Surviving “Perilous Times”

Article One -
Endless False Doctrines
How Most Are Still Being Fooled!

BY DAVID C. PACK

False teachings—old and new—continue to fool most brethren in ALL the splinters. How many are you aware of? How many is your group teaching? Have you accepted or practiced them, either consciously or unconsciously? If so, which and how many are they? What will you do about them? Will you WAKE UP?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

This section includes a comprehensive list of the false teachings existing, to one degree or another, within the splinters. Some are actively taught—others passively tolerated. Some are taught in one or a few groups—others in many or most groups.

Keep in mind that this is a “mixed” list of doctrines, comprised of ideas that have been spawned within the splinters and of others that first appeared in the WCG, but were carried as baggage, knowingly or not, into the splinters! There Came a Falling Away lists 280 doctrinal changes that all sprang from the apostates. But every one of the teachings on this list now exist in the splinters.

Understand! This is not a complete list of all current false teachings. I have had to combine and/or omit some, because we cannot keep up with the explosion of new doctrines and ideas now appearing everywhere. Assembling a complete list would be impossible—particularly for one person. Even if possible, it would only represent a snapshot in time, quickly outdated by newer heresies appearing almost daily within ALL the groups.

Paul likens heresy to leaven and cancer. Leaven always spreads until it fills its host, and cancer always spreads until it kills its host. This said, most are probably aware that it is no longer possible to track the rapidly increasing number of organizations and groups, let alone the false ideas they are crafting. Therefore, the list here is not exhaustive. Of course, some false doctrines are so absurd, it is unnecessary to include them. For example, one minister teaches that Job was not self-righteous. I have not included such things for obvious reasons. Another group ordains women. This alone disqualifies it as even marginally Christian. Including these kinds of changes would dignify them—and the groups that teach them—wasting time, and unnecessarily extending the book.

A Critical Quote

The following is an excerpt from There Came a Falling Away. As that book developed through its many editions, I was forced to address the question of which changes to document and which to exclude. I settled on a number of 280. This statement has application, once again, for this new list.

I have avoided assigning an order of importance to this list. Here is why:

“By the time I wrote the appendix to the Seventh Edition of this book (June 1995), the list of doctrinal changes included had reached 280. There were over 25 other false doctrines that I decided to omit because everything in life has a limit. Although other changes have been made in the years since, I had to ask: What would be gained by making more editions—at great time and expense—to a book already proving overwhelmingly that an apostasy had occurred? At what point is enough, enough? Sufficient evidence had been presented to readers to convince even the most ardent ‘doubting Thomas’—if one had even a slightly open mind.

World To Come on The True Church

“However, various critics arose who generally agreed with the book. Many people had different ideas of what it should contain, how long or short it should be, which might be the best quotes to prove this or that point, etc. Eventually, decisions had to be made about what to include, and someone had to make them.

“The ‘buck stops here,’ with me.

“Some have suggested that certain changes included are picky or trivial. I disagree. But, if this were true, the problem would have been identifying of which it was true. Removing them or categorizing them as ‘less significant changes’ is fraught with problems. In effect, I would be assigning God’s truth a value, and would receive two-sided criticism. On the one hand, some might say, ‘I think such-and-such change should have been included among the more trivial changes.’ On the other hand, others might say, ‘How could you put change such-and-so among the smaller, more trivial ones? It’s big.’ Experience has shown that no two people agree on what is ‘picky’ or what is ‘big.’ You are left to decide which are smaller and which are bigger.

“The WCG defended ‘small’ changes in the following way: ‘When we find that we’ve been wrong, regardless of how small the point may be…we have an obligation before God to change it’ (Personal from Joseph W. Tkach, WN, June 24, 1991).

“Therefore, if an idea was considered important enough to teach in the first place, and considered important enough to change later, I felt it was important enough to acknowledge here. Also, the WCG said that it felt dutybound to change any doctrine it felt was wrong ‘no matter how significant or insignificant it might seem to be’ (J.W. Tkach, WN, Nov. 17, 1992). Should I be less thorough in detailing and preserving God’s truth than they were in removing it?

“I have also noticed that those who feel certain changes are minor or insignificant, invariably agree with some of the changes and/or want to make their own changes!”

How to Approach the List

It is helpful, and necessary, to include some other points before continuing:

First, this list should not be used as a “billy club” on specific groups or individuals. Many scriptures explain why this is unchristian. Of course, you can refer people to the list for discussion—but this is much different than using it as a weapon. Christians are for the truth, not against people. I do, however, expect to be personally attacked by some for trying to help God’s people with this list.

Second, if you excuse or explain away changes here, you miss the whole point and do yourself a grave disservice! While focusing on the number or severity of errors taught by other organizations may make you feel better, it will not help you personally. You must carefully sift through the material, examining yourself and the organization that you are in. The reason there are so many false doctrines in the splinters is that leaders and their followers routinely explain them away. If you do this, only you will be hurt. Strive to read each point, asking, “What is my group teaching?” Also strive not to congratulate yourself, saying, “My group is not teaching that!”

Third, if you become, or are already, convicted that Mr. Armstrong taught the full restored truth, you will quickly recognize you are in a group that has compromised and/or watered it down, probably severely. You may want to ask your leaders why they are teaching so many different doctrines. After they excuse or explain them away, be persistent. There Came a Falling Away lists 43 basic ways the apostates did this. It may shock you to see how many of these methods your ministers and your leaders employ. Expect clouding of the issue, intimidation, attacks on your character—or mine—and accusations of rebellion. Expect psychological tricks and terms in unsatisfactory “explanations.” For example, the apostates told those who were resistant to their changes that they were “unwilling to grow,” and thousands fell for it. You will almost certainly hear this again.

