Should Accusers Be Answered?

Do You Believe Obvious Lies?

Introduction

BY DAVID C. PACK

Christ described our time as the age of hatred, betrayal, offense and lawlessness (Matt. 24:10-12). Many today use and promote innuendo, rumors, outright lies and other forms of deception to confuse and divide God’s people, and defeat their confidence in Christ’s ability to govern His Church. When presented with such information, what do—what will—you do? Christ said, “If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you!” This means attacks, sometimes vicious, are a fact of life for God’s people. The true Church and especially its leaders stand squarely in Satan’s crosshairs. It will receive the brunt of persecution prior to the Tribulation, when Satan will turn on the “remnant” Church of Laodicea (Rev. 12:17). Certain questions arise: Should accusers be answered? What spirit motivates them? Did Jesus answer His accusers? Mr. Armstrong was attacked throughout his ministry. Did he answer accusers? Should I? What did Mr. Armstrong teach about this? What does God’s Word say? This book reveals the answers—and is the policy statement of The Restored Church of God about persecution and accusation, and our response to them.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

This book is an important, in fact vital, part of our Splinter Explanation Packet. At first glance, its subject might seem a curious one to address and include. Some explanation is necessary, and sets the stage for why this topic is so important.

In February 2000, as a result of a wave of particularly vicious attacks that had just occurred against me personally, and only a few months after The Restored Church of God began, I was faced with whether or not to answer my accusers. I was being confronted with outrageously false accusations from people purporting to bring the “facts” about my conduct. Over a period of about three months, these accusations had spread widely, and had been coupled with additional false charges, which had been made against me many years before.

Here was my dilemma regarding a response: There was no blueprint from the past in the Church for me to examine, explaining what should and should not be done. No one, including Mr. Armstrong, had ever addressed this subject in a full booklet, or even an article, let alone a book.

It was apparent I was facing an important choice that could not wait: Should I, or should I not, answer the charges against me. It was obvious to those who knew any facts at all that the accusations put forth were false—and to the point of utterly ridiculous—but I wanted to be sure that I handled this matter God’s way, and that what I said reflected sound biblical understanding. I wanted to be certain that I had fulfilled in the correct manner any obligation that I had to God’s people.

Section I

I came to be very thankful for these early accusers because they forced me to squarely face and address my responsibility as a true minister of God under such trying circumstances. As a result, I set out to find out exactly what Mr. Armstrong had either said or taught about this subject—and what had been his personal policy when facing outrageously false accusations. I knew that he had been fiercely attacked throughout his ministry, so I knew that he had to have said something—and I had a pretty good idea what it was. I decided to also very thoroughly research God’s Word for the answers to the questions described on the back cover and the promo of this book. This led me, one month later, in March 2000, to write an extensive booklet titled, Should ACCUSERS Be Answered?

Over the next four and a half years, the original booklet was variously expanded, strengthened, and periodically edited to improve overall clarity. Its final edition is the longer Section I of this book, and it now carries eleven chapters.

Section II

Later, in early 2003, circumstances led me to address, in a more specific way, a related element of the subject of false accusation, persecution, outright lies and other forms of attack on whoever would be the leader of God’s Church—and the responsibility of God’s people to handle these things properly when they occur. Once again, the truth of God’s Word took the form of an extensive article, this time titled, “Do You Believe Obvious Lies?”

This crucially important article—perhaps one of the most personally helpful pieces of understanding that you will read in our Splinter Explanation Packet—slowly expanded until it became what is now Section II of this book. I cannot stress strongly enough the vital importance of carefully reading this section, also taking the time to look up at least the key scriptures referenced.

Section III

Finally, in 2007, there was added another extensive article—“Beware of Grievous Wolves.” The Church of God has always been under attack from those the Bible calls “wolves,” and there came a need to address them in plain language. At my request, a team of men wrote this article from material given them at a time when we had just been attacked from within. This is the reason it references my name and is not written as though it came from me. This article appears as Section III.

Section IV

Six months after the original booklet appeared, it became necessary to write a specific follow-up article about “Why Attacks on RCG Must Increase and Intensify!” Over the years, this original article was also expanded, strengthened and periodically edited to improve overall clarity. It now stands as the concluding Section IV of the book.

Over time, it became clear that all three (and then later the fourth) articles belonged under one cover in a single book, using an expanded title. It became apparent that the sections of this book only form a complete picture when they are read—and studied—together! Note additionally that the extensive chapter in The Work of God – Its Final Chapter! volume titled “Time Is Running Out!” adds a great deal to all the instruction and understanding contained in this book, and could have easily been its own section here. It would be helpful to the reader to at least review that chapter (assuming you have read it) after reading this book.

SHOULD ACCUSERS BE ANSWERED? covers scriptures that most rarely study and principles that you have probably never considered before. It is a practical guide that offers real help and instruction to those who study it carefully, and it presents a blueprint for the future! Note that, because the four sections were written at different times, and initially appeared as independent “stand-alone” articles in other publications, the book has a few necessary, but in each case helpful, repeating or overlapping principles and scriptures that are presented more than once in different contexts.

Continue to: Section I – SHOULD ACCUSERS BE ANSWERED?

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