15 Accusations and Truthful Responses about Herbert W. Armstrong

15 Accusations and Truthful Responses about Herbert W. Armstrong
Robert J. Thiel

Original version was published as "Consider candid responses to 15 accustations about HWA" in The Journal: News of the Churches of God, February 28, 2003, pp. 6-7. A few small updates have been included in the on-line version.

Since first learning about the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) more than 30 years ago, I have heard many false accusations against the WCG and its leadership. This article, however, dwells only on the accusations I have personally heard against church founder Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA).

Although it is not likely this article will persuade anyone who has made up his mind that he/she doesn't like HWA, I hope those who are interested in the truth will realize that he has often been unfairly accused.

One problem with doing this research is that HWA grew up during a time when one was taught not to dignify false accusations with an answer. Thus he almost never denied the many attacks against him personally.

Another problem is that since he is dead (he died in January 1986) I cannot ask him about any of these matters.

It has been said that it is impossible to prove a negative. So about the only way this writer knows how to try to do that concerning someone who is dead is list the accusations, review whatever facts are available, consult with some who were around HWA for decades, attempt to contact witnesses, and include that information in this article.

I spoke with many people who had much contact with HWA relevant to these accusations, I spoke with several of the accusers, and I had E-mail communication with the reporters of some of the accusations. I name many of my sources, but several requested that I not include their names.

I have also reviewed various of HWA writings and writings of his critics. The accusations answered in this article range from what some might describe as the trivial to the deadly serious.

No middle name

Accusation No. 1: HWA was named Herbert Armstrong at birth and did not have W as his given middle initial.

This is true according to Living Church of God founder Roderick Meredith of Charlotte, North Carolina, and from one of HWA's relatives who lives near Tyler, Texas.

In all U.S. States I am aware of, anybody can take just about any name he wants, including middle initials, as long as he has no intent to defraud anyone.

There were apparently so many Herbert Armstrongs that HWA decided the sheer number of them caused confusion. One of them even lived across the street from the Pasadena, Calif., campus of Ambassador College (the school HWA founded) in the early days, causing problems with mail deliveries.

Why HWA chose W is not clear, but by adding it he made his name more distinctive.

In HWA's early years it was not unusual for people to have middle initials that did not stand for anything. An example is Harry S. Truman. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, President Truman's initial did not represent a middle name.

The excesses of youth

Accusation No. 2: HWA drank to excess.

A quotation attributed to HWA's grandson has it that HWA drank too much (see a quote from John Tuit's 1981 book The Truth Shall Make You Free).

However, HWA's grandson told The Journal that he did not "recognize the first person statement attributed to me in Tuit's book".

Other observers have said he was often sluggish or sleepy, presumably from alcohol, almost every night.

Another wrote: "Armstrong himself admitted to excessive drinking as a young man, but 'not at all even the fraction of the volume of an alcoholic' (Autobiography, p. 240)" ("Booze!," Dec. 9, 2002, Missing Dimension Web site, published by Gavin Rumney, Auckland, New Zealand, www.missingdimension.com).

The truth is that HWA did drink alcohol, as do probably a majority of Church of God members. Here is specifically what he himself wrote about his younger days and alcohol:

"I began palling around with two other young men who were advertising representatives of magazines. One of them was in process of separating from and divorcing his wife. The wife of the other was away for the summer and fall. We began to haunt nightclubs--then called cabarets. Often we would hang around these places of sorrowful, moaning, screeching, wailing music--if you could call such dirges 'music'--until 1 or 2 a.m. We began to drink--not at all even a fraction of the volume of an 'alcoholic'--but too much for efficiency" (Autobiography of Herbert Armstrong, 1986 edition, p. 243).

If HWA had as much problem with his liver due to alcohol as his critics have contended, then maybe he would have died prematurely because of liver damage. But he lived to be 92 1/2 years old.

Also, HWA did take a variety of medications, and some can make a person appear under the influence of alcohol when such is not the case.

Regarding the above quote attributed to HWA's grandson, he told this writer on Dec. 17, 2002: "I did not say those things in Tuit's book. He [HWA] was not a drunkard, and if he were he never could have done all the things he did." (He also made other strong denials of this allegation that I did not get down verbatim.)

This is the third or fourth accusation I have investigated in Tuit's book. Thus far every time I have contacted a source cited in the book, the source has denied making the accusation. I conclude that Tuit's book is entirely unreliable for anyone seriously interested in determining the truth about accusations against HWA.

Dixon Cartwright of Big Sandy, Texas, publisher of The Journal, did tell this writer that in the late 1970s at various times he answered the phone in the office of The Worldwide News in Pasadena when HWA was calling to dictate his editorial and that HWA "sounded as if he were under the influence."

However, Dixon Cartwright agreed that it is possible HWA could have been under the influence of medications, as HWA was on medications at the time.

Dr. Meredith acknowledged that he witnessed HWA drinking a "bit heavily" at times but never saw him incoherent or drunk.

Others have said HWA did drink at certain public functions and that he did, for a while, rely on alcohol to help him fall asleep at night--this part seems to be true.

Cocaine

Accusation No. 3: HWA was addicted to cocaine.

A former WCG member told me this in 1982.

This obviously false accusation is strongly denied by my numerous sources and in one respect is somewhat funny, since the toxic effects of cocaine are more or less the opposite of those for excess drinking: tachycardia, or extreme nervousness.

An addiction to cocaine would have been extremely difficult to conceal because, as one medical source (Merck Manual, 1999 edition) understates it: "Discontinuing sustained use of cocaine requires considerable assistance."

Gross impropriety

Accusation No. 4: HWA was guilty of gross sexual impropriety.

After reviewing the details of one particular allegation regarding sex and what I uncovered, Dixon Cartwright, The Journal's publisher, asked me to remove them from this article because of the lack of proof and because certain parties are not alive to defend themselves and because The Journal is a family publication.

Various versions of this accusation are extant, most of which seem to be based on a chapter of David Robinson's 1980 book Herbert W. Armstrong's Tangled Web. (A version of the accusations appears in Tuit's book as well.)

I investigated four allegations related to this specific accusation and concluded that unless certain alleged audiotapes (which have never been made public, and I requested them and even spoke to one who had claimed to hear them--he finally admitted to me that he actually had not) surface (and I made diligent inquiry to attempt to find them, including dozens of phone calls, plus E-mails through late February 2003, and even later after this article was originally published), the accusations are not provable and aspects of the accusations are indeed disprovable.

Perhaps I should mention that since one aspect of these accusations is common attributed to a comment supposedly made by HWA's son Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) concerning his dad and another relative. I personally called Garner Ted Armstrong's office on Dec. 12, 2002 to inquire about this particular accusation. I was not able to speak with GTA directly, but a key employee of the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association discussed it with him and got back with me. Through his spokesperson, GTA declined to comment except to pass on the message that "everything you really need to know about my father is contained within the autobiography." Thus GTA did not stand by a statement attributed to him on this matter--so how can any believe this?

In his Tangled Web book, the late D. Robinson wrote that "like the Wizard of Oz, Herbert Armstrong is operating on image. When his hand is called, there is no substance there. Like the Wizard, he is just a lot of bluster."

Based on my experience in trying to track down credible sources for this accusation, all I find--including a whole chapter in Robinson's book--is "just a lot of bluster." Actually, it appears to me that no one who has made or repeated most of the accusations against HWA actually has any real proof for most of them--no one seems to have checked with either the primary (those involved) or secondary sources (those with proof), but instead relied on accusation and rumor--simply stating a false charge does not make it true, no matter how many times it may be repeated.

Improper involvement

Accusation No. 5: HWA was improperly involved with female Ambassador College students.

Bernard Kelly's Bible Expositor newsletter of Oct. 19, 2001, publishes allegations that in 1957 HWA unsuccessfully attempted to recruit AC coed Suzanne Black as a "special lady" for the purpose of providing him with sexual favors and claimed that HWA justified his actions in this regard by declaring that he was "above the law."

I spoke with many who were around HWA in the late 1950s, including Dr. Meredith, Dibar Apartian and Wilbur Berg. They all said that, based on their close association with him at the time, they believed such accusations could not be true.

If the accusations were true, why would Suzanne Black remain a WCG member until 1975, some 18 years after the alleged incidents, and why would her husband teach at Imperial Schools in Big Sandy and later at Ambassador College many years after the alleged incidents?

I even spoke with her husband, Wiley Black, on this matter. In my opinion his comments, as well as the report in Kelly's newsletter, were contradictory and illogical. It is clear to me that those that repeat this accusation simply have not attempted to question either of the Blacks about it.

B. Kelly also quotes S. Black as saying HWA's wife, Loma, forced her to clean toilets in a women's dormitory with her bare hands and that Dr. Meredith tried to drown her by pushing her head forcefully against a rock while he was baptizing her, an accusation Dr. Meredith categorically denies.

When taken as a whole, S. Black's testimony, as published by Kelly, lacks any credibility.

HWA's disposition

Accusation No. 6: HWA had a temper.

By numerous accounts, this accusation is true.

False prophecies?

Accusation No. 7: HWA made false prophecies.

Various sources have leveled this accusation. For this article, I simply cite one of them, the book Transformed by Truth by Joseph Tkach Jr.

Under the heading "Failed Prophecies" in chapter 11, J. Tkach listed several supposed failed prophecies of HWA:

* Mr. Armstrong wrote that the death of Pope Paul VI could "plunge the world into the most terrifying crisis ever experience by man."

* Mr. Armstrong wrote that a meeting of Catholic cardinals "may well prove to be a WORLD-SHAKING EVENT--the most important world event since World War II!"

* In 1980 Mr. Armstrong wrote that the world had "entered into a 'whole new ball game.' The intervention of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan changes the whole world picture."

* Mr. Armstrong wrote that the 1980s "well might see the END of this present world; WAKE UP!"

* In the early '80s Mr. Armstrong wrote that "signs are now fast appearing that our Work of the GREAT COMMISSION may be much more near completed than we have realized." n Mr. Armstrong wrote, in the early '80s, that "God's great work through His Church (Philadelphia era) may be FINISHED in a matter of months."

* Mr. Armstrong wrote of the 1980 U.S. presidential election that "this present election travesty may well be the very LAST political election for the presidency of the United States, with little incompetent men vying for the coveted prize."

* In 1981 Mr. Armstrong wrote that the conditions that would allow Bible prophecies to be fulfilled were "fast accelerating, indicating that we are indeed in the very last of the last days." He predicted that "terrible, frightful things are going to happen in the next few years that are going to take the lives of probably two thirds or more of all the people now living on the face of the earth."

My response to J. Tkach's listing here of these supposed examples of HWA's prophecies is to point out that many of HWA's predictions did indeed come to pass, even though HWA obviously believed we were closer to the events of the very end time than we were.

Nevertheless, the death of Paul VI did trigger a drastic turnaround in world events, ultimately leading to the appointment by the Catholic cardinals of Pope John Paul II, who was instrumental in helping break Eastern Europe free from communist influence.

The invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviets did change world events markedly. It contributed to the bankrupting and disolution of the Soviet Union. It contributed to the influence of leaders such as Osama Bin Laden. Those events are still resonating in the aftermath of Sept. 11 and the war on terrorism.

The WCG under HWA did at least partially fulfill the prophecies of Matthew 24:14 and Revelation 3:7-8 about the work of the end-time Church of God.

Regarding the 1980 presidential election, in November 1980, HWA sent Herman Hoeh out to state that the election of Ronald Reagan meant that there would be much more time (Sermon, Sacramento, November 1980). I personally heard this.

HWA did make various errors in the 1940s in his predictions concerning the outcome of World War II. But his main errors were when he suggested--or at least implied--dates for specific prophecies.

None of the specific "prophecy" items listed above in Transformed by Truth were actually false. After all, if the criterion for a true or false prophecy is that it happens when the predictor thinks it will happen, then Paul, Peter and even Jesus are guilty of the same type of false prophecies that HWA is accused of. (For example, "Surely I am coming quickly," Revelation 22:20).

Further, when HWA said something "may" happen, he was not making a false prophecy. It was true that certain things might have happened. He allowed for that when he used the word "may."