Fourth, some will ask why I have not taken time to “counter” all of the following heresies with extensive explanations. This would be both impossible and endless! It would tie up my ministry and our staff for the rest of our lives! Experience has also shown that most people who have truly bought into numerous heresies will not give them up—even when proven wrong. With the devil then having tied up my time, I would have been unable to rewrite God’s truths, and God could not call more people in this age into His full truth and way of life. (And we do not apologize for stating that we alone teach and publish it!)

Let me illustrate how long it could take to counter even a single false doctrine. As mentioned in the first article, a popular “teacher of prophecy” declares, “There is no coming captivity for the modern nations of Israel.” By his own admission, this is “massively different than Mr. Armstrong.” He believes “Israel has been in captivity for 2,700 years.” Reasonable people—those who know even a little of prophecy—understand how ridiculous and dangerous this idea is. But this giant heresy is taught in a complex, convoluted manner—to the end that it deceives many more people foolish enough to entertain it in the first place. It would take many hours to prepare a sermon or article thoroughly debunking it. Even then, I would probably have wasted time, because few recover once they are captured by the “excitement” of this kind of extreme “new growth and understanding.” I can only tell people to reread THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY for proof Mr. Armstrong gave of the fallacy of this thinking.

Fifth, I long ago realized that the living Christ was fully capable of guiding His apostle to restore the truth to His Church. This statement alone brings out the latent resentment, hatred and venom existing in the splinters toward Mr. Armstrong. After proving God’s doctrines, he often told us to prove them from our Bibles. However, so many today seem to believe that they should “grow beyond Mr. Armstrong’s limited understanding,” and this feeling spawns and drives many false teachings within the splinters.

Those who go back to the mid-70s remember many doctrines being watered down. A quick examination of the most “doctrinally sound” groups reveals that they are much more compromised, liberal and watered down today than was the Church during the infamous “liberal years” of the mid-‘70s! At that time, Mr. Armstrong roared for over three and a half years as God used him to put the Church “back on track” (mid-1978 through 1981). Recall that this process required him to disfellowship many ministers.

With many ministers and splinters having departed further from the truth now, no honest person can doubt that Mr. Armstrong would disfellowship them today, wholesale, as he did before. Merely permitting or endorsing the use of makeup (by deceitfully claiming that Mr. Armstrong approved it in “moderation”), would bring disfellowshipment by him. This is another reason so many in the splinters resent—and even quietly despise—Mr. Armstrong!

Sixth, individual groups are not directly named in this list because I do not want to unnecessarily appear to attack. The teachings are only generally grouped, according to the splinters accepting or spreading them. I do not apologize for the fact that people will be able to discern which groups are silhouetted—profiled—within this list. While I do not name them, I certainly have not spent time shuffling the list to protect groups from identification. The perceptive reader will recognize his organization!

Seventh, in one area of the list, many verses are cited as “proof” of much “new prophetic understanding” by one group leader. While this section is long, it could have been much longer. Again, everything has a limit. Take time to look up at least some of these verses to better appreciate how terribly mangled is the thinking of anyone claiming such “new understanding.” The man guiding the changes reflected in this portion of the list, claims to be “That Prophet.” Just reading Deuteronomy 18:15 shows that his “new understanding” is a gross distortion of context and subject, revealing so plainly outright biblical ignorance. Yet, he proclaims God revealed this nonsense to him. (These changes are also found in Section IV of our book Is “That Prophet” Alive Today? – The Rise of False Prophets because they assist the context of that volume.)

Eighth, there are perhaps three overarching questions that apply to most of the beliefs on this list. One or more of these next questions serves as an automatic lead-in to each item. They are summarized in the following way: (1) Is your organization teaching or tolerating…? (2) Have the leaders in your organization taught or accepted…? (3) Have you accepted or tolerated…?

Recognize that a few teachings are identified as “policy” changes. But consider that nearly all policy has its roots in both doctrine (I Tim. 4:16) and tradition (II Thes. 2:15; 3:6), which are both to be held fast (Rev. 3:11). Some few points will require commentary and author’s notes, and references are found in bracketed italics.

Pay particular attention to the first four errors. They are all-encompassing in effect, and the introduction of the first two has had a devastating impact on true doctrine as a whole. Their acceptance opened the door to the rest of the list! As you read, recognize that only one Church neither accepts nor tolerates any of these ideas!:

(1) The government of God has been discarded. God’s government has disappeared from the Church. The apostates “scattered (shattered)” it.

(2) Christ no longer works in one unified, organized Church. His Church—the same as the Body of Christ—now consists of many “fellowships” or “communities of believers.” [Utterly contrary to I Corinthians 1:10, 13 and 12:1-31, Ephesians 4:2-16, John 15 and Matthew 12:25-30, this theory asserts, in effect, that Christ and His Body are NOW divided.]

(3) All correct doctrine (truth) does not come through apostles—i.e., God can use non-apostles to reveal new doctrine (truth) to His Church!

(4) Mr. Armstrong was not the Elijah who “restored all things” to the Church. He may have been “Elijah-like” but could not have “restored all things.” Former correct teaching has given way to two popular notions: (a) The two witnesses will be Elijah and a second Moses, or (b) the commission of the Elijah may have been fulfilled by Christ. [Grasp the following all-important point: To allow for any doctrinal change—any personal doctrinal agenda—it is necessary for those doing this to reject both Mr. Armstrong’s fulfillment as Elijah and his teaching that truth only enters the Church through apostles. Do you see this? One must reject these two points as the only way to circumvent the dilemma presented by Mr. Armstrong’s two teachings.]

