January 16, 2024 will mark 38 years since the death of God’s late apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. What has happened to God’s Church during this time?
Almost immediately after Mr. Armstrong died, the leadership of God’s Church under Mr. Joseph W. Tkach Sr. began to veer off the doctrinal track by undermining peoples’ faith in Divine healing.
After nearly 10 years as Pastor General, Mr. Tkach would be dead and the false doctrines of traditional Christianity he ushered in such as the Trinity, the burdensome nature of the 10 Commandments and reasons for not observing God’s Holy Days would overtake the truths God restored through Mr. Armstrong.
In the opening paragraph of his personal from the January 24, 1995 edition of “The Worldwide News,” Mr. Tkach highlights how far God’s Church had strayed from biblical truth nearly a decade after Mr. Armstrong’s death.
“Now that Christ has led us to understand and believe that the new covenant in his shed blood has made the old covenant obsolete, not only is there cause for great rejoicing in the truth of the gospel message, but there are certain procedural matters that need clarification.”
Satan the Devil is very clever in deceiving people about God’s Law and Holy Days being obsolete. Mr. Tkach’s reference to “procedural matters” involved the replacement of true doctrine with false doctrine.
Mr. Tkach’s son, Joseph Tkach Jr. explains in an interview how and why this “clarification” needed to be made. This clarification involved the rejection of biblical truth for the embrace of religious fables (II Tim.4:3-4).
In speaking of God’s Law, Jesus Christ said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (Matt. 5:17-18).
Clearly heaven and earth are still in existence, which means God’s Law is still in existence and nowhere near “obsolete.”
The prophet Jeremiah shows in “The Wonderful World Tomorrow,” people will be able to finally keep the Law of God. These verses clearly show the new covenant involves the keeping of God’s Law of which the 10 commandments form its foundation.
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people (Jer. 31:31, 33b).”
The new covenant Jeremiah was speaking of is yet to be implemented with the houses of Israel and Judah.
Christ plainly states that keeping God’s Law is a prerequisite for receiving eternal life.
“But if you want to enter into (eternal) life, keep the commandments (Matt. 19:6b).”
It is clear Mr. Tkach and those who followed his failed teaching did not understand God’s Law was not “obsolete” and thus reject the reality it is still in full effect today.
The Bible also shows God’s Holy Days are not “obsolete” either.
Notice how Jesus Christ intends on keeping the Passover with His disciples in God’s Kingdom.
“But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom (Matt. 26:29).”
The prophet Zechariah is very specific that the Feast of Tabernacles will be observed in “The Wonderful World Tomorrow” by those who survive the horrors of the Days of Vengeance and the Day of the Lord.
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech. 14:16).”
Zechariah goes on to explain that those who refuse to keep the Feast will be punished for their rebellion.
“This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up (to Jerusalem) to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (vs. 19).”
If God no longer wanted His Holy Days to be observed, why did He say they were to be observed “forever”?
A clear and honest reading of God’s Word reveals His Law and Holy Days are not “obsolete”!!! This is the defining difference between a true teacher and a false teacher of God’s Word.
The test
The introduction of false doctrine following Mr. Armstrong’s death was a test for God’s Church. It was designed by God to prove who would remain faithful to the restored truths He had put back into His Church through Mr. Armstrong and who wouldn’t. This is the purpose behind Paul’s prophecy concerning “the falling away.”
“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, . . . (II Thes. 2:3a).”
Through his leadership, Mr. Tkach set in motion the apostasy needed to fulfill this prophecy. The result of “the falling away” has led to the fracture and splintering of God’s Church which Paul told Timothy would happen in the days leading up to Christ’s 2nd Coming.
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons (I Tim. 4:1).
And so today, what formerly was “The Worldwide Church of God” has become a mainstream Protestant organization, while multiple groups have formed sharing different ideas about what God’s Church should be doing prior to Christ’s 2nd Coming.
Clearly, these events have led to God’s Church becoming “lukewarm” just as Christ said it would be before He returns.
“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will (am about to) vomit you out of mouth (Rev. 3:16).”
Reason for becoming “lukewarm”
What is the reason for God’s Church becoming “lukewarm” right before Jesus Christ returns to this earth?
Lukewarmness results from an unbelief of God’s Word. Many in the final era of God’s Church simply do not believe what their Bibles say. Unbelief is why the generation which came out of Egypt, above 20 years of age, could not enter the Promised Land.
