The reason why we are all here on this forum is that we are seeking understanding, truth and the kingdom of GOD. All of us came out of some form of deception but what can we learn from that experience. All of the various organizations we were in when deceived were of men, men who claimed they were teachers and represented GOD. Men like, Charles Russell, Herbert Armstrong, Athanasius, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, Joseph Smith and many more were nothing but self appointed false shepherds.
My false shepherd was Herbert Armstrong. I was so enamored and engrossed in him and his teachings and in his ministers. After about ten years I began to hear a voice in my mind, verses of scripture, statements against the things I believed. At first I thought it was Satan but when I began to follow up on the words I realized they were from GOD. I knew people would think me crazy or demon possessed, which they actually accused me of being. In the local church I attended the minister put me out of fellowship and would not allow me to return unless I recanted.
I began to write to the headquarters in Pasadena California to Joseph W. Tkach Sr who was pastor general at the time. I explained in detail with scriptures that the WCG was in the wrong covenant and was mixing the two covenants together effectively canceling out both. After only a short time Mr Tkach began to remove booklets written by Herbert Armstrong from the churches approved literature citing they were not accurate and not based on scripture.
I do know that Mr Tkach was reading my letters because in the churches newspaper “The Worldwide News” he quoted things I wrote verbatim. Gradually more changes to church doctrine were made but Mr Tkach died in 1995 and his son Joseph Jr became Pastor General.
It became very obvious that Joe Jr did not have the understanding of his father as he led the church into main stream Christianity adopting false doctrine like the trinity and immortal soul. To this day I do not know what role I may of had in that ordeal that eventually led to the demise of the WCG . I have put all of my past behind and concentrate on seeking the kingdom of GOD. Matthew 6:33
By being in the WCG I learned the law very well because I lived it and all the members were well trained in the scriptures. We were better Jews than most Jews. I had learned the shadow of the good things to come in Christ Jesus , Hebrews 10:1 , but was living as though Jesus never came to fulfill that law by my keeping days Jesus fulfilled. Thanks to Yahweh as HE allowed me to see the light of Christ shine on those shadows so that I could learn the lesson of the schoolmaster. John 1:17 Galatians 3:23,24,25
This all was a prime example of Romans 8:28 I was not alone in this experience as three other members of my local church left the WCG and now we fellowship whenever we can and partake of the bread and wine. All this happened over 30 years ago and none of us have looked back since.
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