. 12 Earthquake/Tsunami event occurs. This will either be the california 8 pointer or a later quake of 9 points in/around Oregon or Washington State…
-War against Iran.

But as he had trouble with earthquake predictions in the past (Yes, There Was An Earthquake, But…), I (as one who lives in California) do not believe that God is using him to foretell earthquakes or anything else for that matter.  While some COG leaders will likely still die in 2009, there really has not been any noticeable increase in that this year so far.

Timothy Carpenter’s following prediction will also not come to pass:

estimated: 2009 OR 2010 OR 2011

-Gog/Magog War. Russia and China and their partners invade USA. Ezek. 38

The Bible does NOT teach that Russia, China, and their partners will invade the U.S.A. (also the time period for Ezekiel 38 is not for a very long time).

I urge internet users to check out what the Bible says and not listen to those who make false claims that biblically cannot come to pass.  Thus far, everyone that I have denounced over the years for making inaccurate predictions have been shown to be incorrect, while I was correct.

Why?

Because I do compare their predictions with the Bible.  Which is what I advise readers of this page to do.

Those who really want to know the when and the who from a solid biblical perspective should prayerfully read the following articles:

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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Gerat Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The Living Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.
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”. Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy.
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?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
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?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What is prophesied for Russia? What will it do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?

COGwriter

Believe it or not, I received several emails from someone concerning a comment in my article on baptism when I stated:

Another bizarre practice that some claim used to be involved with compromised “Christianity” was nude baptism. Notice the following:

In at least some churches…the candidate was baptized naked, the children first, then the men, and finally the women. No one was to take into the water anything except his body (Latourette KS. A History of Christianity, Volume 1: to A.D. 1500. HarperCollins, San Francisco, 1975, p. 194).

As the Bible in no way endorses (nor records) nude baptism, the above demonstrates that pagan practices were used for people who professed, but apparently did not understand, Christ.

Because here is the question I was challenged with:

You claimed that early church baptism was performed clothed. Yet this is contrary to the uniform testimony of the early church fathers who wrote of their practices.

If false Christians are considered to be “early church fathers” then the answer is yes, but if we are talking about real Christian leaders, there simply is no historical evidence of this.

The records of true second century Church leaders are scarce, and many (like most of the writings of Melito and Theophilus) were apparently destroyed (or somehow “lost’) by Greco-Romans. Partially because of this, in the 21st century, we simply do not have writings of every pagan practice that they condemned.

The earliest non-biblical writings (second century) that may have been Christian that mention baptism state:

6:2… Let your baptism abide with you as you shield (Ignatius’s Letter to Polycarp. J.B. Lightfoot translation).

1:2…truly born of a virgin and baptized by John that all righteousness might be fulfilled by Him…8:2 It is not lawful apart from the bishop either to baptize or to hold a love-feast (Ignatius’s Letter to the Smyrnaeans. J.B. Lightfoot translation).

18:2 For our God, Jesus the Christ, was conceived in the womb by Mary according to a dispensation, of the seed of David but also of the Holy Ghost; and He was born and was baptized that by His passion He might cleanse water (Ignatius’s Letter to the Ephesians. J.B. Lightfoot translation).

6:9 But if even such righteous men as these cannot by their righteous deeds deliver their children, with what confidence will we, if we keep not our baptism pure and undefiled, enter into the kingdom of God? Or who will be our advocate, unless we be found having holy and righteous works? (Ancient “Christian” Sermon, sometimes improperly titled 2 Clement)

Publicly nudity would seem to be inconsistent with the idea of baptism being a shield, pure, and undefiled.

Perhaps I should add that Melito of Sardis mentions Christ’s baptism (On the Nature of Christ) and the heretic Irenaeus in his writings does as well, but they are consistent with the previously listed passages. Again, there is nothing in what appears to be Christian writings that endorse nude baptism in the second century.

Though some Greco-Roman leaders wrote about nude baptism in the third and fourth centuries, no one that we in the Living Church of God consider may have actually been a Christian endorse naked baptism.

Public Modesty is Endorsed in the New Testament

Public modesty is the clear teaching of 1 Timothy 2:9 and1 Peter 3:3. Also notice:

23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need (1 Corinthians 12:22-24).

Notice that there are parts of the body that are not publicly presentable. Hence, I contend that those who decided to adopt nude baptism were doing so in violation of scripture.