(5) Mr. Armstrong finished the commission of preaching the gospel to the world and the special “Ezekiel Warning” to the modern nations of Israel. The fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 and 28:19-20 basically ended January 16, 1986, at Mr. Armstrong’s death.

(6) The Work is now personal—getting ready for Christ’s Return and the Wedding Supper. Since supporting a work no longer applies, the Christian should give tithes and offerings to “worthy causes” and assist with “disasters and relief efforts,” generally trying to help mankind.

(7) Church traditions may be changed at will (see II Thes. 2:15; 3:6).

(8) The gospel is now best defined as “the gospel of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and forgiveness and the kingdom of God.” Some believe there is also a separate “gospel of peace.”

(9) Church government is not hierarchical, with God working through one chosen leader.

(10) Top ministers may be selected by voting (after announcing their “candidacy”).

(11) As a result of this practice, headquarters is now more correctly called “home office” in one splinter, in effect, because no one wants to think of it as headquarters and the field ministry directs and selects leaders.

(12) People no longer need a ministry to direct, lead and oversee them.

(13) Ministerial ranks have been eliminated in one major group and altered in others.

(14) Also, many local Church elders, leading independent groups, believe they are full ministers even though hundreds of ordination certificates, signed by Mr. Armstrong, state full ministers begin at Preaching Elder.

(15) There are not seven, separate, chronological New Testament Church eras.

(16) Therefore, there is no single, literal Place of Safety.

(17) Philadelphians will only gather into one group at the time of flight.

(18) The Passover service deletes reference to healing from physical sins by Christ’s stripes.

(19) There is no such thing as physical sin. All sin is spiritual.

(20) The Old Testament Passover was on the 15th of Nisan not the 14th. Some are told they can quietly keep the 15th, as long as they keep quiet about it.

(21) This means abandonment of the Night to be Much Observed, the 15th.

(22) Mr. Armstrong’s first (or pre-1974) divorce and remarriage position was correct. Some assert that, by changing it, he began the apostasy.

(23) Third tithe has been replaced by government public assistance programs. Also, several well-known pastors explain that third tithe is intended for use in local communities, not just in the Church. They instruct people to look around their neighborhood for existing needs, and distribute third tithe accordingly.

(24) There is no future captivity for the nations of modern Israel, because they have been in captivity for 2,700 years. [This man asserts, “Mr. Armstrong suffered from tunnel vision” and “viewed prophecy through the eyes of what Nazi Germany did to the Jews—one tribe—and generally applied it to the last resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire.” In other words, Mr. Armstrong unnecessarily warned hundreds of millions of an imaginary event! This idea devastates whole vast areas of prophetic understanding. Also, Laodicea need not worry about a captivity that will not come. Few things could please the devil more than seducing people from this proper understanding. MYSTERY OF THE AGES, U.S. & B.C. and other booklets are gutted in meaning by this and many other related teachings. This heresy continues by stating that Israel will ally with the Beast and the original captivity is still in effect (i.e., Israel is still in captivity). This idea, if true, virtually turns Mr. Armstrong into a false prophet—or God’s ability to lead him was so bad, He could not dissuade him from such a colossal error.]

(25) This minister also asserts that the “blessings and cursings” of Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 no longer apply. [This idea claims that they were voided by God’s divorce of ancient Israel in preparation to marry New Testament Israel. Numerous other wrong ideas flow from this. This man speaks of Isaiah 10 as though Assyria is actually just “spiritual Babylon.” Huge problems are attendant with this. The “seven times” (or 2,520 years) that passed over Israel, and ended in 1800-1803, now have completely different meaning in light of the above teaching…and on and on. It is no wonder this man states that his teachings are “massively different than Mr. Armstrong’s.”]

(26) Sunset is defined by three schools of thought. One retired pastor teaches that the Sabbath begins when “three stars of the second magnitude appear on Friday evening.”

(27) Many now challenge Mr. Armstrong’s understanding of the Hebrew calendar. Some keep the Holy Days without postponements—thus on the wrong days. They assume the Sacred Calendar was re-established (not merely re-calculated) by Hillel after Christ’s death. Then, the logic is that those who “established” it were no longer keepers of the “oracles” (Rom. 3:1)—since they rejected Christ—meaning that they could not have had authority over the calendar. An example is that some people now keep Pentecost on Sivan 6.

(28) The spring and fall feasts often have no “meat [preached] in due season.”

(29) One leader claims to be “That Prophet” of Deuteronomy 18:15; John 1:21; Acts 3:19-23 and 7:37.

(30) This leader also claims to be the “Lawgiver” of Genesis 49:10.

(31) God’s names must be spoken in Hebrew (the “sacred names” idea).

(32) It is correct to say we are now “born from above” (or “born again”).

(33) Mr. Armstrong’s “interpretation” of the nature of God is open to question. (One leader has asserted that God may be a trinity with a small “t.”)

(34) Slight deviation from the Church’s teaching is not heresy. [One old-time evangelist, now claiming the title of one of the Church’s “watchmen,” states, “Clearly, slight deviation from the Church’s traditional understanding should not be considered heresy—especially on matters that cannot be proven with 100 percent certainty.” His letter refers to “minor changes” and “minor areas.” Assuming God allows such changes—and He does not—who is authorized to decide what is major and minor? Certainly, God never does this. This idea may be the worst heresy in the splinters. It is a colossal change, in size and impact on Church unity. It is what keeps “Pandora’s Box” open, repeatedly splitting groups, with devastating results.]

(35) The Key of David is government, not Israel’s identity in prophecy.

(36) The Church is not our mother.

(37) Varying degrees of birthday-keeping is up to each individual.

(38) Interracial marriage may be unwise, but it is neither wrong nor sin.