HWA critics also tend to forget that he made many correct predictions. For example, in the December 1948 issue of The Plain Truth HWA predicted a coming "United States of Europe." As recently as October 2002, Valery Giscard d'Estaing suggested that the name of the European Community should be changed to United States of Europe. I believe HWA was among the first if not the first to coin the term United States of Europe for the government that is even now still forming in Europe. Even if the EU is never renamed, the truth still stands that a united states of Europe is still forming.

HWA also correctly predicted that the Soviet Union would never launch a major attack on the United States. He also preached that East and West Germany would reunite (which happened) and lead a unified Europe (which is happening). At the Feast of Tabernacles in Tucson, Ariz., in October 1979, the WCG taught that the unified Europe would probably include many nations then in the communist bloc.

Although the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand have not been taken over by a German-led unified Europe (that ultimately will not include the U.K.), many of us in the COGs believe this prediction will eventually come to pass.

Another point needs to be made here. HWA never claimed to be a "prophet" in the accepted sense (see accusation 14). He did not receive information in visions and dreams or from God face to face, as did the prophets of old. Therefore it is improper, in my opinion, to characterize any predictions of his that did fail to come to pass as "false prophecies."

Income matters

Accusation No. 8: HWA made predictions he knew were false in order to maximize the WCG's income.

Although it is true that at one time HWA apparently believed that members of the WCG would probably "flee" to a "place of safety" in 1972 and that Jesus Christ would probably return in 1975, as those dates grew closer HWA and associates apparently began to have second thoughts about the accepted time line. John Robinson of Decatur, Ind., wrote an article in 1997 that talked about this aspect of the history of the WCG. As 1972 drew near, wrote John Robinson, some in the WCG "began to question the time line set forth by Mr. Armstrong and Herman L. Hoeh, the chief architect of the church's teachings on government and prophetic understanding. The first high-profile minister to do so was Roderick C. Meredith, then head of the WCG ministers . . .

"In the late 1960s Mr. Meredith wrote in a letter to the ministry that he felt there was 'more time left than we had expected.' "To his credit, Mr. Meredith tackled the issue head on and began to influence members to rethink the issue" ("WCG Governmental History Traced Up to Tkach Era," In Transition, Jan. 31, 1997). Dr. Meredith informed me that Mr. Armstrong sent the letter (which was quoted by J. Robinson) to all WCG ministers in 1969.

Further, here is what Leroy Neff of Big Sandy, Texas, a retired WCG evangelist, treasurer and AC faculty member, recently said on the subject of Christ's predicted return in 1975: "Rod Meredith preached strongly around 1970 that it was very unlikely" ("Third Ambassador Campus Came to Texas in 1964," by John Warren, The Journal, Sept. 30, 2002).

If HWA were trying to milk money out of church members and the church's "coworkers," you would think he would have waited until late 1975 and claimed to have had a vision that instructed him to change the date. Instead, he encouraged Dr. Meredith inform the ministry and others that 1975 would not likely be the end. The truth is that HWA did believe what he wrote and so strongly wanted Christ to return that he sometimes allowed his enthusiasm to bias his writings.

Money matters

Accusation No. 9: HWA was in it for the money.

HWA believed what he wrote--according to all sources with whom I spoke in connection with this article, including people I haven't yet mentioned by name, such as Aaron Dean of Gladewater, Texas, and even people who can be described as critics of HWA, such as Art Mokarow and Norman Edwards.

A careful reading of HWA's autobiography reveals that his decision to preach had the immediate effect of hurting his income rather than enhancing it. It was several decades before his income was reliably better than before he had began to preach. If he had been in it for the money, one would have expected him to retire at some point and live off what he had accumulated. Instead, he continued to make telecasts until shortly before he died at age 92, visited 70 nations to proclaim the gospel after he was of retirement age and pushed himself relentlessly to get the gospel out.

The value of world trips

Accusation No. 10: HWA wasted money visiting world leaders and other dignitaries, and in other ways, without financial accountabilty.

HWA believed that Matthew 24:14 (the gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations) applied to him personally. He went to 70 nations directly and all the rest indirectly (through attending, as well as speaking at, various state functions).

I do not doubt that some money was wasted, but, as a former cost accountant, I think I am qualified to state that money is almost always wasted to some degree when major projects are undertaken.

Of HWA's visits with world leaders Legacy Institutes' Leon Sexton of Bangkok, Thailand, wrote: "In 1984, Herbert W. Armstrong visited King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit in this same palace. I was along as part of the Ambassador Foundation team. At that time the queen explained her project and the goals she wanted to achieve to help her people. The project was in its infancy and the queen needed help. Mr. Armstrong decided to help the queen get her silk project off the ground and donated seed money. "Now, nearly two decades later, we find that the church's involvement in these projects to help the poor in Thailand, through the efforts of the king and queen, have once again been blessed by God and have born abundant fruit. So much for the gainsayers who say Herbert Armstrong was throwing money down a rathole by giving to help the royal family of Thailand or that he 'bought meetings' with them with church money!" (as quoted from a letter to Legacy supporters dated Nov. 9, 2002).

Furthermore, regarding wasted money to do the work of God, even those called of God sometimes erroneously make this accusation--the disciples did! "A woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, 'Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.' But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, 'Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her' " (Matthew 26:8-14).

However, it was apparently Judas, who later betrayed Jesus, who objected the most, "Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. " (John 12:3-6). Perhaps Judas influenced the other disciples to believe a false accusation-and perhaps those in the Churches Of God can learn from this lesson and not let those who make false accusations improperly influence them.

Regarding financial accountability, HWA's WCG was audited by major accounting firms and published proper financial statements. But for some reason, critics tend to ignore them.

Ministerial credentials

Accusation No. 11: HWA was never properly credentialed as a minister.

This is simply not true--though it is true that years after he left the Church of God (Seventh Day), they revoked his credentials with them.

Elder John Kiesz of Denver, Colo. (who died in 1996), an associate of HWA in the 1920s and '30s in the Church of God (Seventh Day) wrote (according to the Giving & Sharing Web site [www.giveshare.org]): "In 1931 he [HWA] was ordained to the ministry, and in 1932 he received his Ministerial License Certificate from the Oregon Conference of the Church of God, signed by O.J. Runcorn as President, and Mrs. I.E. Curtis as Secretary. The headquarters of the General Conference of the Church of God (7th Day) had been at Stanberry, Missouri, since the late 1880's."

Crediting sources

Accusation No. 12: HWA was forgetful, and he was a plagiarist.

Yes, HWA could be forgetful. After reading various editions of HWA's United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy and J.H. Allen's book Jacob's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright, I do not agree that he was guilty of plagiarizing Allen's book. Although I believe HWA got certain ideas about this subject from Mr. Allen and, from what I have heard, the first edition of US&BC, which I have not seen, was much closer to Allen's work, I also believe HWA simply comes to conclusions different from Allen's in too many instances for any plagiarism charge to hold water, especially in HWA's later editions. Of course, if HWA did make significant use of Allen's work, then he should have credited Allen, even if his use of this work falls short of plagiarism.

HWA paraphrased more than he should have, but, since he, along with his wife, Loma, was the entire editorial and publish staff for a while, it is understandable that they could have become careless in this regard.

Regarding Has Time Been Lost?, it appears that this booklet was quite similar to a booklet originally produced by the Church of God (Seventh Day). According to an article by Norman Edwards (Servant's News, November 1998), the CG7 did not have a copyright notice on it when it published it. Edwards also wrote, "The two booklets are word-for-word identical in about half of the places. Armstrong did add some things, but in many places he simply dropped out information--such as the 1910 dates of encyclopedias which, if included, would make the booklet look 'old' (see p. 24)." At the time CG7 published it, without such a copyright notice, the information was in the 'public domain' and it would have been legal for it to have been copied and republished (but I feel that should something in the book should have indicated that it was republished). I think it is likely that either HWA did not recall that he did not write much of this particular booklet or some of his staff made an improper assumption. As a writer I can verify that the more you write the less you remember about what you actually did write. I think a factor in HWA's failure to properly credit other sources was his lack of formal education. Even though he was a naturally talented writer, he was not privy to formal training that would have instilled in him the highest regard for properly crediting other people's works.

The 18 truths

Accusation No. 13: HWA's "18 truths" are not individually all original.

This is true but not relevant. People who hurl this accusation fail to recall that HWA did not say he came up with his list of truths. He wrote: "At least 18 basic and essential truths have been restored to the True Church since" the year 1933 (Mystery of the Ages, Dodd & Mead, 1985, p. 251), and he said in a sermon in which he listed the truths that the "Philadelphia Era of the Church," which he believed to be the WCG, was "restoring what had been taken away, restoring what had been taken away" (Sermon. "Mission of the Philadelphia Church Era," Dec. 17, 1983). (Here is a link to an article that list those truths titled Did You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made?)

Thus HWA believed the Ephesus (apostolic) era, the first of seven, held to certain truths that God used him to restore to the Philadelphia (sixth) era of the church. HWA also acknowledged that other, non-Church of God, groups had portions of the truth (he wrote this in a letter to WCG members dated Nov. 19, 1976).

Divine revelation?

Accusation No. 14: HWA, as did Joseph Smith and other religious leaders, claimed to have divine revelations.

HWA did not claim to have massive amounts of biblical truth instantly revealed to him by God or an angel. He documents in his autobiography how he engaged himself in a six-month study of the Bible after being challenged on the Sabbath and other issues. He also wrote, "Emphatically I am NOT a prophet, in the sense of one to whom God speaks directly, revealing personally a future event to happen or new truth, or new or special instruction from God--separate from, and apart from what is contained in the Bible. And I never have claimed to be" (Tomorrow's World, June 1972).

An unlikely source to back of HWA's claim in this regard is Joseph Tkach Jr. Here is some more of what he wrote about HWA and the subject of divine revelation in Transformed by Truth: "Mr. Armstrong used the term revealed in a way substantially different from how one might see it defined in most dictionaries or seminary textbooks. When he said something had been revealed to him, he did not mean that God had poured the new understanding directly into his waiting mind. No, whatever the new teaching happened to be, it usually came through a more human channel. "When some people hear this for the first time, they wrongly assume that Mr. Armstrong knowingly talked about 'new revelation' in a deceitfully malicious way. When he'd talk about ideas being revealed to him, most people automatically assumed he meant revealed in the sense of Paul's experience on the Damascus road or Isaiah's experience when he was called into ministry as described in Isaiah 6. But this would be to misunderstand. "Mr. Armstrong's use of the term revealed was a good deal more elastic than that, and I don't believe it was deliberately deceitful or malicious . . . Regardless of what you may personally think of Herbert W. Armstrong, one fact is incontrovertible: The overriding reason our reforms have developed and taken root is that Mr. Armstrong himself always insisted that those who want to follow God must find out what God's Word really says, then go and do it."

J. Tkach's most serious charge

Accusation 15: HWA ran a cult.

If the Joseph Tkach WCG had real reason to know that Mr. Armstrong was guilty of any of the 14 previous accusations, it is logical that it would have mentioned them or perhaps included them in his book Transformed by Truth. The truth is that the only accusations above that are directly mentioned to in the book (or official WCG sources) are those regarding prophecies. Yes, J. Tkach states that HWA was wrong doctrinally and prophetically, but perhaps the roughest comment alluded to be against HWA in Transformed by Truth was suggesting HWA taught "cultism": "As successor to WCG founder Herbert W. Armstrong, Tkach boldly led the Pasadena, California-based church from cultism into Christianity." I disagree. I believe he ran the most biblically-based church that existed on the earth--which, according to Jesus, would be a little flock (Luke 12:32).

God uses imperfect people

Throughout history, God has called and used imperfect human beings. Noah is recorded to have gotten drunk (Genesis 9:21). Lot got drunk at least two times and then unknowingly committed incest on those occasions (19:30-36), yet the Bible calls him 'righteous' (II Peter 2:7-8). Abraham (12:12-13), Isaac (26:7), Jacob (27:24), and Joseph (42:7) all lied or were at least misleading at some time. Sarah dealt harshly with a maidservant (16:6;21:10) and lied to God's representative (18:15). Moses had a temper, was a murderer, and a fugitive from justice (Exodus 2:11-15). David was a womanizer (I Samuel 25:42-43), adulterer (II Samuel 11:3-4), and murderer (11:14-24), who displeased God (vs. 27), yet David was also a man after God's heart (I Samuel 13:14). The Apostle Peter lied, cursed, and denied Jesus (Mark 14:67-71), and later was caught being hypocritical by the Apostle Paul (Galatians 2:11-13). Paul referred to himself as a "wretched man" (Romans 7:24) and his original name was Saul (Acts 7:58). "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). By writing this paragraph, I am not saying that I think HWA is guilty of anything I did not think he was guilty of before (and even if he was and he repented, that is between him and God). I am simply stating that if the reader comes to a different conclusion on some of the accusations, that simply does not take away from what God had him accomplish.