Furthermore, nearly all the comments about nakedness in the Old and New Testament are in a negative light (e.g..Genesis 9:22-23; 2 Corinthians 5:3; Revelation 3:18; 16:15). Additionally, there is a passage in the New Testament that would have likely been written differently if nude baptism was acceptable:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35)

If God wanted people baptized naked, He would not have the Apostle Paul suggest that being naked would be in the category of things that could separate believers from the love of Christ. To the contrary, He would have had Paul leave the word naked out.

If God wanted Christians to be baptized nude, He would have left some instruction in the Bible.  But it is not there.  The Bible and early Christian writings do not support that any associated with the true Church practiced nude baptism.

Two articles of related interest may include:

Baptism and the Early Church Was it by immersion? Did it include infants?
Did Real Christians Practice Nude Baptism? This is not a joke. Find out what was taught in the second and later centuries.

Chinese Soldiers

COGwriter

Probably in the next decade, Europe will rise up to take the economic and apparently military lead for the world (cf. Revelation 13 and What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

The Bible shows that the Russians, and nearly certainly the Chinese and Indians will finally see that this coming European Beast power, also called “the King of the North” in the Bible, is not something to be worshiped or trusted.

Why do we in the Living Church of God teach that?

Because there are certain verses in the books of Daniel, Jeremiah, and Revelation appear to be discussing Asia and the European Beast power.

Notice from the Book of Daniel:

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. 44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him (Daniel11:40-45).

Notice that the end time King of the North (the European Empire) will overwhelm the King of the South (a Moslem empire), but that those from the east and the north shall later trouble the King of the North. This appears to be referring to China and Russia, and possibly other Asian nations like India. And notice that they will be used to help cause the King of the North to come to his end. There is no major power north of the King of the North (the European Empire) except the Russian Federation and the major powers east of the European Empire are Russia, China, and India (Japan and other nations may also play a role).

Notice the following:

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. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16).

Here we see that the kings of the East are those that need to cross the Euphrates. Russia, China, India, Japan, and others are from the north and east and also probably “kings of the East”.

There is a prediction made a over century ago that Russia and China will take over Europe made by the Russian scientist Mendeleyeff as reported in the  New York Times in 1907:

…one of the causes which will eventually lead to a regenerated China attacking Europe will be the predominance of males over females in the Celestial Kingdom…for China is bound to make a memorable appearance on the world’s stage, and it is indispensable that Russia bind herself in close unison with China until China “overflows her shores and pours down in a torrent on Europe.”(DR. MENDELEYEFF’S STRIKING PROPHECY, Dead Chemist Foretold the Attack of Europe by a Regenerated China. WILL FIRST FIGHT INDIA Preponderance of Males the Cause — Japan, Not an “Originator Power,” Can Never Be Great.  New York Times, August 11, 1907. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B03E1DF103EE033A25752C1A96E9C946697D6CF viewed 04/21/09 August 11, 1907 ).

China’s one-child policy may be supportive of the Russian prediction as that policy has resulted in a higher relative number of males in China.

Only the Asians appear capable of fielding a 200 million man army that is mentioned in the Bible (Revelation 9:13-18). As it has only recently been that any area of the world was capable of producing an army of this size, this is another indication that the end can occur fairly soon.  It simply could not have occurred centuries ago.

There is also an interesting Orthodox prophecy that suggests that the Russians will turn on the City (probably “new Babylon”, a term that some Orthodox use for Constantinople and some fewer, Rome):

Orthodox St. Andrew Fool-for-Christ (4th century): I personally believe that some day the City will be invaded by the Blond Nation, whose name begins with the 17th letter of the Alphabet (P). Well, the Blond Nation will enter the City and it will cut down its inhabitants (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. The Verenika Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, p. 112).

The 17th letter of that alphabet, “P” is the Greek letter “rho”–it is an “r” sound. Hence, this might suggest that at least one Orthodox prophet believed that the Russians would turn against the coming Beast power.

Other parts of the Bible also show that this “Babylonian” empire will be destroyed by a northern power (apparently Russia and its allies as Russia is really the only powerful nation north of Europe):

50:41 “Behold, a people shall come from the north,
And a great nation and many kings
Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth.
42 They shall hold the bow and the lance;
They are cruel and shall not show mercy.
Their voice shall roar like the sea;
They shall ride on horses,
Set in array, like a man for the battle,
Against you, O daughter of Babylon.