(39) Baptized people may date and marry the unbaptized.

(40) Wearing makeup is permissible because it is merely an “administrative matter,” and “Mr. Armstrong went back and forth on it.”

(41) Sabbath dress has become lax. [See II Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6.]

(42) It may be said that there are five resurrections, with three “major” ones.

(43) People may occasionally skip Sabbath attendance (or the “assembling of themselves together”) for any number of reasons.

(44) Unleavened Bread need not be eaten on each of the seven days of UB.

(45) Most brethren now tithe on net instead of gross income.

(46) “Brethren” can sue other brethren. [Ignores I Corinthians 6:1-8.]

(47) The Marriage Supper occurs in heaven.

(48) The Wedding Supper starts on Pentecost (and lasts until Trumpets).

(49) God’s Church has many “branches.” [John 15:1-5 shows it is each member who is a branch.]

(50) Women may teach scripture.

(51) Men may wear earrings. [See II Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6.]

(52) Long hair on men and short hair on women, including ministers’ wives, are not addressed, deemed unimportant.

(53) An open-door policy governs Church attendance.

(54) The unbaptized may attend Passover and participate in the footwashing.

(55) Peter was not sole leader of the New Testament Church.

(56) God may not be sanctifying children of split marriages as we thought. [See I Corinthians 7:14.]

(57) Wives of ministers may obtain full-time jobs. [This means they cannot remain 50 percent of their husband’s ministry, as Mr. Armstrong always taught.]

(58) Christ is the “end of the law” (Rom. 10:4) does not mean “aim or goal.”

(59) New moons may or should be kept in the New Testament era.

(60) Doctrinal dissenters may be kept in the Church and rogue ministers tolerated. [Only those unwilling to compromise are disfellowshipped, with those carrying it out proclaiming that it is for “other reasons.”]

(61) Preferably, seek doctors’ advice before anointing (tacitly or openly done).

(62) Conversely, it is anti-faith to ever seek the counsel of doctors.

(63) Voting in local, state or national elections is a personal decision.

(64) Some tithes may be given to the local congregation instead of to headquarters—for building programs or other local matters.

(65) Jury duty is not wrong, because Christians make the best judges.

(66) Members may carry guns (one minister kept a loaded revolver under his car seat and another in his trunk, and even carried a Deputy Sheriff’s badge) and the Church should not tell “member” policemen not to carry guns.

(67) Insurance is wrong.

(68) Abortion is not always murder.

(69) One must no longer leave worldly clubs and organizations before baptism.

(70) MYSTERY OF THE AGES is about half, or maybe three-quarters, correct.

(71) Christ was not and could not be tempted by sin. [Same as apostates taught.]

(72) Earth is 6,000 years old, and dinosaurs co-existed with Adam.

(73) Regulating hunting is unbiblical.

(74) The Beast may be a computer and not a person.

(75) Sermonettes are often Protestant.

(76) College accreditation was good. [Mr. Armstrong taught otherwise.]

(77) Mrs. Armstrong was a prophetess and much of what Philadelphia learned came through her dreams and visions.

(78) More prophets and prophetesses will have dreams and visions, and may soon appear in various groups (some ministers already claim to have this ability).

(79) Sorcerers will soon begin to persecute Philadelphians.

(80) Mr. Armstrong may not have been an apostle.

(81) The Passover is a celebration. [Just as taught in the apostate WCG.]

(82) “Apostasia” (II Thes. 2:3) does not mean a “defection from truth.”

(83) The Church did not begin in A.D. 31.

(84) There were not 3,000 baptized on Pentecost in A.D. 31.

(85) Christ’s Spirit is different from the Holy Spirit.

(86) To leave Laodicea, we must return to the Ephesian Era, not Philadelphia.

(87) There are true Christians in false churches—even those not keeping the Sabbath.

(88) Love is more crucial than doctrine. Just reaching out, being kind and having genuine love will unite God’s people. [Many groups as much as espouse this, with some saying it outright.]

(89) Periodic attendance with other organizations helps promote unity.

(90) Protestant “do-gooding” should be practiced in local communities.

(91) One leader considers his book to be the “little book” of Revelation 10, and that it fulfills Revelation 3:20—Christ knocking on Laodiceans’ doors. [Many prophetic ideas that follow (through #171) depict a doctrinal tragedy—a prophetic “holocaust”—of epic proportions, playing out in one group. I list many changes taught there, partly because all need to be warned of how far from God’s Way thousands can wander—in the name of “new revelation,” “new truth” or “growth in understanding”—once they cease holding fast to exactly what God taught through Mr. Armstrong. I hope I have properly represented these complicated, nearly impossible-to-understand teachings.]

(92) Revealed prophecy: “The [group name] has kept all the revealed knowledge God gave to Mr. Armstrong. All of the Laodicean groups have rejected at least part of the revelation. Therefore God has given them no new revelation since Mr. Armstrong died! But the [group name] has been flooded with new revelation. We are the only group that is eating from the tree of life…” (quote from leader)

(93) The Seven Thunders (Rev. 10:3) are the seven chapters of (leader’s) book.

(94) Malachi is (leader’s) message to the Laodiceans and Philadelphians.

(95) “The little book and our message is to measure the Church to prove that they are Laodiceans…” (Ibid.)

(96) “Through [leader’s book] God has opened up shocking new truths concerning His end-time Church from the books of Daniel, Amos, Micah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi and Revelation…Many of the prophecies…previously believed to apply to worldly religions, actually describe events…within the Laodicean era…” (Ibid.)

(97) Backing and supporting this message…(of leader, through his book) is one’s ticket to the Place of Safety (p. 146 of his book).

