Articles for the Benefit of Members and Ex-Members of the WCG

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46
Why the Scattering of the Church!

The Church of God has become divided into numerous off-shoot organisations and widely scattered groups. Why? What should people of God do now in this present predicament?

Ronald L Dart, a widely-known and respected teacher in 'Church of God' circles, lamented recently about the scattered state of the Church. In a letter to his mailing list, 1st January 1998, he wrote:

"I am a naturally optimistic fellow, but we are starting 1998 with no relief in sight for the scattered state of the churches. It appears that each of us will have to find a way to cope with this spiritual and physical environment for a little longer...

"We wonder if there is anything we can do that we are not doing. It is hard to keep from feeling that there ought to be something big we can do, that we ought to change something, do something, move something."

There IS something we can do and should do! And that something is big, too! I will come to that in a minute.

It is natural to grieve over the physical demise and break-up of a movement with which we strongly identified, especially when we consider the impact of its presentation of the gospel on society.

We might tend to think that the tight-knit uniformity within the Church of God was always a good thing. Certainly, its homogeneity contributed greatly to financial stability, and that, in turn, enabled the Church to have an evangelistic outreach to the world.

Now that the Church is seriously fragmented - and liable to fragment further - what is the way forward in evangelism and why has God allowed all this to happen?

There are important reasons, and you need to understand why, so you can best respond in the present situation.

See The Good in The Present Situation

Firstly, we must realise that whatever God permits He does so for a purpose. Nothing occurs without significance. That may be hard for some to grasp, but those who walk by faith know it to be so. Paul said:

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

If you are one who loves God, then what has occurred is not something to lament over, but to perceive its purpose for your own good, and for the good of others who love Him.

It is fair to say that the Church of God, despite all the good it has achieved in promulgating the gospel, had some gross weaknesses and limitations. Not everyone saw those, of course. And, many failed to see how God is working in His overall plan at this time. When you are so close to the trees, you can't see the rest of the wood.

That was certainly true of many in the WCG, and is still the case for a majority who have teamed up to lend their support to various off-shoot organisations. Their concept of "God's Church" and "The Work" is still very limited to the scope which WCG mentors established in their minds. It is often confined to seeing God only in and among those who are of the same religious persuasion. I dare not even call them "Sabbatarians" at this juncture, because many don't consider other Sabbath-keeping brethren to have a claim on being part of God's Work.

We need to go back to foundational concepts. Who is a true Christian? Paul answered:

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you... (Rom 8:11)

...those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Rom 8:14).

There's your definition. That's your starting point for accepting others as brothers and sisters. They don't have to be part of the Church of God, or any of the breakaway organisations who still insist on bearing that name in part of their title. You can be a true believer even outside a physical organisation! Church membership is not your entry card to the Kingdom. Having the Spirit of God living in you IS!

The Spirit and everything to do with God's Spirit is what it's all about. It's not about belonging to a church in a physical sense. It's about belonging to Jesus in a spiritual sense. And that appraisal has been lacking for far too long in the Church of God. There has been an excessive emphasis on the physical organisation, or leadership, or outreach, or magazine, or publications, or broadcast, or telecast, or the presenters, or this or that... but all those things are physical. And what is physical will all pass away with the using until only the spiritual remains.

That is one reason God has allowed the disintegration of our former association.

Could people ever see beyond the physical if God did not remove it? Many couldn't, so God removed it, for their own good.

Of course, He allowed renegade elements to do the dismantling from inside. He permitted false ministers to hold ascendancy and to remove, one by one, all the truths which God used the Church to uphold in Christendom when precious few others held to such things.

One reason God did not withhold His hand is because of the blindness such an organisation engendered in its followers. They could not see how God's Spirit can indwell another believer who is either not part of their physical organisation or who does not hold to the same beliefs.

But in a world of deception, where believers cannot come out of error into complete truth in one leap, is it not understandable that there will be a plethora of misunderstandings amongst Christ's followers? Until the full light of the gospel shines upon them, how can they all believe the same? They cannot.

Accepting Other Believers

I grew up in the Methodist Church. Those in that church knew little about the fact that the Sabbath was not Sunday. I certainly didn't, and I know that my parents and grandparents thought similarly.

When God first began to call me, I read that it is one of His commands to keep the Sabbath holy, I began to attend church regularly and to do what I perceived God to be saying to me in the Bible. I learned about tithing, so with the little I had, I tithed to that church. I was only 15, then.

It was not until I learned more and God showed me that the Sabbath is not Sunday, that my eyes were opened to that particular truth. Only then did I stop attending the Methodist church and began to observe the Sabbath on the seventh day.