43 “The king of Babylon has heard the report about them,
And his hands grow feeble;
Anguish has taken hold of him,
Pangs as of a woman in childbirth…”(Jeremiah 50:41-43).

Thus, the European empire (the “daughter of Babylon”) is to be destroyed by a northern (apparently Russian led) force. And probably one that cooperates with nations in the East, maybe also Iran, and possibly the Ukraine.

Jeremiah 50:1-3 and 51:7–11 indicate that a northern group (only Scandanavia or countries once in the old Soviet Union are north of the King of the North) will destroy Babylon and could be in the forefront of what may be a nuclear attack on Rome itself (cf. Revelation 18:9–10).

Notice that the Bible clearly states there is a group from the far north:

1 O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal; 2 and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north (Ezekiel 39:1-2).

1 O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal…6 from the far north and all its troops–many people are with you (Ezekiel 38:3,6).

14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog…15…you will come from your place out of the far north… (Ezekiel 38:14-15).

A Russian confederation is that only place on the planet that is in the far north and currently has massive military power.

The late Herbert W. Armstrong commented:

The second woe, with its symbols of horses and horsemen, is interpreted by Ezekiel 38:4, 15, and is also referred to as an event in the Day OF THE Eternal in Joel 2:4. This refers to a tremendous military power–also to the NORTH–due north! They come with an army of two hundred million! Think of it–an army of two hundred million! (Armstrong HW. The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last! 1972 edition. p. 38-39).

While few aspects of biblical prophecy come with a clear date of fulfillment, there are thus several reasons to suspect that Russia is likely to fulfill its role in Daniel 11:44 in the latter half of the next decade.

But before then, Russia may increase ties to other nations like China and India. The Living Church of God reported:

Chinese-Russian Ties Continue to Strengthen. The Year of Russia is the banner in China in 2006. Some 206 different events spotlighting Russian culture and advances are scheduled to occur across China, including productions from the Bolshoi Theater. President Vladimir Putin visited China in March to assist Chinese President Hu Jintao in inaugurating the year’s events. 2007 will be celebrated as The Year of China in Russia and will spotlight similar Chinese cultural and technological events. These nation-wide events are designed to tie the nations of China and Russia more closely together (China Daily, March 18, 2006). God tells of a time, near the end of the tribulation, when nations from the north and east will overwhelm the King of the North (Daniel 11:44-45). Apparently an army of 200 million men will be used to complete this horrific task (Revelation 9:13-20). A combined force from Russia and China would relatively easily be able to muster an army of this magnitude, and will also have the financial and technological resources to back it (World Ahead Weekly Update, LCG. September 15, 2006).

It may be of interest to note that Russia is the largest supplier of arms to India (Foreign military observers laud Indian military war game Sify, India – Mar 20, 2008).

We in the Living Church of God accept the belief of many associated with the early church that God has given humanity 6000 years to rule itself, followed by a 1000 year millennial reign of Christ (Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?). According to biblical chronology, this 6000 years is likely to be over by the end of the next decade (for specific calculations, with biblical support, please see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

Currently, Russia is intending to have new, more powerful, military in place by around 2016 or so:

Russia to rebuild army by 2016 19:48 | 22/ 01/ 2009

MOSCOW. (Nikita Petrov for RIA Novosti) – The financial crisis has affected Russia’s military reform plan. That became clear after Dmitry Medvedev signed a corresponding decree, now posted on his website.

In contrast to Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov’s order issued last year to finalize the army and navy reforms by 2012, the new presidential decree sets the date at January 1, 2016…

Military experts regard the presidential decree signed on December 29, 2008, as reasonable. There is no need to hurry, as there’s no large-scale war in sight, and quality is therefore a higher priority than time. http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20090122/119758746.html

Thus, both biblical prophecy and current Russian military plans indicate that by the latter half of the next decade, that Russia will be prepared to fulfill its role in Daniel 11.

Articles of related interest may include:

Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
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 (including those in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).
Japan, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: Prophecy Japan in prophecy. What is prophesied for Japan? Will God save the Japanese?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What is prophesied for Russia? What will it do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
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?
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?
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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

Ancient Mayan City of Palenque

COGwriter

Wallace Smith of the Living Church of God reported the following:

As my wife and I walked into the local cinema, before us stood one of the largest movie advertisement displays I’ve ever seen.  It depicted a coastal city being completely ripped apart by unprecedented seismic activity—tossing vast swaths of the city into the sky and dumping entire neighborhoods into a hungry ocean.  It was a scene of utter devastation that clearly would have taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.  And it was a fitting advertisement for the movie 2012, the new End-Of-The-World epic written and directed by Roland Emmerich, coming out this November.

