Church of God News

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH

COGwriter

A few weeks ago, WCG joined into a lawsuit in order to prove its opinion on whether a group can break from its parent religious group. For obvious reasons (WCG renounced most of its original doctrines yet retained all the assets accumulated when it believed those original doctrines), WCG opposed that:

Protestant groups join Episcopal fight over church properties

The Christian Century – June 17, 2008

Sixteen Protestant denominations and regional districts have joined a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in contesting a Reconstruction-era state law that governs church splits.

The post-Civil War splintering of Methodist and Presbyterian churches in 1867 prompted the Virginia law, which allows congregations to keep their property when seceding from a church or “religious society” that’s dividing. But the United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), two of the largest U.S. mainline Protestant denominations, say the law is unconstitutional.

On May 16, a judge in Fairfax County, Virginia, ruled that the UMC, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the Worldwide Church of God may participate in oral arguments May 28 over the law’s constitutionality.

The amicus curiae brief is a sign of how closely some Protestants are following the multimillion-dollar battle between the Episcopal Church and 11 conservative congregations that left to join a branch of the Anglican Church of Nigeria. http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=4856

Today, the press reported that the court ruled in favor of the breakaway group:

While I generally do not favor break away groups, the truth is that when the “parent” church radically changes doctrines, those that have proven the original doctrines as biblically correct and who then wish to hold to the original doctrines certainly should be able to split.

All should “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

For information about what that actually is, the following articles may be of assistance:

The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 Do they matter? Most say they must, but act like they do not. This article contains some history about the Church of God (sometimes referred to as the continuation of Primitive Christianity) over the past 2000 years.
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church.
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
Apostolic Succession What really happened? Did structure and beliefs change? Are many of the widely-held current understandings of this even possible? Did you know that Catholic scholars really do not believe that several of the claimed “apostolic sees” of the Orthodox have apostolic succession–despite the fact that the current pontiff himself seems to wish to ignore this view? Is there actually a true church that has ties to any of the apostles that is not part of the Catholic or Orthodox churches? Read this article if you truly are interested in the truth on this matter!
Another Look at the Didache, Ignatius, and the Sabbath Did Ignatius write against the Sabbath and for Sunday? What about the Didache? What does the actual Greek reveal?
Ancient “Christian” Sermon This is believed to be the oldest complete surviving post-New Testament sermon. Have you ever read it?
Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians This is Roberts and Donaldson’s translation, corrected by me in one place, where they made a small error in translating Latin by omitting one word.
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they?

Although it is no longer owned by any COG, those who were once affiliated with the old WCG were familiar with the old Ambassador campus. My wife and I were married in one of the buildings shown above.

COGwriter

An item related to the old WCG Ambassador Auditorium made the news:

Honoring the history makers

Pasadena Star-News – June 24, 2008      excerpt…

The recently restored egret fountain, on the grounds of Pasadena’s Ambassador Auditorium, was the centerpiece for “Raise the Roof under the Tuscan Stars,” a benefit for San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity on June 14. Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard and Pastor Che Ahn of Harvest Rock Church, the new owner of the auditorium, were on hand for the unveiling of the landmark, created by British sculptor David Wynne in the late 1960s on the former Ambassador College campus.

Market City Caffe provided the Italian-style supper served to nearly 400 guests at tables surrounding the fountain. Former Glendale Mayor Larry Zarian emceed – Glendale Galleria was a signature sponsor of the event – and Jim Ciccolo presided over the live auction. Benefit committee chairman, Cynthia Heydt, of San Marino, reports that the event raised more than $80,000.  source: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_9688262

The physical assets of the old WCG helped the church reach world leaders with the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

An article of related interest may be The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church.

COGwriter

The July-August issue of WCG’s Together (formerly known as the Worldwide News) came out today.

It announced the following three retirements:

Paul Kroll…, senior editor of Christian Odyssey, author of numerous articles on our website, and writer in the Personal Correspondence Department, retired on June 6. He began full-time work with the WCG in 1964 and served as Professor of Journalism at Ambassador College and in many other capacities.

Don Mason…, pastor in Cary and Wilson, NC, retired on May 30, after almost 40 years of full-time service.

Dennis Pelley, pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Eagle Rock, CA, will retire on July 4, after 24 years of full-time service.

Dennis Pelley was temporarily our minister in WCG for a couple of months in 1994. It is sad that people like him, Don Mason, and Paul Kroll originally defended biblical truths for a number of years and then turned their backs to teach against those same truths when the Tkach administrations changed doctrine. WCG made a lot of changes (WCG Announces 35 Beliefs Book) in the past 22 years.