The fact remains that it is pretty hard--some would say impossible--to prove a negative. No matter how many people with whom I try to verify various supposed facts, it is nearly impossible to prove that something did not happen. On the other hand, most of the allegations I have encountered are illogical, do not fit with the facts and cannot be properly verified either (plus HWA has been dead for more than 19 years).

Jesus accused too

Jesus was falsely called "a glutton and a winebibber" (Luke 7:34), was implied to be a child of fornication (John 8:41), falsely accused of having a demon (Matthew 12:24), questioned about whether he paid taxes (Matthew 17:24;22:17), and was falsely accused of breaking the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-14). He was correctly called (by some of the same accusers) "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Luke 7:34), called the leader of people accused of transgressing the "traditions of the elders" (Matthew 15:2), one who had many false witnesses rise up against him (Matthew 26:59-60), recorded to have demonstrated public anger and outrage (Mark 11:15-21), reportedly arrested as if He were a robber (Mark 14:48), and crucified with thieves (Matthew 27:38)). Jesus was even "numbered with the transgressors" (Luke 22:37), yet Jesus was the Son of God.

People attacked Jesus personally because they did not want people to heed His message--that appears to be a leading reason for the accusations against HWA. It is easier to attempt to attack the messenger than the biblical message. Of course, today, many not only attack the dead, but the living--such as Roderick Meredith, human leader, under Jesus Christ, of the Living Church of God (for more information, please read the article 11 Accusations and Truthful Responses about Roderick Meredith).

That you be not condemned

Those who wish to pass judgment against HWA on the aforementioned allegations would do well to mediate on this: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Matthew 7:1-2).

If something illegal ever happened, the proper biblical course of action (according to the apostle Paul) would have been to press charges, for if any "have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls" (Acts 19:38-39). The courts were open for HWA when he was alive, and if any crime occurred the charges should have been brought 19 to 70 years ago.

Actually, when the WCG was charged in court for alleged misuse of public funds (and it is my understanding that John Tuit was one of the parties that filed against HWA on this), the State of California eventually dismissed the charges. Though various accusations may have been made in court cases, HWA was never convicted of any crime I am aware of, including any of the accusations listed in this article, nor was proof of them offered against him in court.

If HWA were guilty of a crime, God will have to judge him. Although I do believe some of the charges I listed above are valid--such as HWA's temper and (with the qualifications I listed) his carelessness in not properly credited some of his sources--I do believe was a man of God.

Most of the allegations against him are similar to those made against other spiritual leaders down through the ages. God holds us accountable for what we know. In this article, I did my best to share what I know about the accusations and truth about Mr. Armstrong. I have little doubt that his critics will try to dismiss most of the truth shown in this article.

Hearing the truth

The Bible also suggests that knowing the facts about possibly sordid matters can help one that God is calling. Those who may doubt that should recall that Joseph was not quite sure on how to handle Mary's premarital pregnancy until God sent an angelic messenger to tell him the facts (Matthew 1:18-23). Is it not hard to believe that your fiance is a virgin when she is pregnant?

Joseph, however, made the right decision once he heard the truth (vs. 24). But others in the Bible did not, even though the truth had been revealed to them (i.e. Eve, Jonah).

Will you?

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The Legacy of Herbert Armstrong by Stephen Flurry

From The Philadelphia Trumpet magazine:

The Legacy of Herbert Armstrong
By Stephen Flurry
February 2002

“What an impact Mr. Armstrong had on my life! As God’s servant, he brought the message of God’s law and way of life not only to me, but to all those whose minds God would open. Because of his yieldedness, God was able to use him in a profound way to proclaim the most important message the world will ever hear.” Those were the words of Joseph Tkach, who succeeded Mr. Armstrong as pastor general of the Worldwide Church of God in January 1986 (Worldwide News, Feb. 10, 1986).

The impact of Mr. Armstrong’s lifelong service to God was not only felt by Mr. Tkach, it was felt by thousands of other members of the wcg. It was felt by millions of people who were introduced to Mr. Armstrong through the World Tomorrow television program or the Plain Truth magazine. The impact was felt by many world leaders, most of whom Mr. Armstrong was able to meet with privately.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan sent this note to the wcg shortly after Mr. Armstrong’s death (emphasis mine throughout): “Mr. Armstrong contributed to sharing the word of the Lord with his community and with people throughout the nation. You can take pride in his legacy. Our prayers are with you. God bless you.”

Otto von Hapsburg, a member of the European Parliament, sent this message: “Deeply shocked by news of the death of unforgettable Mr. Armstrong. Am with you all in prayers for him and hopes for successful continuation of his life’s work.”

Teddy Kollek, mayor of Jerusalem at the time, wrote, “One could only be deeply impressed by his vast efforts to promote understanding and peace among peoples. His good deeds were felt in many corners of the world.”

Mr. Armstrong’s impact did not go unnoticed by the media either. Many major newspapers carried the news of his death. The Pasadena Star News wrote, “[T]hose who choose—or who believe they are divinely chosen—to spread the message of monotheism in the world are bound to endure more than their share of mortal vicissitudes. Many of these men and women, however, leave a legacy that makes all their suffering worthwhile. Herbert W. Armstrong was such a man” (Jan. 17, 1986).

Historical Sketch

In the autumn of 1926, Mr. Armstrong was challenged by his wife, Loma, into an almost night-and-day, intensive study of the Bible. He wrote, “My research was totally different from that of students in a seminary. They absorb what they are taught in the doctrines of their denomination. … But I had been called specially by the living God. … I was taught by Christ what I did not want to believe but what He showed me was true!” (Mystery of the Ages). On the strength of his convictions Mr. Armstrong began to preach the Bible doctrines he had come to understand.

In January of 1934, the World Tomorrow radio program began airing. One month later, the Plain Truth began in humble form with just a few hundred copies.

In 1939, the Good News was established. This bulletin, established mainly for members and co-workers, soon became a full-color magazine and was received monthly by over one million subscribers before Mr. Armstrong’s death.

In the autumn of 1947, Ambassador College was founded in Pasadena, Calif. Later, colleges were started in Bricket Wood, England, and Big Sandy, Tex.

The 1950s proved to be a decade of tremendous advancements in God’s work. In 1953, The World Tomorrow began airing in Europe on Radio Luxembourg. Two years later, the program appeared on television.

The 1960s saw many advancements in the Plain Truth. The first full-color edition was published in 1965, 31 years after its inception. The magazine also appeared in German, French, Spanish and Dutch in the 1960s.

Mr. Armstrong spent much of the 1970s traveling worldwide, meeting kings, presidents and other heads of state, including Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, Prime Minister Eisaku Sato of Japan, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, President Nguyen Van Thieu of South Vietnam, and King Hussein of Jordan, to name just a few. Mr. Armstrong was fulfilling the commission prophesied in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

In 1972, Mr. Armstrong broke ground for the construction of Ambassador Auditorium, which would be finished over two years later—constructed with some of the finest materials on Earth. At its grand opening, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performed.

Power Struggle

In the 1970s, God’s Church also had its share of rebellion and controversy. Much of the dissension was occurring at Pasadena headquarters because of Mr. Armstrong’s absence. During this controversial time period, he was gone from headquarters close to 300 days a year due to overseas travel.

In 1974, the first major revolt in the wcg occurred. In a massive rebellion, at least 35 ministers rallied around two top men at headquarters, leading astray about 2000 brethren.

Shortly thereafter, Mr. Armstrong’s son, Garner Ted, began his attempt to take over the Church. Garner Ted had much control of the work when Mr. Armstrong was overseas—changing many of the core doctrines and pursuing accreditation for Ambassador College, which, according to Mr. Armstrong, caused the watering down of Bible truth and escalating permissiveness on campus. “God Almighty and Jesus Christ were virtually thrown out of the college—and were rapidly being thrown out of the Church!” (Good News, Sept. 1979).

Shortly thereafter, Garner Ted was disfellowshiped from the Church. Unfortunately for the work, the troubles did not stop there. During the autumn of 1978, six disfellowshiped wcg members began to plot a conspiracy against the Church in the form of a class action lawsuit.

Mr. Armstrong wrote in the June 24, 1985, Worldwide News, “This resulted in an ex parte order by a judge. Secretly without prior notice, deputies on order of the attorney general’s office swooped down on the Church on the morning of January 3, 1979.” This launched what became the single greatest attack against God’s 20th-century Church as a whole to that point.

A Fight for God’s Church

Perhaps at no time is the true character of a leader unveiled more than at a time of crisis. The year 1979 was such a time in God’s Church. Those familiar with Herbert Armstrong and the wcg at the time witnessed an unbelievable fight by Mr. Armstrong against not only former members of the Church, but against the entire state of California!

The main accusation made by Garner Ted was against his father’s “lavish spending.” The charges (which were later thoroughly disproven) prompted the state attorney general to appoint retired Judge Steven Weisman as the receiver of the Church. On the morning of January 3, Judge Weisman entered the wcg headquarters in Pasadena and summarily “fired” Herbert Armstrong, or so he thought. At the time, Mr. Armstrong was residing in Tucson, Ariz., which left him somewhat protected from the State of California.

Describing Mr. Armstrong’s reaction to these events, Stanley Rader wrote in his book, Against the Gates of Hell, “Problems have never upset Mr. Armstrong, and he reacted even to this serious threat with serenity, courage and confidence.”

Two and a half weeks later, Church members began to demonstrate their unwavering support for Mr. Armstrong by gathering at the Church headquarters in Pasadena. The slow trickle of people soon became a flood that converged on the Hall of Administration. The members brought food and bedding to stay in the Church’s buildings in order to defend Mr. Armstrong. Mr. Armstrong did not organize the event. None of the Church leaders anticipated it. It was a spontaneous reaction of faith and courage by those members who were out to fight for God’s Church.

After the gathering of thousands of members, Church officials Dean Blackwell and Joseph Tkach began to organize an actual church service in the Hall of Administration where the receiver was supposed to come in and work! By this time, the news of the attempted overthrow was national. It was being covered by many major newspapers.

Mr. Armstrong responded in a live telephone hook-up to Pasadena from Tucson: “The people of God have always been willing to suffer whatever they have to do for the living God! And I tell you, this has drawn us together.” He advised the members to “be subject to the law, but obey God rather than man!” He said, “If we have to begin to suffer the persecution of being thrown in prison, I will be the first to go. … God is fighting this battle for us, and God is stronger than man!” That evening, the headline for the late edition of the Los Angeles Times blared, “Ready for jail—Armstrong.”

Meanwhile, Herbert Armstrong was systematically getting the Church “back on track,” while diligently fighting against the state’s unconstitutional attack. In the process, the wcg received the support of dozens of churches that recognized the danger of such an attack—support from churches with different doctrines, but all clinging to one common belief: freedom of religion.

On October 14, 1980, the state dropped the case against the wcg when the legislature passed a law barring the attorney general from investigating religious organizations the way they had with the wcg.

Stanley Rader said, about Mr. Armstrong during this time, “Over the years of my close association with this remarkable man, I have noted abundant evidence that he is the embodiment of his own message of hope and trust that the living God will provide man with the wisdom to prevail over obstacles” (ibid.).

The attack did nothing to weaken Herbert Armstrong or the wcg. The Church was cleaned up, and the members who stood by Mr. Armstrong through the battle against the state were strengthened by it. The fruits of cleaning up the Church became clearly evident over the next several years.

Greatest Growth in Church History

The wcg had its greatest spurt of growth during 1980 to 1986—right after a tremendous amount of turmoil both inside and outside the Church, at a time when many ex-members of the wcg were claiming Mr. Armstrong was incompetent and senile. The surge forward by the wcg in the last years of Herbert Armstrong’s life proves, without refutation, just how powerfully he was being used by God.