No stranger to such movies, with 2012 Mr. Emmerich is capitalizing on a growing public fascination: the idea that the world will end on December 21, 2012.

And a fascination it is…

Why 2012?

It seems the Mayans—the well-known and much-studied ancient Mesoamerican empire—kept many calendars, including one known as the “Long Count Calendar.”  This calendar will reach the end of a 5,100-year-long epoch on—you guessed it—December 21, 2012.

Is there anything to the hype?  Should we expect doomsday to come on 12/21/2012—or, perhaps, a New Age paradise?…

Given the state of things, today—with economic distress, terrorism, global instability, natural disasters of powerful intensity, and more—interest in what the future holds and concern for the direction in which the world is going is understandable.  But the answer doesn’t lie in a date on an ancient calendar, the conjunctions of astrologers, or the hallucinations of drug-using “psychonauts.”

Rather, there is a proven source of knowledge about the future, and that source does speak of natural disasters—and supernatural disasters—of unimaginable scale and intensity.  And it speaks, as well, of a soon-coming new age of peace and prosperity across the globe—a time without war or needless suffering, in which the nations have learned to live with each other in harmony.  That source is your Bible, and not only does it have a proven track-record of accuracy, it does something that a mere date on a calendar or a “Galactic Alignment” could never do: the Bible tells you not only the amazing details about what is ahead, but it also tells you what to do about it!

Of course, the Bible shows that the world will not have the type of flood the movie and many others expect to happen on or shortly after December 21, 2012.  The Bible is clear that there will not be another flood such as Noah experienced (Genesis 9:11-15), and while the movie does not go quite to that degree, what it shows simply will not happen then.  Other scriptures show that the Great Tribulation and the related great earthquake (cf. Revelation 16:18) will not begin that early (see Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? for more details).

As I reported a year and a half ago (Sony Buys Script for Maya 2012 Movie), Sony spent big money for this movie.  And while it is biblically inaccurate, it is likely to be a hit.

But while there can be some type of accuracy in non-biblical predictions, many are in conflict with scripture and all must be understood within the context of the Bible.

Those interested in learning more may find the following articles of interest:

End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? 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? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
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?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Gerat Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

Anne Catherine Emmerich

COGwriter

Growing up as a Roman Catholic, I was taught about Limbo.  I was also told that certain Catholics had even been given visions of it.

Perhaps the most famous was Anne Catherine Emmerich.

On October 3, 2004 she was beatified by Pope John Paul II.

In the 1800s, that nun claimed to see Limbo:

Nun Emmerich: And now the abyss opened before Him and, as is one a pathway of light, He saw a long flight of steps leading down the path to Limbo…

Just in front of Limbo, there was a bright, cheerful tract of country clothed in verdure…

The Limbo in which were the souls awaiting Redemption was encompassed by a gray, foggy atmosphere, and divided into different circles…The procession of the Lord, accompanied by the first human beings, now turned to the left, to the Limbo of the Leaders of God’s people before the time of Abraham. This was a species of Purgatory…And now the soul of the Lord turned to the circle on the right to Limbo proper…

I saw too the redeemed souls in countless numbers leaving the places of their purification, leaving Limbo, and accompanying the soul of the Lord to a place of bliss below the heavenly Jerusalem…

I heard a voice proceed from Him, which he related to His Mother what He had done in Limbo…(Emmerich AC. The Life of Lord Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations. Schmöger edition, Vol. IV. Nihil Obstat: D. Jaegher, 14 Februari 1914. Imprimatur: A.C. De Schrevel, Brugis, 14 Februari 1914. Reprint TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 2004, pp. 104, 349 ,350-351,354,362).

Also notice the following from a book on Nun Emmerich:

(Being in a state of ecstasy today, Sister Emmerich related what follows:)

The first descent of Jesus into Limbo was the fulfillment of early types, and in itself a type whose fulfillment is effected by today’s releasing of the poor souls (Schmöger, p. 355).

So, someone was beatified (made a Catholic saint) who had visions of Limbo.

But is there such a place?