I don't suppose my case is much different from many others. God has called many others out of various other churches using this particular test of Sabbath observance. But one thing is clear to me now. My parents' minds were not opened to this truth when God opened mine to it. It was not as though they deliberately rejected it. They just didn't see it. For some reason, God had not 'flicked a switch' in their minds to recognise what He caused me to see.

It took me over 20 years, however, to come to appreciate how God works. I assumed that because the knowledge and understanding about the Sabbath was as clear as daylight to me, that it would automatically be the same for my parents and others as well. The fact that they didn't see it, I was told was due to rebellion on their part. Perhaps for some it is, but looking back now, I know it wasn't that cut and dried. There was another over-riding reason why their minds could not see what I could.

God simply hadn't revealed it to them. They were blind to it. It is the same principle at work as was at work in the way God blinded Israel:

God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day (Rom 11:8).

Their table had become a snare and a trap (v 9). What I saw on God's table of truth was not what they saw. I have no doubt in my mind that what God revealed to my mind was correct in that respect. That doesn't make me any better than my parents or anyone else who has not had the same revelation, but it did put a responsibility upon me to obey what I knew. I did obey, and I will continue to do so.

Truth is truth, and truth is to be lived by. Accepting and living by truth is part of the process of coming to know God. It doesn't make you righteous, but it fulfils an obligation you have if you want to receive God's righteousness which comes through Christ.

However, having truth which some others do not have, often tends to make some puffed up. That was certainly true of many in the WCG and is still the case for thousands more who have come through that system.

Pride comes before a fall. Pandemic WCG pride is part of the reason for the Worldwide's downfall. God has to eradicate it from His children. No one will enter the Kingdom of God thinking they are "more holy than thou". Everyone who has this hope must become as a little child before they are fit to come in.

I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:3).

Talking about these children, Jesus said:

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father (Matt 18:10).

When I was in Worldwide, I am ashamed to admit that I did look down on others who didn't have the Bible knowledge I had been given. I see things very differently now! But I wonder how many other brothers and sisters who have been indoctrinated the way I was, fail to grasp their sin of looking down upon other believers? It is a form of spiritual pride.

Pride was the first sin. It was what caused Satan's fall. It led to him becoming Satan - our, and God's adversary. He injects pride into any he can. Unsuspecting Christians are among his prime targets. Tragically, he has netted a huge harvest in the Sabbatarian churches, where believers almost instinctively think of themselves as better than Sunday-keeping Christians! Too many suffer from what I call the Luke 18 syndrome:

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself [margin, TO himself]: 'God, I thank you that I am not like all other men - robbers, evil doers, adulterers [one could add - "or like those who don't understand and obey 'the truth' like I do"] - or even like this tax collector...

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 18:9-14).

There, in a parable, you have one reason for the demise and disintegration of the WCG. Off-shoot and kindred churches will go the same way, too, as long as they retain the same mindset.

There has never been a greater need in the Church for spiritual discernment than there is today:

• 1) You need to discern truth from error.
• 2) You also need to discern between true followers of Jesus and bogus ones.

And those in category 2) are not defined by that in category 1).

You can have false concepts or misunderstandings AND have the Holy Spirit! It all depends upon whether you obey what God reveals to you. If you genuinely don't perceive a truth, His grace covers your inadequacy. But, woe betide you if you DO understand, and you refuse to submit to what He requires of you! God is a fierce Judge!

As I said, before I comprehended that the Sabbath was the seventh day of the week and not Sunday, God did not hold me accountable on that point. When He unlocked my understanding to that truth, He also expected obedience to what He had shown me. He did not require obedience in the same way from others to whom He had not revealed that truth. HE allowed them to be consigned to ignorance, so He takes responsibility for that situation.

The Principle of Selection

What I came to realise, more than 25 years later, was that God selectively reveals truth. This is a principle by which He works throughout the world today.

He calls out His chosen. He selects some from the world and reveals some of Himself to them. Their first 'port of call' may be one of the mainline denominations. Then He selects again and draws some out of those churches, to whom He selectively grants more understanding.

He also selects some to be prophets and apostles, to whom He gives further comprehension of His truth, as are evangelists and shepherds. They are selected to do a job, as a part of the overall purpose of preparation which God is engaged in, preparing a Bride for His Son. We must listen to all ministries God selects.

It doesn't take much gumption to see that not everyone called is at the same stage of growth. There are spiritual babes, youngsters, adolescents and youth. All those called and chosen are on the road to spiritual adulthood, so as brothers and sisters in the faith of Jesus, we must not forget that we are all related through Him, and accept one another in brotherly love. There can be no room for intolerance or arrogance towards another who has the Spirit of God.