Contrast the Church in the late 1970s to the year Mr. Armstrong died: the annual income went from $75 million to $200 million; Plain Truth circulation went from 1 million to peak at over 8 million; the television stations carrying The World Tomorrow, numbering 50 in 1978, grew to nearly 400 worldwide at the end of Mr. Armstrong’s life.

In 1981, Mr. Armstrong established Youth magazine for young people. And in early 1985, Mr. Armstrong began working on what he called “the largest and most important book in [his] life,” Mystery of the Ages. After it was completed later that year, he said God had helped him “to do the best work of [his] 93 years of life.”

In August of 1985, Mr. Armstrong became ill. That same month he taped his last two World Tomorrow broadcasts. Soon after, he taped the opening night message for the Feast of Tabernacles that fall.

On January 10, 1986, Mr. Armstrong appointed Joseph Tkach to be the pastor general of the wcg should God choose to remove him. Then on January 16, 1986, early in the morning, Mr. Armstrong died in his home on the Church’s property in Pasadena.

Those Close to Mr. Armstrong

Mr. Armstrong left an indelible impression on many people. But none were as deeply affected by his life as those who worked alongside him for many years. Many of those men who were with him in the last years of his life wrote articles in the Worldwide News tribute issue of February 10, 1986.

Larry Omasta worked closely with Mr. Armstrong on the television program. “Once he was satisfied,” wrote Mr. Omasta, “he became engrossed in his message, going through the entire half-hour message without a break. Many people never adjust to speaking to a camera, but Mr. Armstrong knew that the camera lens represented a world that needed the message he had to deliver. That, I think, is what made him such a compelling speaker. He did not speak at his audience—he spoke to them.”

A wcg evangelist, Norman Smith, had worked with Mr. Armstrong on the radio broadcast back in the 1950s: “Mr. Armstrong was a towering influence in our lives. The personal memories we each have of his powerful broadcasts will be an inspiration to continue and complete the work we are given to do.”

Dexter Faulkner, former executive editor for the Plain Truth, said, “Mr. Armstrong was a seasoned communicator, widely recognized for his outstanding ability in writing and advertising. … He was interested in what God wanted in the Church’s publications. And he insisted that every headline, every article, every advertisement bring this world a little closer to God’s Kingdom.”

Ellis La Ravia, then vice president of the Ambassador Foundation, said, “His example of drive, enthusiasm and determination in God’s service set the standard for all of us. He always gave God credit for everything. He left high standards. He will be missed.”

Roderick Meredith, professor at Ambassador College at the time, referred to Mr. Armstrong as a “second father” for many of the college students. According to Dr. Meredith, Mr. Armstrong “was a human dynamo, working, driving and building a dedicated organization through which Christ could work to impart His message to this generation. … As with any other truly great man, there will never be another like him.”

Leroy Neff, former treasurer for the wcg, said, “No one I have known has had such singleness of thought and purpose. Most of his thoughts and conversation related to God’s work and God’s Word. … I found him to be the most generous person I have ever known.”

Frank Brown, regional director in Britain and other nearby countries, said he felt Mr. Armstrong’s greatest attribute, “apart from his desire to do God’s work, was his clarity of vision. He had the rare ability to think far in the future and envision not only what God was leading him to do, but its ultimate outcome. Mr. Armstrong was a visionary. … Those of us in the Church today are all incomparably richer for having a part in Mr. Armstrong’s vision and reality of the future. He was loved. He will be missed.”

Follow the Formula

Mr. Armstrong left a tremendous impact on many people. You would think the formula for success would be quite simple after his death: follow in the traditions Mr. Armstrong established and everything will be fine, right? Mr. Tkach said on the day Mr. Armstrong died, “The admonishment is now for those of us still living who now have a task that is set before them, a course that has already been charted by God’s apostle. We need to maintain that course and not deviate from it one iota.” At Mr. Armstrong’s funeral, Mr. Tkach said, “We readily admit and acknowledge that there is no man who can fill his shoes, but, Father, we aim to follow in his footsteps.”

There’s no doubt Mr. Armstrong had an impact on so many, especially while he was alive. The sad part about it is, today, if someone were to make similar statements about Mr. Armstrong, that individual would no doubt be labeled by many as one who worships a dead man. For the Church he founded certainly did not “follow in his footsteps.”

The wcg has undergone a complete transformation, and the many words of praise and support for Mr. Armstrong having turned into words of shame and embarrassment over much of what he did. Even for those not familiar with Mr. Armstrong or the wcg, it would be obvious that there was a massive betrayal against him in the church he was used to raise up.

The Message Lives On

Herbert Armstrong was a man whose drive and determination “set the standard for all of us.” He was a “human dynamo.” “Our lives were enriched spiritually and physically” because of him. “As with any other truly great man, there will never be another like him.”

Perhaps the true significance of Mr. Armstrong’s life wasn’t fully realized by some of us until after he died. Thankfully, the message he taught has been preserved through tapes and written material. Even though he is dead, the work God did through him can have a huge impact on us.

Mr. Armstrong was God’s 20th-century apostle. He was God’s man. And yet today, he is only “dust” in the earth, awaiting the resurrection of the saints. He hasn’t been deified by the Philadelphia Church of God. He wasn’t perfect, nor was he infallible. But the fact that he was used by God in this age to broadcast and prepare the way for the soon-coming return of Jesus Christ is undeniable. Mr. Armstrong is gone, but his legacy lives on.

Shimon Peres plots to return to power over Sharon's dead body

www.IsraelNationalNews.com reports:

Politics Creeping Back Up Into Headlines
18:26 Jan 08, '06 / 8 Tevet 5766
By Hillel Fendel


Knesset Speaker Rivlin says it's time for Likud to quit gov't, while Foreign Minister Shalom says he and the three others should remain for now. Acting PM Olmert faces some political challenges too...

The future of Shimon Peres is also not clear. He left Labor several weeks ago to join Kadima, exclusively because of Ariel Sharon. "I do not believe that it is possible to advance the peace process in the current political situation," Peres said at the time, "other than with a coalition. The only one who can lead this is Ariel Sharon." With Sharon all but out of the picture, Peres is now reportedly considering returning to Labor - although aides close to him denied this. He met with Olmert on Friday.

***************************


Of course that bloody vulture Shimon Peres (who came to power over Rabin's dead body) would talk to Ehud Olmert to position himself to return to power. The future of the politicking Shimon Peres is clear: Shimon Peres wants to finish what he has started: the phased destruction of Israel leading to EU occupation of Jerusalem and foreign divisions polluting the Holy Land.

The vulture's German-Jesuit masters have their evil eye on the Temple Mount and have begun their siege against Israeli sovereignty and will soon demand the accursed UN Resolution 181 be enforced with a swift betrayal and swoop to seize the Temple Mount. Watch and weep and save yourselves and your country, O Israel, if it's not too late.

The Kempler Video

Intelligence Summit Misses the Mark: The German-Jesuit Threat to World Peace

The Intelligence Summit Misses the Mark: the German-Jesuit Threat to World Peace

Greetings to one and all, in the name and memory of Herbert W. Armstrong who visited and addressed many leaders of the nations you represent here today. Mr. Armstrong, ambassador for world peace without political portfolio, was a man sent by the Great Creator God (who made all men and determined the boundaries and languages of each nation) to deliver a bittersweet message.

I shall also deliver that bittersweet message, standing before you, facing the nations, dressed in a black t shirt, jeans and sackcloth -- not your typical attire for such important affairs, but these are not normal times and business as usual will soon be history, as you all very much know and express your concern by gathering here in the United States of America to address these issues that threaten all mankind.

The world waits with bated breath to hear the recording of the former tyrant Saddam Hussein and questions whether they will confirm his weapons of mass destruction program and justify President George W. Bush's decision to launch his preemptive attack against belligerent Iraq. Regardless, our American troops have already been dispatched, they have bravely fought and deposed the proud dictator who imagined himself a modern Nebuchadnezzar driven to destroy the Jews, and free elections have now been held in that liberated country - not that democracy alone is the message God has ordained our British-Israelite nations to spread. But I share with you a greater recording that will directly affect each and every one of you, and trouble your nations and bring mankind to the brink of extinction unless that “Strong Unseen Hand from Someplace” intervenes and saves us from ourselves.

From reading Ryan Mauro's book, Death to America: The Unreported Battle of Iraq -- it was impressed upon my mind how mad some Muslims are driven by the jinns of jihad and insanely seek to wreak havoc and destruction upon all the world who rejects their false vision. I gladly testify that not all Muslims share their perverted passion, as is evident in noble men like Sheik Abdul Hadi Palazzi of Rome, Italy.

However, I do solemnly affirm that such spiritual sickness does not only afflict the Muslim world, but that such religious fanaticism is again to rear its ugly head in blood-soaked Europe. Europe's rapid response to jihad will be a new crusade that will slaughter both Arabs and Jews and every Christian who doesn't agree with the Roman Catholic Church!

The Prophet Daniel records some great provocation, an Islamic confederation or network of sorts that is soon to butt heads with Catholic Europe (Daniel 11:40-45), resulting in a blitzkrieg operation that will strike them dead in the Middle East, taking out countries like Egypt and subduing Libya and Ethiopia and undoubtedly overwhelming Iran.

That is good news. Europe -- not America -- will neutralize the Nazi-Muslim threat. However, the bad news is that it will bring out the beast in Europe and only whet their appetite for more blood. Europe will morph into the final revival of the unholy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and demand Jerusalem become an “international city,” as called for by the accursed UN Resolution 181. The Germans and Jesuits have been the major influence behind this strategic move and have their evil eyes on the prize of Jerusalem, especially the coveted Temple Mount.

The whole world has been focusing on Islamic terrorism, as is understandable, but the greatest threat to world peace is the German-dominated European Union! The United States has foolishly been helping to create such a Frankenstein Monster that will brutally betray both the American, British and Jewish peoples. Herbert W. Armstrong warned of this clear and present danger -- as an early warning system -- for years. The weapons of mass destruction that the increasingly fascist EU possess will unleash nuclear terror upon our major cities and rain down death and destruction upon us and those who survive will suffer deportation due to our idolatry and immorality.

These biblical warnings, based upon reliable information obtained from Daniel and the Book of Revelation, are the greatest recording all mankind must hear and heed -- if we're to be spared from WWIII. I'm here to announce this plain truth as a witness and a warning and share it within Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall. What you do with it is between you and your Maker, but I encourage you to take it seriously and choose life and help save your respective nations.


David Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist writer in Ohio and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall. With a focus on the Middle East and Jerusalem, his analytical articles help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out Beyond Babylon.

Is Jesus God? by HWA

Is Jesus God?

by Herbert W. Armstrong

STARTLING as it may seem, there is great confusion today among religious leaders concerning the true nature and office of Jesus Christ - the Saviour of the world. You neet not be in doubt! The Bible was divinely inspired to impart TRUTH to those who seek it with honest hearts and minds. "

What is the real answer? Is Jesus God? Is He the same as Jehovah? Is there more than one God? Here you will find God's answer - from His own Word - as revealed in your Bible.

Is Jesus God?

Jesus Christ came to pay the penalty for sin in our stead. He gave of Himself, that: we might be reconciled to God. How was this made possible?

First, if Jesus had been only human, His death could have paid the penalty for but one other human who had incurred that penalty by transgression of God's spiritual Law (Romans 6:23). Since God the Father created all things by Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:9), and since all things, including man, were made by Jesus Christ, He is our Maker and therefore God, and His life which He gave was of greater value than the sum total of all human beings. For we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God; all things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:1-3). "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father" (verse 14 -RSV). Also, "He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not" (verse 10 -RSV). Compare these scriptures with I Cor. 8:6 and Col. 1:12-19.

Life alone can beget life. This is the absolute law of biogenesis. Since Eternal life is the GIFT of God (John 3:16), only a GOD possessing immortality could give it. If Jesus were only human, we could not receive eternal life through Him and He could not be our Savior. Man does not have eternal life inherent in himself. But, as God "the Father hath life in himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." And, "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life" (John 5:26 and I John 5:11-12).