“So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief (Heb. 3:19).”
With the exception of Joshua and Caleb, that generation did not believe God would bring Israel into “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
The final era of God’s Church, both ministry and brethren are failing in the lessons of history and are not prepared to enter the “Promised Land” of the Kingdom of God.
“Now all these things happened to them (Israel) as examples, and they were written for our (God's Church) admonition, upon whom the end of the ages have come (I Cor. 10:11).”
End of the ages
As you read this blog, understand that now is the time when the end of this ages has come.
How can you know?
Because the sign Jesus Christ gave to His disciples signifying when the end would come has already occurred.
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached (proclaimed) in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come (Matt. 24:14).”
Before Jesus Christ could return, the gospel of the Kingdom of God would have to be proclaimed as a witness to the world. This is the same gospel message Christ delivered when He came to this earth as a human being.
“Now after John (the Baptist) was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching (proclaiming) the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. (Mark 1:14-15).”
Once this gospel message had been delivered, the door for end-time events to occur was opened.
First, understand the gospel is a message about God’s Kingdom and not about Jesus Christ, the messenger. Traditional Christianity focuses on the person of Jesus, not on the message He delivered.
The gospel is about the establishment of God’s Kingdom ruling over this earth. It involves the replacement of Satan the Devil, who is god and ruler of this world (II Cor. 4:3-4, Luke 4:6) with Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Rev. 19:16).
Keep in mind Christ said the gospel was to go to the world as a witness or a declaration of facts. This witness was to tell the world that God was going to establish His kingdom on the earth as He originally planned to do when the earth was first created.
How was this message to go out and who would be responsible for taking it to the world?
Jesus Christ showed the gospel message would go out to the world during the 6th era of God’s Church, called Philadelphia.
“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word and not denied My name (Rev. 3:8).”
Who did God use to get this witness out?
He used a man named Herbert W. Armstrong.
God began using Mr. Armstrong at a time when His Church was spiritually dead (Rev. 3:1).
As Mr. Armstrong learned about the Bible, doors or opportunities were made available for him to take this biblical knowledge to the world first through magazine, then through radio and later television.
Mr. Armstrong went from a 100 watt radio station to visiting world leaders during his 52 year ministry. The membership of God’s Church combined with numerous co-workers financially supported Mr. Armstrong in this effort and when he died Matthew 24:14 became a fulfilled prophecy.
The big lie
The big fallacy in God’s Church since Mr. Armstrong’s death is that the gospel needs to continue going to the world.
This is not possible in the final era of God’s Church. Why? Because this era is not spiritually capable of doing this type of work.
“Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing—and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked (Rev. 3:17).”
The gospel message was never designed to convert and save the world at this time. Not in Christ’s time, nor during Mr. Armstrong’s time. Only those God would call out of this world could respond to the gospel and qualify to become part of His Kingdom when it will be established on the earth at Christ’s 2nd Coming (John 6:44).
And proof of this fact is that only 144,000 firstfruits will return to this earth with Jesus Christ when He takes over rulership of this world from Satan the Devil.
“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty four thousand (144,000), having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. These are the ones who were not defiled with women (false doctrine), for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb (Rev. 14:1, 4).”
To be redeemed, one must repent of sin and believe in the gospel message Jesus Christ delivered. It also requires being faithful in that belief to the end of one’s physical life. Most of the 144,000 firstfruits are dead, in their graves waiting for the sound of the 7th trumpet when they will be resurrected to eternal life.
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep (remain dead), but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (I Cor. 15:51-52).”
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord (II Thes. 4:16-17).”
The message Christ has for Laodicea is the same message He had for those who heard Him in the first century.
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be[come] zealous and repent (Rev. 3:19).”
This message of repentance is not being delivered to God's Church by the ministry today. This is because the ministry fails to understand Matthew 24:14 is now a fulfilled prophecy. This is dangerous to the spiritual and physical safety of the brethren as the world stands on the precipice of end-time events (Rev. 6:9-11).
2024 is shaping up to be an ominous year. The Biden Administration has spent its first 3 years setting fires all around the world. Those fires are poised to become raging infernos which will change the global landscape leading to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
This will usher in God’s wrath on this world, on modern Israel and on His Church for its unbelief and rejection of Truth.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what’s been happening in God’s Church and why, over the past 38 years.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”