No, not according to the Bible nor even the current Pope. Notice a news story from a couple of  years ago:

Vatican commission: Limbo reflects ‘restrictive view of salvation’

CNS – April 20, 2007…

41-page document, titled “The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized,” was published in Origins, the documentary service of Catholic News Service.  Pope Benedict XVI authorized its publication earlier this year…

“It must be clearly acknowledged that the church does not have sure knowledge about the salvation of unbaptized infants who die,” it said.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, was president of the commission and head of the doctrinal congregation when the commission began studying the question of limbo in a systematic way in 2004. http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0702216.htm

So, someone was made a Catholic saint and prophet who claimed to see a place that the Vatican later indicated probably did not exist.

Cannot people see the contradiction here?

Of course, another issue is what does happen to babies who die?  Or for that matter, what happens to people who did not ever really  have a true opportunity for salvation?

God has a plan.

A very good plan.  A plan that actually works.

Those who wish to learn more about these matters (as well as some who oppose them) should prayerfully study the following articles:

Rebuilt Gymnasium in Sardis

COGwriter

In the latest edition of its Bible Advocate magazine, CG7 asks a Protestant about charitable giving:

BA: Some say that Christians in America average giving under three percent of income to charitable causes, including the
church. Is this accurate?

The answer from Chuck Bentley from Crown Financial Ministries was as follows:

CB: There are conflicting surveys regarding this statistic, but in general this number is accurate.  It says that although total giving in this country is enormous — approaching $300 billion per year— our charitable giving as a percentage of gross annual income is anemic. Based upon 52 weeks of earned income per year, we donate just one week per year. Particularly troubling are surveys indicating roughly one-third of self-identified Christians give no money to their church.

Now, I am glad that Chuck Bentley referred to these people as “self-identified Christians”.

Since the article never  never mentioned tithing, I will.

Faithful Christians would heed the examples in the Bible and give at least 10%.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include:

Tithing Questions and Some Answers Addresses some non-biblical arguments against tithing. Should people tithe?
Is Third Tithe Still Valid Today? Some in the COGs no longer teach payment of third tithe, is this biblically correct?

Tower	= Grass	+ Clay	+ Mankind	+ 1	+ Mouth

COGwriter

As many readers of this page are aware, there are Chinese characters that suggest knowledge of early biblical events such as the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).

But is it possible that any ancient Chinese prophecies might mention events that are related to the end-times?

Well, there is a Chinese prophecy dating from the Tang Dynasty (June 18, 618 – June 4, 907) that seems to support the concept of pan-Asian cooperation (although it only mentions three nations) after someone (who is apparently not really trustworthy) rises up in the West:

Beautiful people come from the West. Korea, China and Japan are gradually at peace (Pui-Hua R.  Ancient Chinese Prophecies Till the End of the World.  AuthorHouse, Bloomington (IN), 2008, p. 85).

All negative forces are subservient…China now has a saint.  Even if he is not that great a hero (ibid, p. 89).

The beautiful people may be from the Beast and his false prophet which apparently will impress peoples in places including Asia. The “saint” will likely be “the false prophet”.

When people in Asia and elsewhere see the Beast power they will marvel:

8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is (Revelation 17:8).

They will marvel because of the great wealth, because they did not think Europe would gain such prominence, and because its leadership will have performed various signs and wonders.

But there is another ancient Chinese prophecy that might hint that it involves Australia and New Zealand.   It states:

Population mouth takes territories south of the Yangtze river.  The capital is moved again.  The two divide up the territories, of which each maintains and defends (Pui-Hua R.  Ancient Chinese Prophecies Till the End of the World.  AuthorHouse, Bloomington (IN), 2008, p. 164).

This may be related to a deal that perhaps the Chinese will make in the future with Europe, as opposed to military conquest.  It also may not be related to the taking of Australia or New Zealand, but perhaps might be.

The Bible warns of a time when the lands will be divided:

39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain (Daniel 11:39).

The “he” is the European King of the North.  The strongest fortresses are possessed by the USA and its Anglo-descended allies.

There are also a few verses in Lamentations that strongly support the idea that vs. 39 of Daniel 11 is the time that the Anglo-nations are punished.

Lamentations 4:16, states:

The face of the LORD scattered them; He no longer regards them.

The term translated as “scattered them” is the same Hebrew word (Strong’s 2505) used in vs. Daniel 11:39 translated as “divide”. It is also the same word used in Ezekiel 5:1-4 where the hair (apparently representing the U.S.A., etc.) is divided.