He Was Also Human

On the other hand, Jesus was also human. Since it is human life which has transgressed God's Law, the Law claims human life as its penalty. Contrary to popular present-day teaching, the Word of God states that the wages the penalty - of sin, is DEATH - not eternal life in a so-called "hell fire" (Romans 6:23). When we sin, we break God's perfect spiritual law, "for sin is the transgression of the law" (I John 3 :4). The penalty for this sin is death. The penalty must be paid. God the Father will not compromise. It must be paid by man. Therefore, Jesus, who is and was God, who has always existed (John 1:1, 2), was actually made flesh (verse 14). He, who was God, actually became human flesh because I John 4:2, 3 -RSV - states, "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come iii the flesh is of God, and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God." He was conceived in and born of the human virgin, Mary. "Now, the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother, Mary, had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 1:18). He was made not only flesh, but human flesh and blood. Notice Heb. 2:14: "Since then the children are sharers in blood and flesh, himself also in like manner partook of the same" (Ivan Panin translation).

Jesus called Himself the Son of MAN repeatedly, and also the Son of God. Matthew wrote, "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do men say that the Son of man is?' And they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered him 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven'" (Matt. 16:13-17).

Jesus, in nature, is equal with God -"Jesus Christ: who, existing in God's form, counted not the being on an equality with God ought to be grasped at, but emptied himself . . . being made in likeness of men" (Phil. 2:6 Panin translation)

He is called God in Titus 2:10, 13. Therefore He is God. The Bible contains so much on these points that the above is a mere fragment of the evidence.

Yes, Jesus is also "Jehovah," although this word is a mistranslation used in the American Standard Version. The original name, in the Hebrew, contained the consonants "YHVH." In writing in Hebrew, vowels were omitted, supplied only in speaking. Thus the precise pronunciation of the name is not definitely known, but today it is commonly assumed to be Yahveh, or Yahweh. The meaning, in English, is "THE ETERNAL," or "THE EVERLIVING," or the "SELF-EXISTENT." It is commonly supposed that Yahveh, or, as commonly called, "Jehovah", or, as in the Authorized Version, "The LORD," of the Old Testament was God the FATHER of Jesus Christ. This is a flagrant error! Yahveh was the God of Israel, the peared - an actual foretaste, a view ahead into the soon-coming Kingdom of God! As the disciples stood, gazing with awe and wonder at the brilliance of the vision, there came a "..... voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him" (Matt. 17:5). But notice, did the scripture say it was God the Father who spoke? No! Read it in your own Bible!

Many have carelessly assumed the Bible says what it does not say! Notice this particular case, where a voice is heard speaking, and yet Christ Himself tells us it COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE VOICE OF GOD! (John 5:37.) The only logical conclusion in the light of all Scripture is that an angel (messenger) spoke, as one bearing this message from the Father in heaven!

Since it was not God the Father who spoke to Moses, and who even allowed Moses to see His hind parts (Ex. 33:23), then it had to be the Eternal Being who was instrumental in executing God's Word! That was Christ's prior OFFICE, that was His all-important job! Who was the One who SPOKE to Moses? Why the Spokesman, the Logos, of course!

Notice I Cor. 10:4, " . . . And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they [the ancient Israelites] drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ"!

That certainly clinches it! The One who actually GAVE the laws to the children of Israel from Mount Sinai was the One who later became Jesus Christ! JESUS CHRIST WAS THE LORD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - THE GOD WHO DEALT PERSONALLY WITH ISRAEL, WHO INSPIRED THE PROPHETS, WHO REVEALED HIMSELF TO THE PHARAOH, TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH!

Most people have assumed the God of the Old Testament was the Father of Jesus Christ. This is proven by God's own inspired Word to be a great error. As we read in I Cor. 10:4, the "ROCK" of the Old Testament was Jesus Christ. Remember the word "LORD)" is actually Yhvh, which means the Ever-Living One, or the Life Self-Existent One. Now see II Sam. 22:2-3 (Revised Standard Version) : "He said, 'The LORD (Yhvh is. my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; thou savest me from violence.'"

In Psalm 18:1-2, this same ROCK is Yahveh, When Moses was talking to Yahveh, and asked Him His name (Ex. 3:4, 5,13), He answered that His name was "I AM" (verses 6, 14) and "Yahveh" - the Eternal One (verse 15). See also Ex. 6:2, 3. In John 18: 5-8, as soon as Christ made Himself known to the crowd led by Judas as "I AM" (the "he" in italics is added without inspiration, and was not in the original), they went backward and fell to the ground. Again in John 8:56-58, Jesus called Himself: "I AM."

The person of the Godhead who is our REDEEMER is Jesus Christ. John 4:42 (RSV) contains this: "They said to the woman, 'It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the SAVIOR of the world.'" See Isaiah 60:16, where Yahveh is called the Redeemer, which is the SAVIOUR, or the Holy One of Israel!

Jesus, the Savior, was the Holy 0ne born of Israel (Jacob). Jesus is the Lord of the Old Testament.

What to DO About It

What an overwhelming truth it is, realize the glorious, the awe-inspiring magnitude of Jesus' prehuman existence ! It should make you realize more fully the tremendous PRICE that was paid that you might have your guilty past blotted out, and the slate wiped clean! GOD HIMSELF, in the person Jesus Christ, paid that penalty!

Think of it!

God the Father sent His own Son down to this mundane sphere of sin and fleshly emotions to suffer for humanity and thereby provide a way of salvation a way to enter into life eternal! The Life that was poured out on the cross was a human life but it was much more than that - it was also very God LIFE! Jesus was human, but He was also divine! Day and night, while on this earth, Christ must have remembered the tremendous power and glory from eternity He had enjoyed with the Father - and realized it would have been possible to sin, to relent in His battle against human nature, and become eternally lost! The very willpower, the determination and perseverance of Jesus Christ, together with the Divine presence of the Holy Spirit of God, kept Him from falling, that He could become the Savior of the world!

Can you grasp it? Can you comprehend? Your very Creator - the One who gives you every breath of air you breathe, DIED FOR you!

What are you going to DO about it?

WHY MARRIAGE! SOON OBSOLETE? by HWA

WHY MARRIAGE! SOON OBSOLETE?
By Herbert W. Armstrong



Some psychologists, taking a new look at the institution of marriage, are voicing shocking predictions for the near future. Indeed, in their professional eyes, the trend toward obsolescence of the marriage custom has already started, and is gaining momentum!

Astonishing?

Yes, indeed! But marriages are not only breaking down all around us; the very usefulness and desirability of the custom is being seriously questioned!

Is marriage on the way out, after all these generations and centuries? Is the home, and family life, to disappear from human society?

Incredible?

Articles voicing this trend of thought are appearing more and more frequently in magazines and newspapers.

Predictions are appearing in print that marriage soon may not be the socially required way for sexual union. Premarital pregnancies are on the upsurge, coincident with an increasing tendency toward public acceptance and a decreasing sense of stigma.

But does marriage, after all, serve any necessary purpose?

To many that may sound like an absurd and foolish question. We take marriage for granted. Children growing up in a normal home with parents, probably brothers, sisters, or both—other children in similar families in homes all around them—assume naturally that they will be married some day. No one, in such circumstances, 50 years ago, would ever have thought of questioning marriage as an institution. No one, then, would have asked, even in the secret recesses of his own thoughts, whether or not the state of marriage was desirable for society.

Why Marriage, After All?

Why marriage? Even the very question seems shocking!

But some psychologists are beginning to question it. We should not take things for granted without question. If a tradition or custom is right, it will withstand the questioning.

So we dare to question!

How, then, did the institution of marriage originate?

Strange as it may seem, the “authorities”—the psychologists, the sociologists, the doctors, the scientists, the educators—do not know!

The rank and file of these “authorities” accept the theory of evolution.

It’s worth thinking about! If man appeared by the evolutionary process, gradually descending through millions of years from some lower-than-human animal species, similar or ancestor to the anthropoid ape, how and when was the custom of marriage started? And why?

Animals are male and female. Mammals reproduce their kind, in the same manner as do humans. But animals do not marry! If man is merely the highest of the animals, at what stage of evolutionary development did the near-human or the human “animal” adopt the institution of marriage?

And why?

None of the “other” animals has done so!

If moral codes were not first given to mankind by a higher authority, when, why and how did man devise them?

The “Christian Authority” Questioned

On the other hand, the Christian world has believed in a creation by a Creator.

So we still have a situation that needs to be seriously questioned!

If we are to accept traditional Christianity as the custodian of moral codes, we still must ask: Why marriage? Yes, why? The psychologists are asking: Does traditional Christianity have the answer?

Certain churches have taught that the unmarried state of celibacy is a higher state than marriage. And they have taught that the only purpose of sex is reproduction.

We need to think about that!

If procreation is the only purpose of sex—if sex has no rightful use in marriage except to bear children—and if the unmarried state is higher than married life, then, since marriage is not necessary for reproduction, must we not conclude that marriage is not desirable? Would it not, then, be better to use sex to procreate, while living in the higher state of unmarried life?

Of course that would mean that fornication is more righteous than married life! We need to think where such reasoning and such teaching leads!

I repeat. The reproductive process in mammals is the same as in humans. Animals reproduce—but animals do not marry!

Marriage is not necessary for reproduction! There is a great deal of human reproduction today, without marriage! Indeed, this trend escalates. And society is fast becoming more tolerant, and tending toward acceptance.

Is there, then, any rational and right reason why humans who procreate should marry, while animals who also bear their young do not?

There is, indeed! But not many seem to comprehend it. The real answer has been overlooked—by traditional Christianity as much as by the followers of the evolutionary theory.

Ever See a Calf Born?

You need to understand.

The reproductive process is precisely the same in mammals as in humans. But beyond that, animals and humans are utterly dissimilar.

Ever witness the birth of a calf? The male parent—the bull—does not call for an obstetrical physician. Nor does he take the mother cow to a hospital for the delivery. The bull, in all probability, is nowhere around.

Mammals require no help for their young to be born. Or at least they never did until “scientific” or other modern practices of humans in the feeding and handling of animals produced a degenerated situation where, in some cases, human owners need call in a veterinarian.

But, normally, the cow simply, without help or attendant, has her calf born out in the field—or, perhaps, in a barn. As soon as it is born, the baby calf begins to stagger to its feet, while the cow stands stupidly waiting. She does not need to care for her young, teach it to eat, or to walk. The newborn calf may be a little wobbly in the legs at first. It may fall back down a time or two. But in a few minutes it is up on all fours and starting to walk.

But is the calf going anywhere? Yes, indeed! No one need teach it or show it the way. It knows where to find its “dinner.”

How does it know?

Well, animals come equipped with built-in instinct. They do not need to learn, or be taught. They do not reason out a decision and act on a judgment. Instinct guides automatically.

With the newborn human all this is different. The purely reproductive process is the same. But, as stated above, beyond this the differences between animal and human are colossal.

How long does it take a human infant to learn to walk? Usually about a year—often longer. A tiny baby is utterly helpless. It cannot manage even its own bodily processes. It has no instinct, in the strict sense of the word. It must be cared for. It must be taught. It needs parents to care for it, protect it, teach it, and give it love.

It matures so very much more slowly than animals. Yet its potential is infinitely higher. Instead of mere animal brain with built-in automatic instinct, the human baby has a mind. At birth there is, as yet, no knowledge in the mind. But it has the capacity to absorb knowledge—and then to reason, to imagine, to think creatively, to plan and design, to formulate judgments, to make decisions, to exercise will and self-discipline. More, it has the faculty to appreciate music, literature, art, and, more important, to develop a sense of moral and spiritual values; to develop even righteous character.

The only purpose of sex in animals is reproduction. But, in humans, reproduction is not the only purpose of sex, as we shall see!

For the transcendently higher purpose of human life, the newborn baby needs parental care, teaching, guidance, love—and the experience of home and family life.

Transcendently Higher?

But just a moment, please!

Did I say transcendently higher than animal life?

That’s exactly what I said!

And though it may seem incredible, that’s precisely what I mean.

If humans had evolved from lower animal species, brought about without purpose or design by resident forces devoid of intelligence—if there had been no planned design by an all-intelligent Creator Being—no purpose for which humans were put on Earth—then, indeed, we should wonder: “Why marriage?”

And yet the great minds through the centuries have groped in the dark, searching for, yet failing to acquire, the knowledge of that purpose. Perhaps most have taken marriage and family life for granted—and themselves followed the custom. But they didn’t know the purpose.