(98) Revelation 11:1-2: Everyone that has God’s Spirit and is not a member of this group—is “outside” God’s temple—is in the “outer court” of the temple. Only the people of this one group are considered to be “inside” the “inner court” of God’s temple.

(99) “Where is God’s temple today? It is the [group name]! Where is God’s temple treasure today? It is within the [group name]!” (Ibid.)

(100) Incredibly, all those who have God’s Spirit within the many groups constituting Laodicea, including immediate family members, are disfellowshipped and cannot be contacted by those in the “inner court.” [This is actually derived from a horribly butchered rendering of what Mr. Armstrong instructed the Church in the 1970s.]

(101) The reward, “To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me on My throne” (Rev. 3:21) is not for Laodiceans, but rather Philadelphians. Laodiceans enter the kingdom, but are not in God’s Temple or at headquarters with Philadelphians.

(102) “The [group name] is our ‘nail in his holy place’ in this end time…We are reviving God’s only Work. No other group on this planet is doing God’s Work…” and “The [group name] typifies Ezra’s work in this end time. Ezra 3:3…the altar, or the work of the [group name] ministry, is established on the right foundation…” (Ibid.)

(103) And yet, this leader declares that the primary purpose of the Church—its “work”—is now to “expose Satan and his evil.” [In a similar butchering of the Church’s most fundamental commission, this has replaced preaching or announcing the kingdom of God to the world and warning the nations of modern Israel.]

(104) The great multitude of Revelation 7:9, 13-14 consists of previously unconverted people who repented as a result of the Tribulation and came out of it, having survived it without suffering.

(105) The phrase “the sacrifice…taken away” (Dan. 8:11; 12:11) is interpreted: sacrifice means the church, and taken away means taken to the Place of Safety.

(106) “Pestilence” (Matthew 24 and other places) means racial unrest and riots. Leader also falsely predicted that the O.J. Simpson trial would produce a guilty verdict and bring race riots.

(107) Jews have been notorious troublemakers throughout history everywhere they went, bringing misfortunes like the Holocaust on themselves.

(108) “Prophesy again” in Revelation 10:11 means “after the Church rebelled, God commanded His very elect to ‘prophesy again’ (Rev. 10:11)” to the Church (Ibid.).

(109) The “very elect” of Matthew 24:24 cannot be deceived.

(110) 19-year time cycles were merely Mr. Armstrong’s passing interest. Dismiss them.

(111) Virtually all O.T. prophets’ messages are to Philadelphia about Laodicea.

(112) Daniel 12:1—“The people taken to a place of safety are found written in the book of remembrance (Mal. 3:16)…” (Ibid.)

(113) Malachi 1:2-3 shows Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel) are coded words: Esau is WCG Laodiceans who lose salvation. Jacob is all other Laodiceans.

(114) Malachi 2:4-6 is a prophecy of Mr. Armstrong.

(115) Malachi 2:14-16 is a prophecy about Laodicean ministers’ treachery to “the wife of your youth.” The “wife” is the Church God built through Mr. Armstrong.

(116) Malachi 3:8-9 refers to Laodiceans robbing “the whole world” by not supporting (group name) in delivering God’s message. The phrase “smite the earth with a curse” (4:6) only refers to a curse on the Laodiceans, not the earth.

(117) The “end-time Joshua” of Zechariah 3:1-9 and the “man of sin” of II Thessalonians 2:3 both refer to the WCG leader—first the father, then, when he died, his son. [Imagine one who is supposedly a true prophet of God having become so confused about the identity of the MAN OF SIN—the final false prophet—at the end of the age.]

(118) Daniel 8 refers to same WCG leader who “will be an end-time Antiochus. His goal will be to crush the faith of spiritual Israel—God’s Church” (Ibid.).

(119) There are two abominations of desolation. The first is Antiochus Epiphanes. The second is WCG leadership. “There is also an end-time abomination of desolation, as prophesied here in Daniel 8 and Matthew 24 and Luke 21…You know that there is an abomination of desolation going on even now! Daniel 8 is discussing transgression, truth being cast to the ground—a satanic host practicing and prospering at destroying the daily—all from within the sanctuary, God’s own Church, inside the Church, a man is acting like God, magnifying himself even to the prince of the host, casting truth to the ground” (Ibid.).

(120) The 2,300 days (evenings and mornings) or 1,150 days (Dan. 8:12-14) is the daily sacrifice taken away on January 16, 1986 for 1,150 days until (leader’s book) was written, on March 11, 1989. Then God began to “cleanse the sanctuary.” Several quotes follow: “Using January 16, 1986, as our beginning point makes Saturday, March 11, 1989, the end of the 1,150 days. As most of our readers know, I was fired from the Worldwide Church of God on December 7, 1989, for upholding what Mr. Armstrong taught. That was nearly nine months after the 1,150 days ended…And I had been working on the manuscript for nearly nine months! Though I do not remember the exact date God began revealing [book name] to me, it is safe to say that it was on or around March 11, 1989, God began to cleanse the sanctuary. True, it began with just me…Verse 12 says an army was given to Satan ‘against the daily.’ By him the ‘daily’ was taken away…Today the temple is the Church—so, again, the ‘daily’ in prophecy refers to the sacrifice, or Work, of the Church.” The daily sacrifice taken away, of Daniel 12:11, will be when the work of the (group name) will end. “The continual is not a physical sacrifice—it is a mind-stirring vision! This DAILY refers to a spiritual Work of God DURING ALL OF MAN’S HISTORY…” (quotes from leader). [This is a phenomenal mangling of an end-time prophecy—Daniel 12:11-12—that all true Christians should watch for.]