Furthermore, look at Lamentations 5:4-8:

4 We pay for the water we drink, And our wood comes at a price. 5 They pursue at our heels; We labor and have no rest. 6 We have given our hand to the Egyptians And the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread. 7 Our fathers sinned and are no more, But we bear their iniquities. 8 Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand”.

Notice that the above passage mentions Assyria, which is who God will use to punish the certain descendants of Israel (Isaiah 10:5-11 ), such as the Anglo-descended nations.

It may be of some interest to note that the Hebrew word translated as “gain” (Strong’s 4242) in Daniel 11:39 is the term translated as “price” in Lamentations 5:4. The word translated as “rule over them” in v. 8, is the same Hebrew word that is translated as “rule over many” (Strong’s 4910) in Daniel 11:39. Although this is not totally conclusive, Lamentations 5 is further scriptural evidence that the United States, etc. may be attacked in Daniel 11:39.

And that is when the Great Tribulation would begin. This is the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).

And this would seemingly include the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The Anglo-nations will be taken over and their lands will be divided.

And it will happen whether or not some demonic entity influenced an ancient Chinese predictor.

Some 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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? 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? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
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?
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?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?

Ancient Laodicea

COGwriter

UCG wants to brand itself according to the current United News, with most of the comments from Larry Salyer:

Cattle, the Church and the Gospel: Why Branding Is Important for UCG
■ Two branding agencies met with members of the Council of Elders Media Committee along with key administrators…

Branding and the Church

Over the next few months you will hear a lot about branding in the Church. No, we are not going into the cattle business! Neither are we going to market commercial products. Simply put, in order to effectively preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God, the Church needs a clearly identifiable brand. The world is full of religious organizations using the name of Christ, as He prophesied. The general public often assumes them to be similar, if not identical, in purpose and doctrine. When people ask which church you attend, your answer is not likely to distinctly register with them unless it is well known or is their church. The Bible makes it clear that the true Church is called the Church of God, but how many know that? There are many that call themselves “Church of God,” usually with other names added that do not really distinguish them from any other. Through the prophet Daniel, God revealed that the end time would bring knowledge overload. “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (12:4). This is certainly happening in terms of the spread of false religion. We need to be able to stand apart from this confusion and restore credibility to Christ’s message. As we read in Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.” Because we carry the name of God Himself, it is most important that we properly represent Him in a world in which the very idea of religion is under suspicion. We are to be “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) as we reach out with the message He brought.

How Do We Brand Ourselves?

The concept of branding an organization goes deeper than just outward appearance or recognizable name and symbols. To achieve a successful, quality brand, the principles and values the organization stands for must be visible throughout—at every level of work and with every person involved. This is even more important for the Church— every one of us must practice what we preach and show that we believe “the Way” of life. No matter how impressive our outward brand or message, it is our fruit that will define us. Christ said, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33).

Of course, I think that UCG been branded itself already, but perhaps it would prefer to see something else.  I believe that its fruits show that it is neither cold nor hot.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. These are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Roderick C. Meredith on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had?
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? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?

COGwriter

I have long contended that what passes for mainstream Christianity is the result of compromise.  There are numerous quotes from historical sources at the www.cogwriter.com website (and its companion site The History of Early Christianity) that document that.

But here is one that very few people seem to know about written by a Arab Muslim in the early 11th century concerning an account of what apparently occurred in Jerusalem in the 130s A.D..  It was written originally in Arabic by Abd al-Jabbar:

(71a) ‘After him’, his disciples (axhab) were with the Jews and the Children of Israel in the latter’s synagogues and observed the prayers and the feasts of (the Jews) in the same place as the latter. (However) there was a disagreement between them and the Jews with regard to Christ.

The Romans (al-Rum) reigned over them. The Christians (used to) complain to the Romans about the Jews, showed them their own weakness and appealed to their pity. And the Romans did pity them. This (used) to happen frequently. And the Romans said to the Christians: “Between us and the Jews there is a pact which (obliges us) not to change their religious laws (adyan). But if you would abandon their laws and separate yourselves from them, praying as we do (while facing) the East, eating (the things) we eat, and regarding as permissible that which we consider as such, we should help you and make you powerful, and the Jews would find no way (to harm you). On the contrary, you would be more powerful than they.”

The Christians answered: “We will do this.”

