Church of God News

Brasilia, Brazil

COGwriter

While many are looking to the USA to lead the world out of its economic slump, it may be that Brazil will help do that instead:

Brazil’s Economy Is Making ‘Sound’ Recovery, Meirelles Says

By Laura Price and Marta Marino

Sept. 5 (Bloomberg) — Brazil’s economy is making a “sound” recovery from the global financial slump as domestic demand for goods rises and access to credit returns, central bank President Henrique Meirelles said.

“The Brazilian economy is already on the recovery path, led by domestic demand,” Meirelles said in a Bloomberg Television interview today. “All the leading indicators show a sound recovery, and that is led by employment, income and domestic demand.”

Meirelles, who was in London to meet with other Group of 20 finance heads, said Brazil’s economy is recovering faster than most other countries as economic stimulus measures take effect.

“The recovery is gradual but faster than most of the other countries,” Meirelles said. “Since the measures were taken to address questions such as contraction of credit lines, the recovery tends to happen faster.”

Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega yesterday said the country’s gross domestic product grew 1.8 percent to 2 percent in the second quarter compared with the first. Official GDP numbers will be released Sept. 11.   http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=a2ME_xcoOxEc

The Economist Decides to Teach Brazil and Lula a Few Lessons

Written by Pedro de Oliveira

Saturday, 05 September 2009…In the editorial, the magazine conveys the idea that Brazilians, and particularly Lula – are living a key moment in their history – when the “giant asleep” is mentioned as one of the five or six world countries with protagonist roles into the 21st century. The Economists states that no summit meeting happening in the world today would do without the presence of Brazil and of Lula. After all, says the magazine, “he’s the man”, said Barack Obama at a G-20 meeting, while Fidel Castro referred to the Brazilian President as “my brother Lula.”This privileged status is debited by the magazine to the economic “stabilization” period put in practice by Lula and – amazing – by his predecessor, Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The editors forget that FHC left the country in 2002 at the brink of an economic abyss.”Brazil was, among the ten main economies in the planet, the last one to enter the recession and rises now as one of the first to come out of it“… says the editorial, which goes on to remind us that it was Goldman Sachs who characterized the group formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China as the BRIC which, according to them, will dominate the world around 2050. At the time, reminds the magazine, there were those who doubted that Brazil would have the muscle to join such a group.   http://www.brazzil.com/component/content/article/208-september-2009/10252-the-economist-decides-to-teach-brazil-and-lula-a-few-lessons.html

Most people in North America simply do not realize that Brazil has natural resources (and now also oil), agriculture, and manufacturing might.  And relatively little debt.  It also could in a few short years not need ANY oil (though now that it has found a lot of its own, it will likely use some of it, and sell the rest).

While Brazil will have economic ups and downs (and its current president is term limited out so a new one will come fairly soon), the reality is that a new economic order is starting to arise on the world scene and Brazil will likely align with the player that will seem to be the strongest one economically.  And I believe that Bible prophecy indicates that it will most likely align with the emerging European power.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include:

Mexico, Central America, South America, and Brazil in Prophecy [Español: México, America Central, Suramérica, y el Brasil en profecíal] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What rule might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?
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?

COGwriter

Today,  GIC (formerly WCG) sent out an email to an article by its J. Tkach which began with:

Trinitarian theology

“Garbage in – garbage out” is a truism in many areas, and the most important area is in our personal theology.  Wrong concepts about God result in lives that miss the fullness of life God wants us to have.

Now, the whole idea of theology might sound a little intimidating, but really it’s just another way of saying “God knowledge.” Our personal theology consists of whatever we believe to be true about God.  So in one way or another, we all have a theology. And certainly every church and denomination has a theology. It’s the framework that undergirds and informs their doctrines and practices.

“Trinitarian theology” is a particular approach to theology that sees the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit – as the core and foundation for understanding the Bible and all aspects of Christian faith. Trinitarian theology, seeking to know God as God is, correctly begins with “Who?” It asks, “Who is the God made known in Jesus Christ, and who are we in relation to him?”

The Bible, of course, gives us the answers.

J. Tkach is correct that the Bible has the answers.  So does early church history.  And neither teaches the type of  “Trinitarian theology” that GIC now advocates.

For proof from the Bible, as well as early church writings, please carefully study the following articles:

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?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?