There is an astonishing reason!

The believer in godless evolution can see no transcendently higher purpose in the birth of a baby than in that of a calf or a kitten. He can see only that the human infant is further advanced in supposed evolutionary development. But no transcendent potential.

But let’s face it. Let’s be honest with the question. Isn’t it a bit irrational that science has never proved the theory of evolution, yet believes it—as a faith? And, further, that science has never disproved the existence of the all-intelligent Personal Being—the Creator God—whose existence is proved and provable? And yet, with few exceptions, scientists refuse even to consider the possibility of the supernatural in their postulates.

One writer explained that it is a matter of the reluctance of scientists to accept the existence of God. But it is not mere reluctance. It is psychological rebellion that refuses to accept the fact of the existence of their Maker!

This is written for those who are willing to consider! And what follows for you to consider may be so utterly new to you as to seem incredible.

Yet, consider! Think!

Weigh and compare that which explains the why of marriage with the only possible views that can be arrived at by the evolutionary approach.

Yes, consider! Consider what One claiming to be God—the Creator—reveals! And you judge whether this awesome revelation makes more sense than the only possible explanation founded on the evolutionary approach. You judge whether it gives more rational and inspiring meaning to life. Check and balance it against the hopeless lack of meaning, purpose or destiny for human existence offered by the evolutionary theory.

See, now, what the One quoted in the world’s best-selling book, the Bible, calling Himself God the Creator, reveals about Himself, and about the reason for human existence, for sex, and for the institution of marriage.

You are not going to read the traditional superstitions rejected by science and labeled by scientists “fundamentalism.” What follows is not a new “theory,” or interpretation, or human-devised idea. It is merely what the Book plainly says, without interpretation. It is only what has been written there through the centuries—yet expect to be surprised, shocked, to read what both “science” and “religion” have utterly glossed over!

Is This GOD Speaking?

Who is this speaking? The Prophet Isaiah wrote it—but he quotes the speaker who claims to be God!

“I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me,” says the One quoted (Isa. 45:5).

Further: “Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded” (vv. 11-12).

Still further: “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it … I am the Lord; and there is none else. … [W]ho hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me …. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow …” (vv. 18-23).

In due time we shall see whether this One claiming to be God shall not be able to force every knee of every atheist and agnostic to bow in humble acknowledgment before Him—even if He must break their rebellious bones!

This One claiming to be God gives proof that He is God. That proof? Ability to foretell what shall happen—with power to bring it to pass.

The One quoted claims to be God: “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? … Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure … [Y]ea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it” (Isa. 46:5, 9-11).

Then this Personage quoted, claiming to be God, challenges the doubters. He says to them (Moffatt translation):

“Consider!” Yes, I have asked the reader to consider! And now the One quoted as God says, “[C]onsider and agree that the Lord’s hand has done it, that Israel’s Majesty has made it all. Now, the Lord cries, bring your case forward, now, Jacob’s King cries, state your proofs. Let us hear what happened in the past, that we may ponder it, or show me what is yet to be, that we may watch how it turns out; yes, let us hear what is coming, that we may be sure you are gods; come, do something or other that we may marvel at the sight!—why, you are things of naught, you can do nothing at all!” (Isa. 41:20-24).

Thus God challenges and ridicules the scoffer—and shows that ability to prophesy and bring it to pass is proof of God.

This One who claims He is God has, in the biblical prophecies, foretold, 1,900 to 2,500 years ago, what was to happen to every major city in the world of that time, and every nation—and every prophecy has come to pass!

How important are God-rejecting scientists, compared to the God they refuse to acknowledge?

“Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance [weighing scales]: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. … All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? …” (Isa. 40:15-18).

So now, let us consider what this One claiming to be God reveals. And, though you may have read the Bible, prepare to be astonished!

Man—Evolved, or Created?

In the very first chapter of the Bible, the One quoted as our Maker reveals the overwhelming difference between animal and human reproduction.

Read it. Don’t interpret—I shall not!—just consider it as it is.

“And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind … cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind …” (Gen. 1:21-25).

This says, without interpretation, God created fish after their particular kind—birds after their particular bird kind—cattle after the cattle kind. Each kind may have varieties, but each reproduces after its kind. God did not create animals after the fish kind. Nor fish after a single-celled amoeba kind. But fish after the fish kind. Fish did not evolve after the amoeba kind, but, says Genesis, they were created after the fish kind—cattle after the cattle kind.

Now what about man?

Continue the quote: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness …. So God created man in his own image …” (vv. 26-27). This refutes the theory that man is the highest of the animals, evolving from lower mammals. It says God created man, after the God kind.

Whatever God is like, He made man like Him—same form and shape. In His likeness—after His kind!

So this says God made cattle after the cattle kind, and He made man after the God kind! In a way almost none has understood in our deceived world today, this revelation affirms God is reproducing after His kind! And that is rather startling! Yet it is affirmed all through the Bible, both in Old and New Testaments!

Let’s make it plain!

This says man was formed in the likeness of God.

And what is God like? Many scriptures reveal what God says He is like. We need not guess, imagine, or create gods in our own image.

For example, it is revealed that God has hands in dozens of scriptures, starting with Exodus 9:3; Job 1:11, etc. His “right hand” is spoken of. He has fingers (Exod. 31:18). God created man with hands and fingers, but animals have hoofs, paws, claws, wings, fins. It is plainly stated in the Bible that God has arms, legs, feet, two eyes, a nose, a mouth, a voice, two ears; in a word, God is formed and shaped like humans. God has mind, which can think creatively, design, plan, reason. So does man, even though imperfect. Animals have mere animal brain with automatic instinct, but incapable of the thought, wisdom, judgment, sense of moral responsibility or self-restraint of the human or divine mind.

So man was formed and shaped to look like God—in His likeness.

But God is a spirit (John 4:24). He is composed of spirit, but He formed man out of matter: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). Man does not have a soul—man is a soul, made of matter from the ground, which is to say the soul is made of matter and can die (Ezek. 18:4, 20) regardless of Satan’s lies (Gen. 3:4) that a deceived “traditional Christianity” has borrowed from the pagan religions. Genesis 2:7 is also cited in i Corinthians 15:45, followed with: “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward [by resurrection] that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man [Christ] is the Lord from heaven. … And as we [speaking of converted humans] have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also [by resurrection] bear the image of the heavenly” (vv. 46-49). This entire chapter carries the theme of the resurrection.

So—God is described as composed of spirit, yet formed and shaped as He formed and shaped humans, who are composed of matter, but who, by a resurrection, may be later composed of spirit, even as God.

Better read that again. The resurrection is the one hope given mortal man in the New Testament.

So—what do we have—so far? God, composed of spirit, created fish, birds, animals, each after its own kind. But God created man after the God kind. There is much more yet to be explained about that, but this much is so far affirmed:

Man is not an animal!

But, further, what is God like?

The Divine Family?

Did you notice, “And God said, Let us …”?

Not “Let me!” “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Why the “us,” the “our”? Why the plural form?

Go to the very beginning. The first words in all the Bible are: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

Those words are in the English language. But God inspired Moses to write them, originally. And Moses wrote in the Hebrew language. The English word God is translated from the Hebrew word Elohim. Moses wrote the Hebrew word Elohim. And Elohim is a noun implying more than one in unity. It can be collective in the same manner that the words family or church are collective.

I am of the Armstrong family. We have had four children. I am “Armstrong.” My wife was “Armstrong” also, from the moment she married me. Our son Garner Ted is “Armstrong.” He is my son. I am “Armstrong,” and he is “Armstrong.” We are two different persons—but we belong to the one family. Our son Richard David was a different person, but he also was “Armstrong,” and part of the Armstrong family. The one Armstrong family.

So we were one family—but we were six persons!

The human body is one body, but has many members—two arms, two legs, ten fingers, ten toes, two eyes, two ears, one nose. God compares the one Church to the human body: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body [the Church] …” (i Cor. 12:12-13).

Elohim is not two gods, or three gods, or many gods—Elohim is one God, but composed of more than one divine Person.

And Elohim is a divine family!

Have you not thought of God as a Person—a single Personage?

The one God—Elohim—the one divine family—has a Head. He is the One we call the Father. His name is God. Jesus called Him “Father.” He is the One most of us have thought of as the Personage who is God. Jesus was His Son. And Jesus, by a resurrection from the dead, is His divine Son (Rom. 1:4), and Jesus also is God (John 1:1; Heb. 1:8).

Notice how plainly this is revealed.

Jesus Born God’s Son!

Paul writes of the gospel of God, “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh …” (Rom. 1:1, 3). That is, humanly—according to the flesh—as a human—Jesus was a Son of David. Now read on into verse 4: “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

Study that. Jesus was born of a human mother—made human, just as you and I. Even though He was begotten of God—not of a human father—yet He was a human man who could die. The very fact that He was sired by God—begotten of God and conceived by a human woman—proves that humans are after the God kind, not some animal kind. Humanly, through His mother, the virgin Mary, Jesus was a son, or descendant, of David.

But after having been born once, human, Jesus died. Then, by a resurrection, He was born a second time. And this time, He was “declared to be the Son of God.” This time, born “with power, according to the spirit of holiness.” But, read it without those descriptive words. He was “the Son of God … by the resurrection from the dead.”

This says He was born a second time—and this second birth by a resurrection!

And this is what the Bible means by salvation—being saved—in regard to the human family in general. For we, too, may be born again—by a resurrection.

Jesus was born, by the resurrection, as the divine Son of God, with divine power. He who had been born human—who had died—was born again—by a resurrection into the very divine God family. He is one with God. He is very God, even as God, the Father, is God. Yes, and Garner Ted is “Armstrong,” even as I, his human father, am “Armstrong.” I am human; Garner Ted, begotten of me, was born human. God is divine; Jesus, begotten of Him, was born divine by a resurrection.

Notice in the first chapter of Hebrews: “But unto the Son [Jesus] he [the Father] saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever …” (v. 8).

Jesus is God—“by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4).

And Elohim said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26), so that we humans, also, as Jesus was—if begotten of God—may be born into the divine family that is Elohim!

Jesus Born Again!

Jesus was born once—as a human—of the virgin Mary. He was—at that time—born a human being, a descendant of David, who could die. He was begotten (not born—begotten) of God, in a manner such as no other human ever was begotten. So far as begettal for His human birth is concerned, Jesus was the only human ever so begotten—God’s only begotten Son.

But Jesus also—in addition—was divinely begotten through God’s Holy Spirit, even from the moment of human birth, to be born again—this time made the divine Son of God by the resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4).

Thus, as very God, since His resurrection, He was the first so born of many brethren! “… [T]hat he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). This being the “firstborn” cannot apply to His human birth in Bethlehem.

This does not imply that Jesus was a sinner who had to be saved from sin. For Jesus, though tempted in all points as we are, never once sinned. He did not die to pay the penalty of His sins—since there were none. He, rather, took on Himself our sins. He died to pay our penalty in our stead!

It is correct to say, then, that Jesus was “born again.” “Firstborn,” not as a human, but as God “by the resurrection.”

I have shown you, from Romans 1:1-4, that Jesus was, indeed, born again, after His human birth of the virgin Mary, born of God by a resurrection from the dead. But that by no means implies He needed salvation from sin, as we do. Rather, His resurrection made possible our final salvation—our being “born again”—born of God, as Jesus was—by a resurrection (Rom. 5:10).

This makes very plain why God made man after the God kind—not after some animal kind. We are like animals only in that we are composed of matter, with the temporary existence from breathing air, the circulation of blood, and being required to eat food and drink water.

We were born once with this temporary physical existence. We have the glorious potential of being born again—as Jesus was born a second time, by a resurrection. And then we shall be—as Jesus now is—composed of spirit. No longer with temporary physical existence. Then we shall have life inherent—eternal life!

The purpose of human life is to be born of God—to enter into the Kingdom of God—the divine God family!

What Is the Kingdom of God?

Let’s understand the origin, meaning and purpose of marriage.

Jesus was born once—as a human, of the virgin Mary. He was born human, of a human mother. He was human, so that He could die—for us (Heb. 2:9). He died because of our transgressions. But He was born again, by the resurrection from the dead, into the God family, as a Son of God with power (Rom. 1:4).

What about us—we who are human?