(And the Romans) said: “Go, fetch your companions, and bring your Book (kitab).” (The Christians) went to their companions, informed them of (what had taken place) between them and the Romans and said to them: “Bring the Gospel (al-injil), and stand up so that we should go to them.”

But these (companions) said to them: “You have done ill. We are not permitted (to let) the Romans pollute the Gospel. In giving a favourable answer to the Romans, you have accordingly departed from the religion. We are (therefore) no longer permitted to associate with you; on the contrary, we are obliged to declare that there is nothing in common between us and you;” and they prevented their (taking possession of) the Gospel or gaining access to it. In consequence a violent quarrel (broke out) between (the two groups). Those (mentioned in the first place) went back to the Romans and said to them: “Help us against these companions of ours before (helping us) against the Jews, and take away from them on our behalf our Book (kitab).” Thereupon (the companions of whom they had spoken) fled the country. And the Romans wrote concerning them to their governors in the districts of Mosul and in the Jazirat al-‘Arab. Accordingly, a search was made for them; some (qawm) were caught and burned, others (qawm) were killed.” (Pines S. The Jewish Christians of the Early Centuries of Christianity according to a New Source. Proceedings of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Volume II, No.13; 1966. Jerusalem, pp. 14-15).

The above is interesting for a number of reasons. It shows that there were two group that professed Christ then. One called “Christians” above, and the other (the faithful ones) called “companions”. The fact that the companions would no longer associate with the compromisers showed that in whatever area the above occurred in, there were definitely two groups.

It is a fact that the Romans made a deal with those who were willing to renounce original Christianity in Jerusalem in 135 A.D. (see The Ephesus Church Era). It is possible that the above account is related to that (or may have been what led to the 135 deal).

It is also a fact that in the second century, Romans and Alexandrians that claimed Christ rejected the biblical date for Passover and probably because of compromise with the Romans (see Passover and the Early Church), apparently switched to regular Sunday worship (see Sunday and Christianity), and decided that eating biblically unclean meat was acceptable (see The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats). Thus, it is possible that the Arabic document demonstrates that.

Those interested in learning more should carefully and prayerfully study the following:

Arabic Nazarenes May Have Kept Original Christian Practices Were their faithful Arabs who held to original Christianity?
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Should Christians be Nazarenes today? What were the practices of the Nazarenes.
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!
Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries? Did you know that many in the second and third centuries felt that there were two major, and separate, professing Christian groups in the second century, but that those in the majority churches tend to now blend the groups together and claim “saints” from both? “Saints” that condemn some of their current beliefs. Who are the two groups?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?
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?

Templo de San Hipoito (Hippolytus of Rome) in Mexico City

COGwriter

Today is the Roman Catholic feast day for Hippolytus of Rome.

Although Hippolytus was apparently elected to be the Bishop of Rome in the early third century, Rome considers that the corrupt Callistus who apparently bribed his way to take control as the one through whom it currently claims “apostolic succession“.

Hippolytus is an interesting figure as the Church of Rome considers him to be both the first “antipope” as well as a Catholic saint.

Furthermore, unlike the corrupt Callistus , Hippolytus was and still is considered to have been an important theologian.  Notice what The Catholic Encyclopedia reported about him:

Hippolytus was the most important theologian and the most prolific religious writer of the Roman Church in the pre-Constantinian era. (Kirsch, Johann Peter. “St. Hippolytus of Rome.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 4 Aug. 2009 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07360c.htm>.)

Although he held some compromised positions, Hippolytus also held several theological positions close to those still held by the Living Church of God that the Church of Rome no longer holds.

For example, he taught that God had a six-thousand year plan for humanity (this believe was held by Roman Catholics throughout history until around the time that Cardinal Ratzinger, the current Pope, became influential).  Here is what Hippoplytus wrote:

And 6,000 years must needs be accomplished, in order that the Sabbath may come, the rest, the holy day “on which God rested from all His works.” For the Sabbath is the type and emblem of the future kingdom of the saints, when they “shall reign with Christ,” when He comes from heaven, as John says in his Apocalypse: for “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years. “Since, then, in six days God made all things”, it follows that 6,000 years must be fulfilled. (Hippolytus. On the HexaËmeron, Or Six Days’ Work. From Fragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0502.htm viewed 9/17/07)

The six-thousand year plan is still taught by the Living Church of God (please see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

Towards the end of the six-thousand years, Hippolytus also taught:

And the dragon, he says, saw and persecuted the woman which brought forth the man- child. And to the woman were given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. That refers to the one thousand two hundred and threescore days (the half of the week) during which the tyrant is to reign and persecute the Church, which flees from city to city, and seeks concealment in the wilderness among the mountains… (Hippolytus. On Christ and Antichrist, Chapter 61)

This is consistent with the teachings of the Living Church of God (please see There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra).