COGwriter

The July-August 2009 edition of GCI’s (formerly WCG) Together just came out.  WCG used to observe the biblical Feast of Tabernacles in the Fall, but now offers a variety of humanly devised substitutes instead.  Here is what is expected in 2009 thus far:

“From Exclusion to Inclusion” –
Wisconsin Dells, Sept. 17-20

Everyone is invited to the annual Dells Celebration at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, WI, from September 17-20, 2009…

Fall Conference – Myrtle Beach, SC, Oct. 8-11

The Harvest Church is again sponsoring a conference in Myrtle Beach…

Women’s retreat in Alabama – Oct. 16-18

Last year’s retreat was so much fun that we’re having another one! Grace Covenant Fellowship is hosting a fall women’s retreat at the St. Bernard Abbey Retreat & Conference Center in Cullman, AL, about one hour north of Birmingham.

WCG used to meet for the FOT in Wisconsin Dells (the Living Church of God still does, see LCG 2009 Feast of Tabernacles’ Information).  One of the differences between early Christianity and paganism was the the pagans were more inclined toward inclusivism, while the true Christians were considered to be more exclusive.  Hence, in certain respects, GCI’s theme is consistent with what pagans did in the past.

I believe that GCI hopes that having substitutes will work for them, like they did for Jeroboam:

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!” 29 And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense (1 Kings 12:26-33).

Notice that Jeroboam wanted a Feast like the one in Judah.  The one in Judah was the biblical Feast of Tabernacles.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The 18 Restored Truths: Do You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made? Some have said healing, others other subjects, but probably the first change had to do with eliminating being part of the Philadelphia era. This article documents what those changes were and compares the Tkach list of restored truths to Herbert W. Armstrong’s list of restored truths. It contains many quotes from Herbert W. Armstrong.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG/GCI which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians? Is this pilgrimage holy day still valid? Does it teach anything relevant for today’s Christians? What is the Last Great Day? What do these days teach?
LCG 2009 Feast of Tabernacles’ Information Here is information on many Feast of Tabernacles locations for this year.
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2012, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂

COGwriter

In an email link today, GCI’s J. Tkach stated:

You might have noticed that the name of the denomination that sponsors this program has also changed – from Worldwide Church of God to Grace Communion International – and I’d like to take a moment to explain why.

Our church is a changed church, and our new name, Grace Communion International, was chosen for the same reason that Saul’s, Jacob’s, Abram’s and Sarai’s names were changed: to reflect a new identity after a profound transformation.

Grace lies at the heart of our values and mission as a transformed church. The gospel is the message of God’s grace to humanity revealed in Jesus Christ.

Communion is a word that refers to the spiritual unity and positive relationships in the love of God, the grace and peace of Jesus Christ and the life of the Holy Spirit.

International refers to the worldwide, multicultural character of our denomination. We value and respect one another, and we exist not as a single, national church in any given country, but as a unified body of believers who span the globe, sharing a common history and journey of faith…

I praise God, as I know you do, for all he has done for us, in us and through us. Our new name, Grace Communion International is simply an acknowledgement and reflection of the great love, mercy and power our loving God has displayed in our fellowship.

I’m Joseph Tkach, speaking of LIFE.

The MAIN reason that GCI made the change is that it does not want the world’s churches to consider it a cult, and the name change clearly does distance GCI from “Church of God” in the minds of almost everyone.

Of course, I did report on the name change the day it was announced (see WCG Changes Name to GCI!), it is just that J. Tkach wanted to give further clarification as to why it changed, I thought that those interest in the real reason (being accepted by the world, cf. 1 John 2:15) may wish to see it.

Some articles of possible interest may include:

Attending the Church of Choice This article discusses whose choice is important to worship God; should you attend the church of your choice or the church of God’s choice?
Unity: Which COG for You? Why so many groups? Why is there lack of unity in the Churches of God? Has it always been this way? What can/should be done about it?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 from 31 A.D. to present: information on all of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3.   This is a brief history of the true Church throughout the ages.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

An engraving allegedly of Irenaeus, in Gaul (now Lyons, France)

COGwriter

The Tkach Worldwide Church of God which now calls itself GCI, sponsors a website that yesterday posted the following:

The Surprising God Blog

A forum for discussing Christ-centered, trinitarian theology

6.09.2009

Irenaeus on the Trinity

In about A.D. 180, Irenaeus … wrote the following important statement concerning the triune God (quoted from “The Christian Theology Reader” by Alister McGrath, p. 93).