The BIble seems to use the term “hireling” for the type of “shepherds” who do not defend the flock (John 10:12-13).

Anyway, to me it is sad.

But the Bible does warn:

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

And those who accepted the changes away from the Bible certainly have fallen away.

So, in not too many years, the man of sin will be revealed–the one we in the Living Church of God call “the King of the North“.

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH

COGwriter

Yesterday, WCG sent out the following by its Joseph Tkach:

Why do we need faith if Jesus has already made us right with God?

The Bible tells us that in Christ, God has already done everything necessary for every person’s salvation. In Romans 5:18-19, for example, the apostle Paul wrote:

“Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man (speaking of Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (referring to Jesus) the many will be made righteous” (NIV).

What Jesus did, he did for all humanity, and he did not wait for anyone to change their ways or improve their behavior before he acted. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

1 John 2, verse 2, tells us that no one is left out of Jesus’ atoning work for humanity.

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Since every person’s sins are already forgiven, what is the need for faith?

Simply this: We cannot participate in something we either don’t know about or don’t believe is true. It would be like having a million dollars in the bank but never knowing about it. Or maybe knowing about it, but not caring. In either case, the million dollars would do us no good, even though it is sitting in our account.

In a similar way, our salvation means nothing to us unless we believe it…

Sadly, it seems from certain passages in the Bible that some people don’t want God’s salvation, even though in Christ it’s already theirs. Maybe they love evil so much that they want nothing to do with good. Yet Jesus died and rose again for them as certainly as he did for the most devoted of his saints.

Refusal of God’s love cannot diminish his love; Jesus died for us even while we were sinners, while were his enemies, as we’re told in Romans 5, verses 8 and 10.

That’s good news, because it means that God’s gift of salvation does not depend on you in any way..

First, contrary to what J. Tkach implied, salvation would be important whether one believed it or not.

It is sad that WCG simply does not understand much about the Bible or salvation anymore (the above seems to be a follow-up to another mistaken teaching I reported on earlier, please see WCG, Grace, and License).

Second, contrary to what J. Tkach wrote, the Bible does not teach that all sins ARE forgiven, only that they can be in the future:

Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come (Matthew 12:31-32).

While it is true that in that age to come almost all sins will be forgiven, since that age is NOT yet here, all sins that will be have NOT yet been forgiven–they have only all been atoned for.

Third, WCG simply no longer seems to understand that no one will be saved UNLESS they repent and accept Christ. Thus in several important ways, whether or not YOU accept the salvation offered by God most certainly does depend on YOU in certain ways.

Notice what Jesus told His disciples:

…that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:47-48).

Notice what one of those disciples, Peter was inspired to preach:

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38-39).

Notice that only after repentance and the acceptance of Christ is there a remission of sins. Not before.

WCG seems hesistant to tell the whole story.

Why?

Because it would then have to address the question, “What is sin?”

To which the Apostle John was inspired to write:

…sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4, KJV).

Since one is repenting from transgressing the law, then WCG would either have to say that we should keep sinning or change (which is what the word repent actual implies).

What did the Apostle Paul teach?

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law (Romans 3:31).

And that is true. Real Christians accept the sacrifice of Christ (cf. Hebrews 9:26; 11:4), real Christians repent (Acts 2:38), real Christians attempt to follow Christ (1 Corinthians 1:11–and Jesus kept the commandments Himself–see John 15:10), and real Christians strive to overcome sin (Hebrews 12:4).

It is only those who promote evil that do not teach that Christians should try to keep God’s commandments.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
Were the Ten Commandments Nailed to the Cross? Some have said so. This article provides some biblical quotes to answer this important question.
What Did Paul Actually Teach About the Ten Commandments? Many say Paul taught against the ten commandments. Is this true? This article quotes Paul with his words in green.
Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect? This article quotes the ten commandments and combines some of the previous articles into one article about the ten commandments. The commandments are shown at Mount Sinai, before Mount Sinai, in the teachings of Jesus, after the crucifixion, and in the teachings of Paul. It addresses the most common “traditions of men” regarding them as well.
Were the Pharisees Condemned for Keeping the Law or Reasoning Around it? Many believe that the Pharisees were condemned for keeping the law, but what does your Bible say? If they were not condemned for that, what were they condemned for?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
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?
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.

Although it is no longer owned by any COG, those who were once affiliated with the old WCG were familiar with the old Ambassador campus. My wife and I were married in one of the buildings shown above.

COGwriter

The old Ambassador campus made the news this week. Notice what the Los Angeles Times reported:

Ambassador campus development in Pasadena foreclosed

The above foreclosure is not really a surprise as there have been problems with the old Ambassador property for some time (see Ambassador Developer Receivership and More Ambassador Development Woes).