Jesus taught that we, also, may be born into the God family, which is the Kingdom of God, as we shall make plain.

The God family is also the God Kingdom.

Let’s make that clear:

One of the kingdoms in the world today is the Turkish nation. The Turkish people are the descendants of Esau. They are the family of Esau, twin brother of Jacob, grown into a nation—a kingdom.

Elohim is the divine family. But “In the beginning Elohim created …” (Gen. 1:1). The God family is the Creator family. And God rules over His creation. God’s throne in heaven (Rev. 3:21; Isa. 66:1) is the seat of the government of the universe.

So the God family is the universe-ruling family—a family which rules—which governs—which is therefore a government—and therefore is also a Kingdom—the highest Kingdom.

When Jesus came teaching about the Kingdom of God, He was talking about the family of God, and how we humans, through Him, may be born into it!

Jesus taught: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). God is that Kingdom. God is composed of spirit (John 4:24). Humans cannot see spirit. We cannot see God. Since God is the Kingdom of God, human eyes cannot see that Kingdom.

Begotten—Then Born

But notice further: “… Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Now Jesus is saying we may—when born a second time—born of God—actually enter into the God Kingdom. It is something we may enter into—by a second birth—by being born into it!

Next, verses 6-8, Jesus explains that when we were born, we were born of the flesh—of matter—and therefore we are, now, material flesh. But when born again, next time born of the Spirit—which Spirit is God—we shall then be spirit, even as God is spirit—no longer flesh and blood.

But before we were born human, we were first begotten of our human fathers. We were begotten before we were born. We were born once. We may be born again. But next time, we must be begotten of the Spirit—God—before we can be born of God.

It is simple. It is very plain, in the Bible. It is astonishing, really, that almost no one understands it.

On the annual day of Pentecost (Old Testament, Feast of Firstfruits and Feast of Weeks) following Jesus’s resurrection and ascension to God’s throne in heaven, Peter gave the instruction, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy [Spirit]” (Acts 2:38).

Then the Holy Spirit of God—God’s own Spirit, proceeding from the Father’s very Person—is received into the mind, to dwell in the human individual. He has then conceived the Father’s life—he has been begotten of the Father.

After this, what?

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead [when Jesus was born again into the God family] dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [make immortal] your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom. 8:11).

If you are thus begotten of God—of the Father of the God family—and His Spirit dwells in you, then you, too, at the time of resurrection, shall be born again—born of God, into the God family, even as Jesus was. You will no longer be human—no longer composed of matter—of human flesh. You shall then be spirit, even as God is spirit.

Already, Now, Sons of God

Once begotten—having received the gift of God’s Spirit—you are, already, though still human, a child of God. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). “For … ye have received the Spirit of sonship [margin], whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ …” (vv. 15-17).

Again: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be”—that is, what we shall be, in the resurrection, does not yet appear—is not yet visible—“but … we shall be like him”—like Jesus now is (i John 3:2). He now is spirit—very God!

Notice now what God reveals through Paul.

He says the Kingdom of God is something we may inherit. But not while we are in this life—not while we are human—while we are flesh and blood. As explained before, we are now only heirs. If we are Christ’s! “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God …” (1 Cor. 15:50). Jesus said we cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3) or enter into it (v. 5) until born again. So we are not born again while still human!

Read that again!

God inspired Paul to say that while we still are “flesh and blood”—human—we cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Jesus said that, now, we have been “born of the flesh” and therefore we now are flesh! But when born again—born of the Spirit (God), we shall be spirit—no longer flesh!

This says plainly that no one has as yet been “born again” while still human. We are now heirs—begotten children of God. But we may be born again—when we inherit the Kingdom—enter into it. So no one is born again while still human.

No, but flesh and blood humans may be begotten of God—not yet born spiritually, but begotten as God’s children—and thus we become now His heirs (Gal. 3:29; Rom. 8:14-17). Only heirs, now—but inheritors when we are born of the Spirit—when we shall become spirit beings!—when we enter into God’s family.

Read on, in 1 Corinthians 15 verses 51-54. It is by a resurrection, or instantaneous change from mortal to immortal—from material flesh to spirit—from human to divine—that we may inherit the Kingdom of God—enter into, be born into, that awesome divine family!

Then even our vile bodies will be made of spirit like Jesus’s glorified body (Phil. 3:21).

But get this distinction:

Jesus was begotten by God, even prior to His human birth of the virgin Mary—while all other humans have been begotten only by a human father. Further, Jesus was spiritually begotten as God’s Son from the instant of conception, and from human birth—we were not!

Jesus never sinned, or needed redemption. We have sinned, and do need redemption. But, through Him, we may repent, be forgiven—be reconciled to God by Christ’s death for us, and through His life (Rom. 5:10) (by His resurrection) receive God’s Holy Spirit, which then begets us as God’s children—His heirs—to be later born of Him, becoming, then, inheritors—entering into the Kingdom—the divine God family. When we receive His Holy Spirit, we are then begotten as God’s children. We call Him Father. (For a more detailed and technical exposition of this vital subject, go to www.theTrumpet.com to read our booklet Just What Do You Mean—Born Again?)

Origin of Marriage

What a wonderful mystery—what wonderful truth!

Why should the world—even its religions and its professing Christian churches—be blinded to it? The Bible is full of it! It is the message of Jesus, of Peter, of Paul!

Now what does all this have to do with the institution of marriage?

It has everything to do with it! It is the very reason for the institution of marriage.

Were it not for the very fact that we were created in God’s very likeness, with the very purpose of being born of God—born into God’s own family—the marriage institution, giving us the experience of family life, would never have been ordained. If we were mere animals, developed by evolution, marriage would never have existed.

Human men never did think out, devise or institute the relationship of marriage, with family and home life. Marriage was ordained by God—not by man. It is governed by the laws of God —and man has no jurisdiction over it, in God’s eyes.

God is a family!

He bequeathed to humans alone His kind of life—family life.

God is a ruling, governing family—and therefore God is a Kingdom.

Jesus was the Son of God. He called the great supreme Personage who is head of that family “Father.” Father is a family title—that of its Head! A father and son relationship is a family relationship.

When we mortal humans, now composed of flesh and blood matter, receive the Holy Spirit of God, God’s very life has been implanted in us—and we call Him “Father.” We become His begotten children. It is a family relationship! We who are human flesh and blood then have implanted in us the divine “seed” of God’s own life. This Holy Spirit in us changes us.

How ridiculous—how nonsensical—for professing Christians to claim they are “children of God”—to call one another “brethren in the Lord” and to call God “Father,” and then to deny that God is a family, and that we may actually be born into His very divine family—becoming spirit as He is—becoming divine as He is divine!

How stupid to call God “Father”—to claim to be His children, to say we are already “born again,” and then believe that we shall always be some utterly different kind of species—some far lower kind of beings—far below either the Father or Christ!

And how blind to deny this plain and simple Bible teaching and follow with the deceived Christian-professing crowd the false teachings of the false prophets! When the blind lead the blind, they all fall into the ditch of ignorance, superstition and deception!

But now notice further!

Who Is a Church Member?

Just who is recognized by God as being a member of His Church?

It is only those who are Christ’s that are heirs of God (Gal. 3:29). One Gentile-born may become, through Christ, one of Abraham’s children, spiritually, and an heir. But who, then, are Christ’s?

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). So only those who have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in them are in the body of Christ, the true Church.

Again, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized [immersed, put] into one body …” (i Cor. 12:13). What “body” is this speaking of? “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles …” etc. (vv. 27-28). We are put into the Church of God by the Holy Spirit entering into us. The true Church is that collective body of members, in each of whom is dwelling God’s Holy Spirit.

In other words, the true Church is composed of those begotten as children of God—heirs of God through Christ. They have entered the Church, but not yet the actual divine family, or Kingdom, of God. The Church of God shall, at Christ’s coming, become the Kingdom of God.

To MARRY Christ

And something else will then happen.

The Church is called in the New Testament the bride of Christ.

Notice the comparison: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church …. That he might present it to himself a glorious church …” (Eph. 5:23, 27). This reveals plainly that the husband-wife relationship is also that of Christ and the Church.

When will Christ present the Church to Himself? Jesus has already been born the divine Son of God by the resurrection. He is very God, upholding, sustaining, the entire universe by the word of His power (Heb. 1:1-4). He has been glorified! He is the firstborn of many brethren (Rom. 8:29). We who are begotten of God, now heirs of God, are to be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:17)—our vile bodies of mortal fleshly matter changed—made like His glorified body (Phil. 3:21).

He will present the Church to Himself a glorious Church—when it has been glorified—changed from matter to spirit—from human to divine.

And when shall that be? At His coming as the King of kings and Lord of lords, to reestablish the government of God over all nations (Rev. 19:11-16). The God family—the God Kingdom—will rule and govern all nations.

That will occur at the time described in the prophecy of the Revelation as “the last trump.” “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

Again, “And I heard as it were the voice … saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Rev. 19:6-8). The Church—the righteous saints—are here described as being presented to Him a glorious (or glorified) Church, without spot or wrinkle.

But continue, same passage: “And he said unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb” (v. 9).

The “Lamb,” of course, is Jesus Christ (John 1:29, 36; Rev. 5:6).

Christ to Marry Again?

There was a typical marriage between Christ and the ancient congregation of Israel. The Old Covenant was a marriage covenant (Jer. 3:14). But because of her adulteries He had given Israel a bill of divorce (Jer. 3:8). This was not a divorce in the sense that many think of divorce today, but was rather a legal separation in accordance with the laws God gave Israel (Deut. 24:1). Marriage is intended to be for life. The death of either party dissolves it. Israel, of course, was the Old Testament Church (Acts 7:38)—called the “congregation of Israel.” “Congregation” and “church” are synonymous terms. Israel’s Husband, come in the human flesh—Christ—died. That ended the Old Testament marriage.

But the true Israel of the New Testament are not unconverted natural-born Israelites by race, but converted through grace by the Holy Spirit, as explained in Ephesians 2:11-22 and Romans 11.

Let me make that point very plain.

The Apostle Paul said to the Gentile-born Christians of Galatia: “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye [you Gentile-born Christians] Abraham’s seed [Israel], and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29). It has been made plain (Rom. 8:9) that only those in whom is dwelling the Holy Spirit from God are Christ’s. They are Israelites by grace, not by race!

Spiritual Israel

To Gentile-born Ephesians, Paul wrote, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh … That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel … But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off [from the nation Israel] are made nigh by the blood of Christ. … Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God [family relationship]” (Eph. 2:11-13, 19).

Romans 11 shows plainly that, spiritually, “Israel” today means the Church—regardless of whether Israelite- or Gentile-born. Unconverted natural-born racial Israelites are cut off by sin.

Christ’s death ended the Old Testament “marriage.” But Jesus Christ was born again, by the resurrection—born divine, as very God—the first so born of many brethren! And when they—these “brethren,” these Christians who now form, spiritually, the true Israel of the New Testament—having been perfected (Eph. 4:12-13), are resurrected at the time of Christ’s return in glory and divine power—and thus also born of God—are presented to Him “without spot or wrinkle,” they shall be marrying Him!

Entering the Kingdom of God

What, then, will be the status?

The changed, converted Church of God shall then become the Kingdom of God. That is to say, it shall enter into—be born into— the Kingdom.

The Father is the Head. Christ is His Son. The Church is then to be changed to spirit immortality, to become Christ’s wife—and also children of God in the divine family. It is a family relationship!

Notice further!

Jesus gave a further picture of this marriage in the parable of Matthew 25: “Then shall the kingdom of heaven [Mark, Luke and John all use the expression ‘Kingdom of God.’ It is not a kingdom in God, or in heaven, any more than the bank called ‘Bank of Morgan’ is a bank inside of Mr. Morgan. The word of denotes ownership. Morgan owned the bank. God owns and rules the Kingdom. It is a kingdom ruled from heaven.] be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. … And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” This pictures Christ’s coming, and His Church rising to meet Him in the air. “[A]nd they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut [on the others]” (vv. 1, 6, 10).

The marriage of the Church to the glorified Christ is referred to also in Matthew 22:2, where the Father (God) is pictured as a king making a marriage for his son.

Children to Be Born

Then what?

Why this divine marriage—this marriage within the very family or Kingdom of God?