We find here the basic elements of the doctrine of the trinity…

GCI then quotes some passages from A. McGrath’s book.  GCI apparently concluded that Irenaeus supported the trinity.

But perhaps it should have included comments from other scholars on the same passages.

For example, commenting on the above passages from Irenaeus, scholar F. R. Montgomery Hitchcock, M.A. D.D. (Formerly University Student, Fellowship Prizeman and Donnellan Lecturer of Trinity College, Dublin) wrote:

We now come to a rather complicated problem, in
which it is difficult to mark the exact positions of
Irenaeus the relation of the Divine Persons of the
Godhead to one another. In some passages the Persons
are coordinated ; while in others there seems to be a
subordination in the relations of the Son to the Father.
and of the Spirit to the Son.

Thus, I am not the only scholar who realize that the passages in question do not clearly support the trinity.

Furthermore, GCI and others seem to overlooked the following writing from Irenaeus:

…there is none other called God by the Scriptures except the Father of all, and the Son, and those who possess the adoption (Irenaeus. Adversus haereses, Book IV, Preface, Verse 4. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 1. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

Notice that Irenaeus states that only the Father, the Son, and those who possess the adoption (Christians) are God. This is a binitarian, not a trinitarian view.

While we in the Living Church of God do believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that does not mean that we believe in the Greco-Roman trinity that was adopted at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D.

Even though he was a heretic, nor did Irenaeus espouse what became adopted as the Greco-Roman trinity.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

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?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a shorter article than the Binitarian View article, but has a little more information on binitarianism.
Irenaeus: The Most Dangerous Heretic? Was Irenaeus a faithful peacemaker or was he possibly the most dangerous of the early heretics?
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

Even though it is now late May 2009, the latest issue (April 20, 2009) of The Journal just came out.  As it was a single month issue this time, it appears that schedule at The Journal is improving.

Its main articles included the name change of WCG (previously reported at COGwriter, see WCG Changes Name to GCI!), PCG buying the swan sculpture (previously reported at COGwriter, see PCG Acquires Big Sandy Sculpture), someone claiming an angelic visitation 28 years ago, Wesley White wanting a another web confederation for “independents”, CBCG’s new Bible translation (see also Christian Biblical Church of God and its Teachings), some 2008 Feast of Tabernacles reports, and a report from CGI in Jamaica.

Dixon Cartwright, editor of The Journal, correctly pointed out that J. Tkach indicated that the name GCI is what it wanted in 2005, while in fact it wanted GIC.  Dixon Cartwright reported that “Armstrongism” was the original reason for why WCG wanted to changed its name.  WCG wanted to have a name that distanced themselves from biblical Christianity, derisively called “Armstrongism” by critics who refuse to live by what the Bible teaches.

I am quite pleased that WCG changed its name as having the expression “Church of God” in its name is misleading for many reasons, including the fact that it simply no longer holds to most key Church of God doctrines.

The following was in the “Prayer Requests” section of The Journal:

Bernie Schnippert, slow-growing carcinoid cancer.

As far as I know, Bernie Schnippert, is still with WCG/GCI and supported the heresies that group adopted.

While The Journal is available only by paid subscription, you can view the pdf. of its front and back page is available at: www.thejournal.org/issues/issue134/jf043009.pdf

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains who he was and how he should be viewed today.
Independent Members of the COG: Herbert W. Armstrong Comments, Plus Questions and Answers What did Herbert W. Armstrong teach about being independent of the organized Church? Should independents who claim to accept Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings be part of LCG?
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more 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.
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.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. These are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.

COGwriter

In his latest update, GCI/WCG’s Joseph Tkach wrote:

Mother’s Day

One of the last things Jesus did on the cross was ask a friend to look after his mother. The Gospel of John tells the story in chapter 19, verses 25-27:

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” (NIV).

It’s a touching story, and it points up how important it was to Jesus that his mother be properly cared for. The disciple whom Jesus loved, a person referred to only in the Gospel of John, was John himself. And as a close and dear friend, he was Jesus’ choice to see that his mother would not fall destitute with no one to provide for her.

Honor your Father and your Mother, the Commandment says. And Jesus certainly honored his…

Of course, no mother is perfect, and precious few mothers are what their children would call ideal. But whatever their flaws and shortcomings, most mothers do love their children in a profoundly deep and unconditional way. And such unconditional love is rare in today’s world. But it’s there, and wherever you see it, it’s a reflection of the unconditional love our heavenly Father has for us.