While the old WCG has been “transformed from truth to paganism”, the old campus has been transformed from an religious institution recapturing true values to being split between a worldly church combined with failed developers. FWIW, I would tend to describe Harvest Rock as a “pentecostal” church as opposed to “nondenominational”.

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH

COGwriter

In the May-June issue of Together: Worldwide Church of God News, WCG reported:

New name for WCG online education

We are pleased to make two announcements. Our online graduate program will now be known as Grace Communion Seminary; secondly, we are opening enrollment to WCG members who have bachelor degrees.

The name Grace Communion Seminary (GCS) has been adopted as an appropriate description of the theological content and level of our online graduate program. Ambassador College, a California Corporation, will now be doing business as Grace Communion Seminary…

“Assimilating New People” seminar…

Randy Bloom (a member of the CAD Ministry Development Team)… conducted this workshop for Abundant Grace Fellowship in Ft. Myers, FL…

The truth is that WCG is using the term “grace” a lot these days.  However, notice what the NIV teaches about some who did that:

They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality (Jude 4, NIV).

And truly, that is what happened to WCG.  Those there simply do not understand grace.  WCG now teaches license to sin, but they like to use the term grace as a cover.

They really need to study what the Bible really teaches.

Several articles of related interest may include:

What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
Were the Ten Commandments Nailed to the Cross? Some have said so. This article provides some biblical quotes to answer this important question.
What Did Paul Actually Teach About the Ten Commandments? Many say Paul taught against the ten commandments. Is this true? This article quotes Paul with his words in green.
Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect? This article quotes the ten commandments and combines some of the previous articles into one article about the ten commandments. The commandments are shown at Mount Sinai, before Mount Sinai, in the teachings of Jesus, after the crucifixion, and in the teachings of Paul. It addresses the most common “traditions of men” regarding them as well.
Were the Pharisees Condemned for Keeping the Law or Reasoning Around it? Many believe that the Pharisees were condemned for keeping the law, but what does your Bible say? If they were not condemned for that, what were they condemned for?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?

The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH 

WCG Was NOT Transformed BY Truth, but FROM Truth

COGwriter 

In the April/May 2008 edition of WCG’s Christian Odyssey, Paul Kroll wrote:

renaeus has been called the most important Christian theologian between the apostles and the third century. He was a Greek born in Roman Proconsular Asia, today southwestern Turkey, probably between A.D. 130-140…

His widely-circulated theological work in five books was titled On the Detection and Refutation of the Knowledge Falsely So Called. Written about 175-185, it exposed the heresies of various Gnostic sects, especially the most sophisticated group, the Valentinians…

Trinitarian theology

Irenaeus testified to the church’s Trinitarian understanding of God’s nature long before the councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381) produced their traditional confessional creed. “Indeed in his various statements of faith there appear all the essentials of the Creed of Nicaea except its technical terms.”

Irenaeus explained that the church “received from the apostles and their disciples the faith in one God the Father Almighty…and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, incarnate for our salvation, and in the Holy Spirit.” He also insisted that God’s word witnesses to the Son of God in the Incarnation being fully God as well as true man. “All the prophets and apostles and the Spirit itself” testify to this, he said…

Irenaeus’ legacy is his struggle to preserve and pass on the revelation of God that had been given to the apostles whom Christ chose. It’s no wonder both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches consider him among the special “saints” of the church and Catholics celebrate a memorial festival day in his honor each June 28th. 

It is astounding that WCG, the Catholics, the Orthodox, and the Protestants try to rely on Irenaeus for much, but especially this.

Irenaeus was a BINITARIAN, not a trinitarian, writer. 

Furthermore, it was heretic Valentinus (who WCG acknowledges that Irenaeus wrote against) who was perhaps the first one to attempt to claim that Christians should accept the trinity.

Notice what was what it is recorded by a one-time Catholic bishop named Marcellus of Ancyra on the nature of God around the middle of the fourth century,

Now with the heresy of the Ariomaniacs, which has corrupted the Church of God…These then teach three hypostases, just as Valentinus the heresiarch first invented in the book entitled by him ‘On the Three Natures’.  For he was the first to invent three hypostases and three persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he is discovered to have filched this from Hermes and Plato (Source: Logan A. Marcellus of Ancyra (Pseudo-Anthimus), ‘On the Holy Church’: Text, Translation and Commentary. Verses 8-9.  Journal of Theological Studies, NS, Volume 51, Pt. 1, April 2000, p.95 ).

The fact is that Valentinus was probably the first trinitarian to feign Christianity. 