He also taught against military service for Christians:

That it is not meet for Christians to bear arms… (Hippolytus. Heads of the Canons of Abulides or Hippolytus, Which Are Used by the Ethiopian Christians. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886)

16:6 A charioteer, likewise, or one who takes part in the games, or one who goes to the games, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 7 If someone is a gladiator, or one who teaches those among the gladiators how to fight, or a hunter who is in the wild beast shows in the arena, or a public official who is concerned with gladiator shows, either he shall cease, or he shall be rejected. 8 If someone is a priest of idols, or an attendant of idols, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 9 A military man in authority must not execute men. If he is ordered, he must not carry it out. Nor must he take military oath. If he refuses, he shall be rejected. 10 If someone is a military governor, or the ruler of a city who wears the purple, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 11 The catechumen or faithful who wants to become a soldier is to be rejected, for he has despised God. (Hippolytus. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome. From the work of Bernard Botte (La Tradition Apostolique. Sources Chretiennes, 11 bis. Paris, Editions du Cerf, 1984) and of Gregory Dix (The Treatise on the Apostolic Tradition of St. Hippolytus of Rome, Bishop and Martyr. London: Alban Press, 1992) as translated by Kevin P. Edgecomb http://www.bombaxo.com/hippolytus.html viewed 08/06/09)

The Living Church of God still holds to pacifism for Christians (please see Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare?).

Hippolytus also taught that one is begotten by the Holy Spirit upon conversion:

This is the Spirit, the Comforter, that is sent because of thee, that He may show thee to be the Son of God.  Come then, be begotten again, O man, into the adoption of God…For he who comes down in faith to the layer of regeneration, and renounces the devil, and joins himself to Christ; who denies the enemy, and makes the confession that Christ is God; who puts off the bondage, and puts on the adoption,–he comes up from the baptism brilliant as the sun, flashing forth the beams of righteousness, and, which is indeed the chief thing, he returns a son of God and joint-heir with Christ. (Hippolytus. The Discourse on the Holy Theophany, Chapters 9,10. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight)

The doctrine that one is begotten by the Holy Spirit upon conversion is still taught by the Living Church of God (see Born Again: A Question of Semantics?).

Like all early Christians, Hippolytus held a binitarian view of the Godhead as he wrote:

He did not say, “I and the Father am one, but are one.” For the word are is not said of one person, but it refers to two persons, and one power. (Hippolytus. Against Noetus: Against the Heresy of One Noetus, Chapter 7.  from The Extant Works and Fragments of Hippolytus: Dogmatical and Historical.  Roberts-Donaldson English Translators. Copyright © 2001 Peter Kirby)

Because of that view, the corrupt Callistus called him a ditheist.  Hippolytus also complained about Callistus’ heretical view of the Godhead, which indicated that Callistus’ more “trinitarian” view was not universally accepted or Hippolytus would not likely have publicly complained about it as a heresy.  The Living Church of God still holds to the original Christian view of the Godhead (please see Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning).

But the reality is that Callistus was corrupt (he even allowed abortions, see “Pope” Callistus) and that is how most objective historians have viewed him.

So why would those in the Vatican claim “apostolic succession” through one who somehow took over the bishopric of Rome through bribery, permitted abortions, and was in other ways corrupt?

Because if it accepted that its greatest third century theologian Hippolytus as a proper “Bishop of Rome”, it would be much more obvious to everyone that the Church of Rome radically changed many of its original teachings and doctrines.  Because that is what Hippolytus’ writings show.

It is unlikely that Catholics who will observe Hippolytus’ feast day today are aware of what he and his writings really represent.

But now that you do, an article of possibly related interest should include:

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. Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja viva do deus? Tambien Español: Cuál es fiel: ¿La iglesia católica romana o La Iglesia del Dios Viviente? Auch: Deutsch: Welches zuverlässig ist: Die Römisch-katholische Kirche oder die lebende Kirche von Gott?