More than 40 countries have an annual celebration of motherhood. In the United States, Mothers’ Day owes its origins to the work of Ana Jarvis of Grafton, West Virginia. Her letter-writing campaign eventually resulted in President Woodrow Wilson’s 1914 proclamation of a national observance of mothers, to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

Sunday, May 10th is observed in many lands as Mother’s Day.

Perhaps, an article of related interest may be Women and the New Testament Church.

COGwriter

WCG’s recent name change (reported here the day it happened on this page, see WCG Changes Name to GCI!) has been picked up by another religious news source:

Worldwide Church of God Changes Name to Signal Inner Change

Religion News Service reports that the Worldwide Church of God, which re-examined and later rebuked the teachings of founder Herbert W. Armstrong after his death in 1986, has changed its name to Grace Communion International. “We are a church that God radically transformed,” said church president Joseph W. Tkach, who is a board member of the National Association of Evangelicals. “Our new name is consistent with the transformation and aptly describes what God has made of our fellowship.” Armstrong denied the Christian belief in the Trinity and took Old Testament law to heart and encouraged works of righteousness to earn salvation. The church lost half its members, 95 percent of its 1,000-person staff, millions of magazine readers and its college in Pasadena, Calif., when it officially repudiated Armstrong’s teachings and “prophetic speculation” in the mid 1990s. http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11602619/

Of course, while we in LCG believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we would not agree that the Greco-Roman Trinity that WCG, now GCI, adopted is a proper “Christian” doctrine.  We also strongly deny that the old WCG taught that any can earn salvation through our own works of righteousness.  It is only by grace that one is saved, through faith.

We in the Living Church of God truly believe the following:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The reader who sent me the link to this news item wrote:

the interesting thing to me is the quote “The church lost half its members, and 95 percent of its 1,000-person staff”  and the people who report on that write as though it is a good thing? Of course they never mention where the lost souls went to?

And of course, that is also a good point.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?  Is there a threeness in the Godhead?
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 the Modern Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it?  Did they have a different viewthan the one adopted by Theodosius’ Council?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH

COGwriter

Finally, WCG has changed its name!  Here is what J. Tkach wrote in his latest letter:

April 2009

After reviewing all the submitted names and discussing the viable ones at length, the search team isolated key terms that reflect the church’s values and mission as a denomination while avoiding key terms that are normally associated with other denominations as well as those that are already in use by other organizations.

The name search team presented their findings and recommendations to a combined meeting of the Board and the Advisory Council of Elders on Dec. 20, 2005. After all factors and criteria were considered, the Board and the Council settled on the name “Grace Communion International.” Grace lies at the heart of our values and mission as a transformed church. Our spiritual unity with God and with one another is reflected in the word Communion. The word International identifies us as a unified body of believers who span the globe, sharing a common history and journey of faith.

The decision was announced in the February 2006 issue of WCG Today and was met with mixed reactions. Although a majority of members expressed their support for the new name, many were uncomfortable with it, so we decided to put the name change on hold, praying that God would reconfirm, in time, whether or not this was truly where he was leading us.

As time has passed, the consensus in favor of the name “Grace Communion International” has continued to grow. Although we cannot expect 100 percent agreement on any name, we have now reached a point at which more than 80 percent of U.S. members favor a change to this name.

We are a church that God has changed radically from what we once were to what we are today. Our change to a new name – one that accurately describes what God has done with us – will be consistent with that transformation.

Of course, most of our congregations have already taken on local names, demonstrating the value in putting before the public a name that better represents who our Father has made us, through the Spirit, to be in Jesus Christ. Grace Communion International describes our spiritual journey together, celebrates our new life in Christ, and communicates our Trinitarian, Christ-centered theology.

As a reminder, local churches, and our international regions, will still be able to choose their own name that may or may not be the same as our denominational name. In some countries, it is even prudent for them to keep the name “Worldwide Church of God.”

You will see the name change take shape in a carefully orchestrated way over the next several months. The name, “Worldwide Church of God” will still be ours. Our web address, www.wcg.org, will continue to belong to us, and will eventually redirect users to a new web address. New publications and other media will begin to reflect the new name in the next month or so, but keep in mind that all Worldwide Church of God copyrighted material will continue to belong to us, as will everything pertaining to the name Worldwide Church of God…

May God bless you with a joyous Easter season!