(121) Ezekiel 9:1-11 is about the spiritual slaughter of God’s Church by an angel: “…The worst slaughter physically is in the Tribulation. But the spiritual slaughter begins in God’s sanctuary—His Church” (Ibid.).

(122) The 144,000 are the Laodiceans that will die in the Great Tribulation.

(123) (Leader’s name) says Isaiah 3:16 refers to the Laodicean Churches. [Mr. Armstrong understood it refers to the women of modern Israel.]

(124) Related to this, this leader believes and teaches that the WCG—now a completely spiritually-dead Protestant/Evangelical church with virtually no truth—is still Laodicean, and in the category of the splinters.

(125) Isaiah 22:15-19 is a prophecy of the end-time WCG leader who succeeded “Eliakim”—a code name for Mr. Armstrong.

(126) Isaiah 28:9-14 and 40:9 are prophecies about Laodiceans and national Israel to whom (group leader) “…must deliver the good news to God’s own Laodicean Church and to all Israel.” He continues, “These verses are directed primarily to God’s own people.”

(127) Isaiah 58:1—“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet…” refers to (group name) warning the Laodiceans.

(128) Isaiah 66:3—“Today, that means God’s Laodicean Church is eating unclean spiritual food and going their own way…” (Ibid.)

(129) “The Holy Roman Empire…is the abomination of desolation” (Ibid.).

(130) Matthew 24:15-18—The flight referred to here is “spiritual” since God’s people will have already been taken to the Place of Safety.

(131) Matthew 24:40 refers to “two…leaders in God’s Church.” Verse 41 refers to “two separate Churches, but both of [whom] are God’s Churches” (Ibid.).

(132) Isaiah 1:7 refers to “your cities are burned with fire—caused by the blacks’ rioting like the L.A. riots in May 1992…There is deep racial division and hatred in America” and the Ezekiel 5:12 reference to “A third part of you shall die with pestilence…can be defined as a plague of violence or burning or of violence and rioting” (Ibid.).

(133) Jeremiah 1:7-8, 11-15 refers to (group’s) message and task in end time.

(134) Jeremiah 3:6-12: “…this means spiritual Israel, the Church.”

(135) Jeremiah 11:9-21, 13:1-10 is God’s end-time Church turning from God.

(136) Jeremiah 15:6, 9 is explained as “…this is referring to a woman—God’s Church—and the seven eras…” (Ibid.)

(137) Jeremiah 2:21-28, 17:1-18, 18:11-18 and 24:1-10 are prophecies on God’s end-time Church.

(138) Jeremiah 44:10-19 is God’s end-time Church rejecting His government.

(139) Lamentations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 refers to “…the Laodicean Church era punished by God in the Great Tribulation…” (Ibid.)

(140) In Ezekiel 11:4, “Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man…” refers to the fact that “God commands the [group] to ‘prophesy against’ this Laodicean heresy!…” and 13:11 refers to “a stormy wind…This has to be the work of God’s [group] Church today!” (Ibid.)

(141) Ezekiel 16:8-18 is a prophecy of ancient Israel, but is more a prophecy of the Laodicean Church. “This is referring mainly to an end-time wife who rebels and must go into captivity” (Ibid.).

(142) Ezekiel 33:33 is “A final warning message immediately before the holocaust! That message is delivered by the [group] after HWA’s death” (Ibid. 1992).

(143) Ezekiel 44:15-16 is explained as “This is a prophecy of what the [group name] is doing today in the midst of great disloyalty to God” (Ibid.).

(144) II Kings 21:1-3, 9, 16 is explained as “God likens his example to what happened in His end-time Church…This is a shocking prophecy!” (Ibid.)

(145) Ezra 9:8 is a prophecy of a Philadelphian remnant.

(146) Jude 14 means ten thousand Philadelphians will be in the Place of Safety. [This illustrates the same utter butchery of prophetic understanding we have seen in his previous statements. Jude 14 is a plain statement from Enoch that all of the saints who return with Christ total “ten thousands”(plural). Read it.]

(147) Hosea 1:1-3 is explained as “Hosea is discussing God’s own Church…in this end-time!” and 1:4-9 is a prophecy of the end-time Church. “…They were God’s people in the Philadelphia era…” (Ibid.)

(148) Hosea 3:1-5 means “God’s end-time Church committed adultery and whoredoms” (Ibid.).

(149) Hosea 5:9 means “not only a prophecy of Britain’s downfall, it is a prophecy that God’s Work…Today these servants are in the [group]” (Ibid.).

(150) Joel 1:8 means “God is addressing His Church spiritually…” and 1:9-16 is a prophecy about the Laodicean Church.

(151) Joel 2:23-26 means “…God is still addressing His Church…a remnant of which will not be cut off…[group] receives God’s spiritual rain…” (Ibid.) and verse 28 “refers only to all of the Laodiceans in the Tribulation before the Day of the Lord” and verse 29 means “…these people begin to serve God in the Great Tribulation…” (Ibid.)

(152) Amos 1:1 is explained as “…discussing God’s spiritual family…The book of Amos is mainly focusing on God’s Church!” (Ibid.)

(153) “‘Prophesy not’ of Amos 2:11-12, refers to the WCG’s leadership and God’s own people…of the end time…ministers God raised up and they are divided” (Ibid.).

(154) Amos 3:1 is “primarily discussing God’s spiritual family” (Ibid.).

(155) Amos 3:3 means “The controversy over a watering down of God’s truth causes a Church split and verses 7-8 “But God continues to reveal to the [group]…which was given God’s ‘secret’” (Ibid.).

(156) Amos 7:8 means “This [group] Work is God’s final warning to the Laodicean Church…” (Ibid.)