Near the end of the second century (Circa 180), Irenaeus wrote this in his famous paper against heresies:

…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 he does not say that the Holy Spirit is also called God. Also notice that Irenaeus states that only the Father, the Son, and those who possess the adoption (Christians) are God (hence his writings support the idea of deification as LCG teaches it–see Deification: Did the Early Church Teach That Christians Would Become God?). This is a binitarian, not a trinitarian view.  Hence, he clearly was NOT TRINITARIAN.

At least one trinitarian scholar has acknowledged:

The language of the New Testament permits the Holy Spirit to be understood as an impersonal force or influence more readily than it does the Son…The attempt to develop an understanding of the Holy Spirit consistent with the trinitarian passages…came to fruition at Constantinople in 381…those who saw the Holy Spirit as a Person, were often heretical, for example, the Montanists (Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988, p. 140).

The fact is that the early church held to a binitarian, not trinitarian, view of the Godhead.

But to actually claim that Irenaeus was trinitarian when he wrote against the first one who claimed that Christians should be trinitarian, is bizarre.

But that is what happens when a group is transformed from the truth of the Bible to traditions of men.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the BeginningIs 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?
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they?
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?
Valentinus: The Gnostic Trinitarian Heretic He apparently was the first Christ-professing heretic to come up with the idea of three hypostases.

Protestant Reformer Martin Luther 

COGwriter 

This morning, WCG sent out an email linking to the following written by its Joseph Tkach (bolding his):

The Apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the church in Rome nearly 2000 years ago. The letter is only a few pages long, less than 10,000 words, but its impact has been profound. At least three times in the history of the Christian Church this epistle has produced an upheaval that forever changed the church for the better.

One was in the early 1500s when an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther was trying to ease his conscience through living what he called a “life without reproach.” Yet in spite of obeying all the rituals and prescribed ordinances of his priestly order, Luther still felt alienated from God.

Then, as a university lecturer on the book of Romans, Luther found himself drawn to Paul’s declaration in Romans 1:17:

 “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (NIV).

The truth of this powerful passage finally struck Luther for what it was. He wrote:

“There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God…namely the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith…Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.”

I think you know what happened next. Luther could not keep quiet about his rediscovery of the pure and simple gospel. The Protestant Reformation was a result.

As typical of many Protestants, Martin Luther’s writings are normally “sanitized” when quoted lest people really understand what Martin Luther really stood for.

The truth is that Martin Luther CHANGED a slightly later verse in Romans to justify a rallying cry he invented for the Protestant Reformation. 

Martin Luther, in his German translation of the Bible, specifically added the word “allein” (English ‘alone’) to Romans 3:28-a word that is not in the original Greek. Notice what a Protestant scholar has admitted:

…Martin Luther would once again emphasize…that we are “justified by faith alone”, apart from the works of the Law” (Rom. 3:28), adding the German word allein (“alone”) in his translation of the Greek text. There is certainly a trace of Marcion in Luther’s move (Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988, pp. 64-65).

Furthermore, Martin Luther himself reportedly said,

You tell me what a great fuss the Papists are making because the word alone in not in the text of Paul…say right out to him: ‘Dr. Martin Luther will have it so,’…I will have it so, and I order it to be so, and my will is reason enough. I know very well that the word ‘alone’ is not in the Latin or the Greek text (Stoddard J. Rebuilding a Lost Faith. 1922, pp. 101-102; see also Luther M. Amic. Discussion, 1, 127).

This passage strongly suggests that Martin Luther viewed his opinions, and not the actual Bible as the primary authority–a concept which this author will name prima Luther. By “papists” he is condemning Roman Catholics, but is needs to be understood that Protestant scholars (like HOJ Brown) also realize that Martin Luther changed that scripture.

So how could WCG’s J. Tkach actually write, “The truth of this powerful passage finally struck Luther for what it was“?

The truth of that passage was NEVER understood by Martin Luther because Martin Luther CHANGED THE BIBLE so he could promote lawlessness and justify his killings and hatreds.

Notice the following written by a Protestant theologian:

Alan Dershowitz opined, “’It is shocking that Luther’s ignoble name is still honored rather than forever cursed by mainstream Protestant churches.’”[1]  This sad state of affairs led the late Reformation historian Heiko Oberman to lament that many would have us choose between “two Luthers” – one, the “bold Reformer, the liberating theologian, the powerfully eloquent German”; the other, an “anti-Semite” who “wrote mainly about Jews,” and “preached hatred.”[2]  Such a choice is, of course, unnecessary.