First, this gives us additional positive evidence that the Kingdom of God is a family—with Father, Son, and His wife. Those in the true Church of God, now begotten as heirs, are already now children of God, not yet born, who call Him Father. But, then these begotten children of God will be born of God—still His children just as Christ is still His Son—then divine—but also then we (collectively) shall be Christ’s wife.

And why? What then?

Then many children will be Spirit-born of that divine union— it will greatly enlarge the divine family, which is the Kingdom of God.

How?

During the thousand years beginning from the time of that marriage, God, through Christ and His divine wife, will set Himself to save the world!

Few grasp and understand this wonderful truth. This, now, is not the time when God has set out to really save the whole world, as the god of this world, Satan, has deceived the “Christian” world into assuming. Satan is very active today. Christ is not striving to compete with Satan, as nearly all professing Christians assume.

To make this completely plain would take a full booklet in itself. I shall explain in summary, briefly.

Not the Only Time of Salvation

God has marked out a duration of 7,000 years for His master plan, working out His purpose here below. The first 6,000 years, God is, primarily, keeping “hands off,” except for certain limited divine intervention. God did call His prophets. He raised up His Church to be His instrument in fulfilling a certain definite mission in the world.

Yet, in the main, God has not interfered in this world’s affairs or in individual lives. This world is Satan’s world—and God has allowed it.

God made humans to be free moral agents. He set in motion His inexorable law, which, if obeyed, causes peace, blessings, abundance; but which, when disobeyed, causes curses. He compels humans to choose. Each must make his own choice—either positively or by neglect. God has made His truth available! But He has not “crammed it down humanity’s throat.”

Jesus came and was subjected to the supreme test, tempted by Satan. He overcame Satan. By obeying God under most severe test, He qualified to displace Satan as ruler over the Earth. But Jesus did not, then, take over that rule. He was not, then, inducted into office. Satan has been allowed, by God, to continue plying his nefarious work of deceiving this world.

The churches professing Christ (but not obeying Him) have supposed that for the last 1,900-plus years God has been entering into frantic competition with Satan. They think God has been desperately trying to “get everyone saved.” Satan has been ferociously, in all cunning, resisting God and trying to “get everyone lost.” And this, they believe, is the only “day of salvation.” If this were true, Satan would be proving much more powerful than God. Satan has the overwhelming majority “unsaved.” This pictures Satan as victor over God.

But God’s power is supreme—and His purpose stands.

This is not the only “day of salvation.” The expression in ii Corinthians 6:2, quoted from Isaiah 49:8, should read “a” day of salvation.

Jesus said plainly: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day [by the resurrection]” (John 6:44).

Again: “[ N]o man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” (John 6:65).

But, when Christ returns to this Earth, He is coming in all the supreme, awesome power and glory of the Almighty God! He is coming in glorified splendor! He is coming as King of kings—to put down every government of man on Earth, and set up world government—the government of God.

Christ Coming to Save

He is coming already coronated—the crowns, many of them, already bestowed on Him. He went to heaven to have the government over the whole Earth conferred on Him by the Father—Ruler of the universe.

One of the first things He will do is to depose Satan (Rev. 20:1-3). There will be no competition! Satan won’t be around to compete. Man shall have had his allotted 6,000 years to write the lesson of rebellion against the laws and government of God. Man has written that lesson, in human anguish and suffering, and in human blood. But man, to this day, refuses to learn or heed the lesson.

But, with Satan out of the way, with the glorified Christ ruling, with His glorious marriage to His bride, the Spirit-born of God, that marriage will beget millions upon millions of children.

Christ, then, will set His hand to save the world! And that means to change the individual humans by this process of conversion, from mortal to immortal—from human to divine.

The Father, by His Spirit, then will draw all men to Christ! Not all will respond. The parable of Matthew 25:31-33, 41-46 reveals plainly that God made us free moral agents. We must make our own decisions. But, none will then be deceived, as all nations are today (Rev. 12:9; 20:3; 17:2; 18:3). All will then know the truth (Isa. 11:9). All will be called—drawn by God’s Holy Spirit—granted repentance if willing.

All will be living in a world ruled by Christ! And under His supernatural divine government, the Earth will soon be filled with happiness and abundance. The illiterate will be educated. The miseducated will be reeducated in truth. The slums, blighted districts, areas of squalor and filth, will be replaced with beautiful, inspiring, health-giving living quarters.

All the world will know the terrible, unhappy results of 6,000 years of man’s way, under Satan’s sway—the way of rebellion against God’s laws. All the world will see the beauty, the prosperity, the invigorating health and happiness resulting from the enforced government of God’s laws. All will know they may have God’s gift of eternal life.

Yes, even then, some—perhaps many—will still rebel. Still reject God’s way. Still refuse to repent. Still refuse to come to God by and through Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. But surely most will come to salvation and eternal life, then!

But how will this marriage produce children?

Christ’s Marriage to Produce Children!

Those who are called, now, during this time, and who do repent, who do receive Christ as Saviour, do follow God’s Spirit, do overcome, not only will be in the marriage to Christ—they are to rule with Him (Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21; 1 Cor. 6:2-3), and they shall be priests as well as kings (Rev. 5:10; 20:6).

With the saints made immortal—the collective wife of Christ—the human mortals left alive on Earth will be ruled by Christ and by them. The human mortals will be taught and ruled by immortals. Those who do then repent and come to salvation through Christ will then receive God’s gift of His Holy Spirit. And then they shall inherit the Kingdom of God.

After His return as King over all nations, sitting on the throne of His glory, then shall Christ say to the converted: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom …” (Matt. 25:31-34). Thus they shall be born of God—be born into the family of God.

Thus the marriage of the converted Church to Christ will result in the begettal and birth of divine children—children who, during the 1,000-year reign with Christ, are Spirit-born—and, in all probability, untold millions of them. Read it also in Isaiah 11:10-13 and Romans 11:25-26, and many other scriptures.

Finally—the Stupendous Truth

So, finally, grasp this stupendous truth.

Incredible as it may sound to those deceived by the god of this world and his false ministers, God is a family!

God is the Creator family, who rules His creation. Therefore God also is a Kingdom! And in man, God is reproducing His kind (Gen. 1:26).

Marriage and family life is a God-plane relationship.

Man’s potential—the purpose for human life on this Earth— is to be born into the Kingdom of God—the God family!

Down through history, the philosophers, the great minds, the priests—cut off from God’s revelation—have sought in vain to reason out in their minds some meaning to human life—some purpose for our being. The true answer has been written all along, in God’s Word.

Animals reproduce—but animals do not marry. Animals do not enjoy the blessings of home and family life.

Angels do not have sex (Matt. 22:30) and do not marry.

Of all life forms—whether plant, animal or angel—none has been given this God-plane relationship of marriage and family life, except humans who are potential heirs of the God family.

God is more than one Person. There is only the one God—but that God is a family of more than one divine Person—having the Father at its Head—Jesus Christ as His divine Son—those converted up to the time of Christ’s coming in power and glory, as Christ’s wife—and those converted and changed to divine immortals afterward, during the Millennium, as the divine children of that union.

Man’s stupendous potential is to enter divine family life!

Man’s super colossal reason for being is to be married to Christ.

Marriage is of God!

Marriage is for man—as well as for God—because man was made in God’s likeness, to bear His divine image!

Marriage is a most sacred supernatural blessing—and its violation, once entered into, is a capital sin, imposing the penalty of capital punishment!—eternal punishment! Eternal death! Unless each repents—turns from the sin—and receives salvation by God’s grace through Christ.

Marriage was given mankind to prepare us for eternal life in the divine God family!

Two of the Ten Commandments of God’s basic spiritual law directly and specifically protect the sacred marriage state.

There can be no more wonderful physical blessing in this mortal human life than a happy marriage, based on true love, honor, integrity and faithfulness—especially when there are growing children to love, care for, teach and rear in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Marriage soon to become obsolete? Never!

On the contrary, the only humans left in existence after God’s master plan has finally worked out His purpose here below will be those made immortal and divine, living for eternity in the happy, blissful, family union that is the life of the everliving God!

Can you grasp this colossal truth?

I have given you, here, the greatest, most precious and valuable truth you can ever know.

Man, and only man, of all life forms in existence, can be born into the God family—which is the Kingdom of God. This was the gospel of Jesus!

The family relationship is a God-plane relationship. And of all His creatures, God bestowed it solely on man.

Of all life forms—whether plant, animal or angel—man alone was created for marriage! For enjoying a home and a family relationship!

And man’s potential—the very purpose of human life—is that man, born again—born of God—born into the God family—may enjoy that blessed marriage and family life in blissful happiness forever!

Think on that!

And give God thanks!

WHAT IS FAITH? by Herbert W. Armstrong

WHAT IS FAITH?
By Herbert W. Armstrong



Millions lack faith to receive answers to their prayers—to free their minds from fears and worries. To a large extent this is due to lack of understanding what faith is. Read this simple but thorough explanation of the subject.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 1 What Is Faith?
Part 2 What Kind of Faith Is Required for Salvation?

The Kingdom of God in vision!

If I may, as God is my Witness and Judge, when I was only 17 years young, God unexpectedly gave me a vision while I was in prayer. I was within that vision as a glorified Spirit-Being, whiter than glistening snow and like a brilliant white cloud with the sun shining on it, appearing smooth, dressed in a white robe - even my hair was that brilliant white - holding a Book in my hands and teaching two flesh and blood mortals who were sitting on the ground, in an outdoor setting like a park or meadow.

I was leaning over near them, showing them something from the Book. Mind you that this miracles occurred before I had ever heard of Herbert W. Armstrong and his biblical teaching that we're to become glorified Priest-Kings, teaching in the Kingdom of God, immortals ruling over mortals with but under Christ! (Revelation 2:26, 3:21, 20:6).

The Kingdom of God is the Royal Family of God, administering the government of God, with God's Word as the foundation for every family and standard for all nations (Isaiah 9:7, Daniel 7:18, 27).

At that time I still believed in the traditional "going to heaven or hell" myths, so I didn't really know what to think of the vision. Over a year later, when I attended one of my first Sabbath services with the Worldwide Church of God (1978), the minister was preaching about how we'll be God-Beings teaching human-beings. I about fell out of my chair! It was as if he was describing the very vision God had given little ol' me!

That inspiring sermon was further confirmation to me that this Church of God (with its God-given Sabbath and Holy Days, special recognition of Northwestern Europeans and Anglo-Saxons as the "Lost 10 Tribes," the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, etc.) was indeed God's Church and not like the baptized paganism of traditional Churchianity. (It's sad to say the WCG went astray after Herbert Armstrong's death, but thankfully the faithful Church of God members left that organization to remain true to God and the plain truth of the Bible rather than return to Egypt).

My following minister, George Kackos, whom I later told about the vision, and who baptized me on the Sabbath day, June 9, 1979 (12 years after Jerusalem's liberation), told me that the vision was biblical and that God has also given a "sneak preview" of His Kingdom to Peter, James and John, with their vision of the transfiguration:

Matthew 17:1-9

1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid." 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."

I dared to declare to Mr. Kackos that my vision was actually greater because God had showed them a glorified, transfigured Christ, Moses and Elijah, but mine was more personalized because God revealed me in His Kingdom!

I am an eyewitness to God's Kingdom and know what it means to be in God's Kingdom, both from the Bible and personal experience! (2 Peter 1:16-18). Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom, but at the First Resurrection we'll be born again as glorified Spirit-Beings - just like our older Brother, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29, I Corinthians 15:49-52, Philippians 3:21).

The vision appeared to emphasize the big difference between mortals and immortals; the great contrast between flesh and blood and brilliant spirit. And, as I later used during a Worldwide Church of God Spokesman's Club speech on serving (in the Churchill Room at the Hillcrest in Toledo, Ohio), this vision taught that even though we're to be given thrones (which I did not see), those thrones are to enable us to use our positions for greater service, out of love for God and mankind.

God did not show me merely sitting on a throne, but out serving others, teaching, helping, explaining. Mr. Kackos then gave his usual round up speech, on the importance of tempering authority with humility, and said that, amazingly, I had done just that. I had related the vision as a fact, but wasn't boasting about it.

I look forward, by God's grace, to entering His wonderful Kingdom and meeting those two people I saw in 1977! It'll truly be back to the future!