With much love in Jesus’ name,

Joseph Tkach

I have been waiting for this for a long, long time (although WCG seemed to lean more towards Grace International Communion than Grace Communion International before).

WCG is NOT a real “Church of God” and I am very happy that they will no longer officially use that name in Pasadena.

The Bible does NOT endorse GCI”s (Grace Communion International) view of the Godhead, nor Easter.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?  Is there a threeness in the Godhead?
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 the Modern Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a shorter article than the Binitarian View article, but has a little more information on binitarianism.
What Happened in the Crucifixion Week? How long are three days and three nights? Did Jesus die on “Good Friday”? Was the resurrection on Sunday? Do you really know? Who determined the date of Easter?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Easter? If not, when did this happen? What do scholars and the Bible reveal?

COGwriter

In its weekly announcement last night, WCG’s J. Tkach wrote the following:

Universalism

Some people argue that repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ are really not necessary for salvation…

What a person believes, what a person does, or how a person lives, makes no difference – salvation for everyone is already determined and certain. Such a belief is called universalism.

Certainly, the grace of God is very wide. We’re told in 1 John 2:2, speaking of Jesus: “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (NIV)

And Colossian 1:19-20 says, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (NIV)

That tells us that everyone, without exception, is included in Christ’s atoning work and is reconciled to God through Christ’s blood.

And yet, Paul also wrote in Romans 1:16: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:…”

…Contrary to universalism, the Bible teaches that there is salvation only in Jesus Christ…all who remain hostile to God remain unsaved by their own choice.

… Those who refuse God’s love and fellowship are refusing salvation. And he will not allow hostile, destructive people, to whom his love means nothing, spoil his kingdom for everyone else.

Although there is a line above that I will comment about (and I edited out several statements that were in biblical error), WCG generally speaking (based upon previous writings), has not completely abandoned the notion that God will ultimately offer salvation to all, though the above does not state that.  It appears that J. Tkach put that letter out to distance WCG from the accusation that it teaches “universalism”.

Now while he is correct that all need to accept Christ, he neglected to mention that many are blinded now and will not have their real opportunity for salvation until after the resurrection.

When he stated, “all who remain hostile to God remain unsaved by their own choice”, he neglected to state that there have been untold numbers of people throughout history in islands, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America, Australia, and even Europe and North America, who have never even heard of Jesus Christ, and billions more who did not learn enough about Christ to truly accept salvation.

At this point, I wish to clearly remind everyone that God does have a plan of salvation, that His plan of salvation is all emcompassing, that God will offer salvation to all that ever lived, and that nearly everyone who ever lived will apparently accept His offer.

WCG used to teach that this opportunity for salvation came on the last of the biblical holy days called the Last Great Day.  But since it no longer endorses the biblical holy days, but instead now endorses those with non-Christian traditions like Easter, it has trouble understanding God’s universal offer of salvation.

Basically, those of us in the Living Church of God believe that God has revealed His plan of salvation in the Bible, and that when we observe the biblical holy days, that they lay out God’s plan of salvation in a clear way.  A way that those who prefer non-biblical substitutes (like Christmas and Easter) generally do not understand.

The first of the annual holy days is Passover.  It pictures that Jesus was sacrificed for the sins of humanity.  It is followed by the Days of Unleavened Bread which picture that forgiven Christians still should be diligent about trying to keep sin out of their lives.  It is later followed by Pentecost which pictures that God is only calling a relative few in this age, months later it is followed by the Feast of Trumpets which shows that Jesus will return, which is followed by The Day of Atonement which shows that Satan will be bound, which is followed by the The Feast of Tabernacles which pictures Christ’s 1000 year reign on the earth, and that is followed by the Last Great Day which pictures that God will then plead with all humanity and offer salvation to all that were not called in this age.

Thus, while J. Tkach is correct that the Bible does not teach “universalism” (salvation for all no matter what), he failed to teach that God will offer salvation to all.  And I found his letter misleading as it implies (perhaps unintentionally) that everyone can be saved now, and that simply is not the case.  But all who do not have their real opportunity now, will be granted a clear opportunity for salvation later.

And if this is a new concept to you, you really need to prove this from your Bible.  Please study it along with the article Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis).  While many claim to understand salvation, many simply do not realize what the Bible really teaches.

Some articles of related interest could 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?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins?