CG7 in India? Indians Need to be Warned

Rebuilt Gymnasium in Sardis

CG7-Denver has announced in its Sep-Oct 2010 Bible Advocate magazine that it is trying to affiliate with another 250 congregations in India:

With more than 250 congregations spread over the states of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Mizoram, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, we have been striving since the formation of the Association of the Churches of God (Seventh Day) in India (February 2001) to bring unity among the brethren here. Supported by a team of dedicated servants like Elders George Hnamte, P. Kennedy, T. V. Rao, and other ordained ministers and evangelists, we have taken the initiative to preach the gospel of Christ to millions of souls and bring people to receive the Creator’s blessings — in part, by honoring Sabbath.

Those in India would do well by checking out what CG7-Denver teaches and comparing it to the Bible.

No doubt Sabbathkeepers in India have faced economic and social pressures to not fully observe the Sabbath. They would do well to realize that in the same edition of the Bible Advocate magazine, CG7 is allowing deacons and others to violate the Sabbath (for some details, please also see CG7 Allows Working on the Sabbath!).

Sabbathkeepers in India should be very careful about affiliating with a group that holds such compromising views on the Sabbath and other matters (CG7 has greatly discounted prophecy in articles in the past year and likely does not have the same view that most Sabbathkeepers in India hold to).

Indians need to be warned about considering affiliating with CG7 for many reasons.

Indians who wish to follow the true faith of the Bible should consider checking out the Living Church of God and seeing what it teaches compared to the Bible and CG7. LCG already has members in India and is open to those who wish to follow biblical teachings.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Church of God, Seventh Day: History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
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 Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
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).
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.
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?
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.