(157) Micah 1:13-16; 2:1-8 is a prophecy of God’s end-time Church—Laodicea and Philadelphia—and 1:15 refers to Philadelphia at the Place of Safety.

(158) In Micah 2:12-13, “the breaker” and “their king” is the group leader. This is linked to John 1:21, to prove this leader is “That Prophet.”

(159) Micah 3:1-3 means that apostate Church members have been “spiritually…skinned and had the flesh ripped from their bones” (Ibid.).

(160) Micah 3:9 means Laodicean leaders “pervert all equity” but 4:8 refers to (leader’s name).

(161) Micah 6:1 explains that (group) is to fight and contend with Laodiceans for God’s truth.

(162) Micah 6:16 is a prophecy of WCG leaders and apostasy: “Has there been a father and a son team today that has destroyed spiritual Israel by bringing into God’s own Church the worship of Baal…?” (Ibid.)

(163) In Micah 7:4, the “watchman” is (leader).

(164) Habakkuk 1:5 is explained as “a prophecy about [group]…” (Ibid.)

(165) Habakkuk 2:2 refers to “The message [that] is going out through [leader’s book]” (Ibid.).

(166) Habakkuk 2:18-19 refers to “the WCG has become a teacher of lies” (Ibid.).

(167) Zephaniah 1:4 “refers to God’s Church. Verse 4 is all too descriptive of what has happened in the WCG and all but one of its branches today” (Ibid.).

(168) Zephaniah 1:8 refers to Laodiceans wearing “strange apparel” and verse 9 is a reference to “..all those that leap on [over] the threshold” which is “…what is taking place within the Laodicean Church today” (Ibid.).

(169) Haggai 1:7-11 prophesies of Laodicean leaders. Verse 12 references, “The [group] does represent the obedient remnant in this end time” (Ibid.).

(170) Haggai 2:4-7 speaks of (group). “At times, it can appear that the [group’s] commission is overwhelming. But God tells us to be strong…and work” (Ibid.).

(171) Haggai 2:8-9 speaks of (group). “…WE must look at these verses spiritually. All the silver and gold…is a mere pittance compared to the riches God is building in our lives,” and verse 11, “Haggai shows us that the Laodicean ministers have a law or government problem…Verses 15-17 is God addressing the Laodicean Church” (Ibid.).

(172) The Day of the Lord began on October 2, 1997, and extends throughout eternity. [Taught by above leader’s former elder, who started his own group.]

(173) Abandonment of Matthew 18:15 as a means of solving problems between brethren. [As much as false teachings, this and the next three points reflect a temperature change in many groups. They may also partly reflect why so many have gone completely out of control among the splinters.]

(174) Most ministers fear to correct and direct members, and rarely visit or counsel them.

(175) Sabbath services are very lax—people even make and take cell phone calls and youth play board games during services. Disorganization and starting late are widespread.

(176) Disfellowshipment for heresy and the sowing of division is no longer practiced in most groups. [Most often, this action IS taken against those who will not compromise God’s doctrines. The nearly wholesale abandonment of this practice explains why so much false teaching and division exists among the splinters. Also, neglecting this practice is connected to the abandonment of God’s form of government. This neglect does, however, fit well with the idea that having love toward people spreading false doctrines is more important than preserving unity through an action that seems “unloving and abusive” to human reasoning! See changes 5, 88-90 regarding love and 7-13 regarding government.]

(177) The “abomination of desolation” no longer refers to armies surrounding Jerusalem. One small but popular ministry, specializing in much false prophecy, then teaches, “Therefore, in the end of this age, there could be no abomination of desolation in a physical temple nor on any altar…” The leader’s logic continues by stating that the abomination of desolation happened within the WCG when it threw out the truth. This heresy claims that the abomination is now history, and no longer prophecy.

(178) In relation to the abomination being set up, the Bible instructs Christians to “flee to the mountains.” The new claim is that this phrase refers to fleeing into the splinters. Notice how this falsehood is presented: “We have always understood that mountains refer prophetically to governments or nations. How could this apply to the scattered Church? When an abomination of desolation began to work upon the Church, God’s Church began to scatter. This scattering also resulted in the fragmenting of the government that had existed in a single organization called the Worldwide Church of God, where the Body of Christ—the spiritual organism of the Church of God—had existed for several decades. When scattering occurred, the previous government began to emerge in the form of prophetic mountains—new organizations, but scattered. Brethren had a kind of safety for a time from the immediate destruction that was working upon the Church as the abomination of desolation began” (emphasis ours). [What absolute nonsense!]

(179) Similar to the false prophet whose many changes are listed above, this same man teaches that the man of sin “is no longer prophetic in nature, but is now a matter of history for the Church—end-time prophecy fulfilled.” Ignoring the fact that Christ is to destroy this man at His Coming (II Thes. 2:8), he teaches that Mr. Armstrong’s successor was the “man of sin” and the “son of perdition.”

(180) Ezekiel 5:1-2, describing Ezekiel’s hair divided into thirds, reflecting God’s punishment on physical Israel, has actually already been fulfilled in the Church. [In truth, only verses 3 and 4 refer to the Church.]