Sadly, the history of Christianity has indeed been riddled by varying degrees of antisemitism, leading to oppression, marginalization, and – as in the Crusades and the Holocaust – even murder of Jews.[3]  While Luther certainly did not invent antisemitism, one cannot discuss the question of Christian antisemitism without reference to him.  He wrote at least five treatises on the subject of “the Jews” [4].  One in particular has fueled the greatest discussion of the reformer’s attitude toward Jews…

If Protestant Christians are to sincerely proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all peoples, including Jews, such an enterprise must be entered into with full knowledge of the horrendous mistakes – indeed sins – of Christian forebears, including Luther’s (Probst C. Martin Luther and “The Jews” A Reprisal. The Theologian, UK (undated)  viewed 04/04/08 http://www.theologian.org.uk/churchhistory/lutherandthejews.html

The truth is worse than even portrayed above.   Martin Luther was NOT a true Christian, nor sadly are his Protestant followers.

Notice that Martin Luther advised his followers,

…to burn down Jewish schools and synagogues, and to throw pitch and sulphur into the flames; to destroy their homes; to confiscate their ready money in gold and silver; to take from them their sacred books, even the whole Bible; and if that did not help matters, to hunt them of the country like mad dogs (Luther’s Works, vol. Xx, pp. 2230-2632 as quoted in Stoddard JL. Rebuilding a Lost Faith, 1922, p.99).

Accordingly, it must and dare not be considered a trifling matter but a most serious one to seek counsel against this and to save our souls from the Jews, that is, from the devil and from eternal death. My advice, as I said earlier, is: First, that their synagogues be burned down, and that all who are able toss in sulphur and pitch (Martin Luther (1483-1546): On the Jews and Their Lies, 1543 as quoted from Luther’s Works, Volume 47: The Christian in Society IV, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971). pp 268­, 293). 

The fact is that Martin Luther, while correctly pointing out some of the flaws of the Roman Catholic Church, simply was not a real Christian.  Real Christians do not advocate racial hatred, nor do they kill (see also Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare?).

And people like WCG’s J. Tkach should know better than to promote Martin Luther.

Articles of related interest may include:

Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, did Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority? Statements from him changing and/or discounting 18 books of the Bible are included. Do you really want to know the truth?
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.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the Living Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example?
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?

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH 

COGwriter

In his latest “Speaking of Life” announcement, WCG’s J. Tkach teaches:

When God led Israel out of slavery in Egypt, he gave them the worship practice of sacrificing lambs. Before the first Passover, they were instructed to

“take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs” (Exodus 12:7 NIV).

The blood became a sign for Israel to remember that the death angel passed over their houses and did not invoke a death penalty of the firstborn in each house…

In the New Testament the theme about lambs and sin continues. The apostle John records that when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward the Jordan River, he said,

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NIV). Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, and when he died and rose for all human sin…

Jesus is not only the Creator and Judge of all things, he is also the sacrificial Lamb who takes the sins of the world upon himself and forgives them all. He is what the law always pointed to, but could never accomplish in itself. He is both the Creator and the Redeemer of his Universe. I encourage you to live in the redemption he has given us!

It is true that Jesus is the Lamb of God.  However, it is also true that Jesus set an example for us and observed the Christian Passover–He also told His followers to do this (Luke 22:15-19).

Sadly, J. Tkach and the Worldwide Church of God, although they quote some aspects of the Bible, in order to accept traditions of men, they have been transformed from the biblical truths to the point that they endorse Easter, a fertility holiday named after a pagan goddess.

Of course, you do not have to.  You can avoid pagan holidays and observe the biblical ones, such as Passover.  The holidays based upon the traditions of men simply do not properly explain God’s plan of salvation.

But the biblical holy days do.  Will you obey God or the traditions of men?

Several articles of related interest may include:

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?
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well.
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? This article supplies some biblical answers.
Is Lent a Christian Holiday? When did it originate? What about Ash Wednesday? If you observe them, do you know why?
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?

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH 

COGwriter

This morning I received an email from WCG that had links to two articles written by its leader, Joseph Tkach.  Here are some excerpts from both of them:

In Agoura Hills, about 180 elders, ministry leaders, and members gathered to learn how our connection with Christ translates into more meaningful ministry in our communities…

I gave the keynote address on Friday evening, titled “The Mystery of Godliness: Connected in Christ.”
In this presentation, I explain the key elements of a Trinitarian, Christ-centered theology…

Even though he is God, he is also human, one of us. 

Sadly, despite having some type of theological training, Joesph Tkach simply does not wish to teach the truth about the Godhead.  Jesus emptied Himself of His divinity while on earth, the Bible does not teach about a trinitarian God, and the early Christian Church was clearly binitarian.

Several articles of related interest would 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?
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?