(181) The first five seals of Revelation now only pertain to the Church, with the sixth primarily pertaining to the Church. Notice this ridiculous application: “It is difficult for brethren to grasp that the first five seals are exclusively about the Church and not the physical world around us. Even the sixth seal is very much about the Church because it reveals a time for the end of spiritual tribulation upon the Church and the beginning of physical tribulation upon this world.” Following are this man’s new interpretation of the seals: 1st Seal = false ministers [instead of false religion in general]; 2nd Seal = false doctrine [instead of war]; 3rd Seal = spiritual famine [instead of actual famine]; 4th Seal = repetition of first 3 seals on scattered Church [instead of pestilence]; 5th Seal = announcement that the spiritual tribulation is nearly over [instead of Great Tribulation]; 6th Seal = sealing of the 144,000 [instead of heavenly signs]; 7th Seal = beginning of Great (Physical) Tribulation [instead of the seven trumpet plagues, concluding with Christ’s Return]. On the same subject, followed by his own thoughts, he claims the interpretation of the 5th seal was wrong in the past: “Now we come to a seal that has been deeply misunderstood—an interpretation that has been in error.” [Astoundingly, this man recognizes that Mr. Armstrong was the Elijah, while throwing out many of his most basic teachings!]

(182) The same man states that “We are so very close to the opening of the final seventh seal. When you read this, that seal may have already been opened with God’s two end-time witnesses already doing their work—just prior to the return of Jesus Christ.” [You figure out what he is trying to say.]

(183) One of the large splinters, led by the one claiming to be “That Prophet,” also claims that “Philadelphians” must receive a “second” spirit, described as “Christ in us.” This ignores Paul’s warning in II Corinthians 11:4 about “another Jesus” and “another spirit.” [Receiving this spirit supposedly achieves a higher level of conversion. This idea is particularly dangerous, since it directly invites an alien spirit—demons—into the mind.]

(184) Ezekiel 34 (in conjunction with Jeremiah 23 and Zechariah 11) is used to refer to the Church and not the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This idea continues by stating that the phrase “there is no shepherd” means that you do not need to follow God’s government or any ordained ministry, because the entire ministry can no longer be trusted.

(185) The largest splinter now believes that Christians are “born from above.” While they have not yet used the term “born again,” they speak of conversion as a type of “new birth” or “rebirth.”

(186) Correspondingly [exactly like the Protestants], this splinter has gone on to describe conversion as primarily a specific event culminating with baptism, rather than primarily a process continuing throughout a Christian’s life. [This subtly moves brethren toward the concept that conversion is a “born again” religious experience.]

(187) Precisely like the apostates who taught them—and who obviously still influence them—the above splinter now states that when Nicodemus was told that he could “see” the kingdom of God, he was actually being told that he could comprehend it once he was born again. Notice this quote: “…does the word ‘see’ (verse 3) mean ‘to perceive’ and ‘to understand’ or does it mean only ‘to see’ in a literal sense? A converted individual will ‘see’ the Kingdom of God in a sense (Matthew 13:11, 13, 16). He will understand what it is. It has deep meaning to him. It is no longer a mystery to him, for he ‘sees’ it, understands it as never before.”

(188) In a rare statement of honesty, this splinter states that the Church is not our mother, and thus openly admits that they cannot be the true mother of God’s people. [Ironically, when church groups reject their role as mother of their brethren, they exclude any possibility that they can, in fact, BE the true Church and the mother that God intended it to be.] Notice this group’s candor: “For example, the place of the mother is conspicuously absent in the analogy of the new birth. Christ is the ‘firstborn among many brethren,’ but who was His mother in the spiritual sense in this analogy? Some believe the Church is the mother in the analogy. However, there is no scripture that refers to the Church as the mother and the Church certainly could not be the spiritual mother of Christ. The Church is referred to as the bride of Christ…not the mother.” [This teaching denies the Church’s long-held understanding of Revelation 12, revealing that Christ was born of the Old Testament “church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38)—physical Israel. It also denies Galatians 4:26 and Hebrews 12:22-23, which reflect spiritual Israel, described from Revelation 12:6 to the end of the chapter. Mr. Armstrong’s born again booklet went to great lengths to tie the Church’s role as our mother to the true understanding of how being born again is entirely connected to the resurrection of saints at Christ’s Return. Grasp how heresy works like cancer, always spreading to engulf other doctrines! If one is born again at conversion, the role of the Church as a mother carrying begotten children until birth must eventually be cast aside. Similarly, as already mentioned, the conversion process, pictured by a child developing in the womb, must eventually be replaced by the Protestant idea that conversion is largely a religious experience. Keep watching, because people believing these things must eventually go on to believe they are saved in this life and that Christ kept the Law for them.]

(189) Healing does not always involve forgiveness of sin. Notice what the largest splinter teaches: “We can not conclude from scripture that all illness results from sin…With this understanding from scripture, we conclude that healing is not always the result of the forgiveness of sin…It should also be noted that if all healing is the forgiveness of sin, then one should be made physically whole at the moment of baptism or else we have to conclude the baptism to be invalid.” [The last statement is particularly ludicrous, because it denies that there are obvious, permanent physical effects from sin. These can result from either physical or spiritual sins committed by previous generations, sins committed in one’s earlier life or committed after baptism. The latter are also not automatically removed because one already is baptized.]

(190) Holy Day offerings are to be given three times (derived from “three seasons”) a year, not seven.

List May Expand!

As more false teachings appear, we may continue to periodically amend this list, and we have already done this several times!

Truly, Laodicea is “lukewarm…wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:16-17). You must recognize how awful this condition is if you are to “hold fast” and keep “your crown” (vs. 11).

Finally, now that you have read the list, I repeat: Only one Church neither accepts nor tolerates any of these—or any other—false ideas!

Many have asked about the story of Mr. Armstrong’s decision to disallow makeup in the Church. This was one of the first doctrines (November 1988) the WCG apostates changed. Lacking the facts—the real story—most of the splinters have unwittingly believed these false leaders instead of Mr. Armstrong. This article reveals what really happened in 1974, 1981 and 1988, now forgotten in the splinters.

Continue to: Article Two – MAKEUP: WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CHURCH!

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