As regards those who don't have the Spirit, we must be circumspect and use wisdom. That is only available through spiritual endowment. Discernment of spirits is a supernatural gift (1 Cor 12:10), not something that is inherent in the intellect of man. So, the cleverest Bible teachers are not without their misapprehensions in this area. Discernment of spirits is one gift given to prophets. They are able to receive this divine revelation to help protect the Church - that is, those who will listen to them (few do!).

Where Are The Prophets?

The scattering of the Church at this time has a lot to do with what God has in store for those who can now have their minds opened to further truth. You didn't learn it all in Worldwide, or International, or Global, or United, or any other of the many off-shoot set-ups. It wasn't all available there. There were bits missing, and if you want to move on spiritually, you can.

Before you do, however, God needs to show you something. The parallel is recorded for us in the history of Israel and Judah.

God's people then failed to live up to His expectations. God removed His hand of protection, and they became scattered:

The shepherds are senseless and do not enquire of the Lord; so they do not prosper and all their flock is scattered (Jer 10:21).

There are two ways to enquire of the Lord. One is by yourself, in prayer. But if, when you pray, you do not receive an answer from God (and tragically many pray without expecting God to literally answer them in some supernatural way - so they don't receive!), the alternative is to enquire via a prophet.

It seems that those in the Churches of God are less believing in many ways than their former counterparts in Israel and Judah! Who believes prophets are even around today? Do you? If you don't, you need to reform your thinking. The evidence affirms the prophetic office is still extant.

Has the Church reached the full maturity of Christ yet? No. Therefore, prophets are still part of the five-fold ministry preparing the Church (Eph 4:11-13).

A man phoned me up once and said he had a problem. But he didn't want to tell me what his problem was. He wanted to test me as a prophet. I'll call him Jim.

Jim was believing enough to admit that prophets might be in the Church. I'll give him that credit. He's one of the few who have not ridiculed me for being so outspoken. I'm not so sure his scepticism about my credentials was that praiseworthy, but I don't hold it against him.

Anyway, Jim said he wasn't going to tell me his problem. He wanted me to ask God to reveal to me what his problem was before he discussed it with me. That way, I suppose he thought he could be more sure that he would get the sound advice he needed. A pretty smart cookie, really! Perhaps more people should do that with those who present themselves as ministers.

As he was speaking to me, another 'voice' spoke to my spirit. Like the still small voice Elijah 'heard' on his mount of isolation, it was not audible. It was intuitive. It was within. God planted the thought in my mind that it was concerning a woman. I got nothing more.

I didn't tell him there and then. I wanted to be sure I was hearing correctly. I asked another prophet to go to God in prayer and ask for revelation about Jim's problem. I didn't tell him what I had received. The next morning he told me it concerned a woman that Jim was thinking of marrying. He had been given more than I received. It added to my 'word' and confirmed it.

I wrote back to Jim and told him what we had received. The outcome helped him spiritually.

In the OT, if the people were sincere, they could enquire of God through true prophets. Tragically, false prophets arose who led the people astray by telling them what they wanted to hear instead of the truth. So, the people had the problem of distinguishing between the true and the false - a situation that exists today.

But the fact remains that the prophet was a mouthpiece for God - if his earpiece was attuned to the right wavelength. And the fact also remains that prophets are an integral function in the Church, even if you have never met one or believed they existed.

Now is your chance. There are several. They are not all of your doctrinal persuasion, so if you are going to move forward spiritually, you need to accept other believers, and be more open to the moving of the Spirit.

One such prophet is Dumitru Duduman. I ought to say "was", because he died in May 1997. But his messages are on tape and video, and many of the dreams and visions he received from God pertain to the imminent destruction of America.¹

He finished his course. He fulfilled his duty as a watchman to the nation. You can count on the fingers of one hand the number of years the USA has left before foreign powers subdue it. Dumitru's message from God is not palatable to the majority, but I think you already know of this collapse to come, so it may be more acceptable to your ears than to most. He adds what is new insight to some and further revelation about where the first strikes will come from.

What Is Ahead

Knowing this information will not save you from the trouble to come. The impending Great Tribulation is not going to be survived by those who selfishly seek to save their own necks. None of the original apostles were able to save themselves from the persecution that engulfed the early Church and scattered it to the four winds. All except John died martyr's deaths for the glory of God, to bear testimony to the truth. God used those situations to fulfil His plan.

The first century scattering was part of His plan then, just as it is now. The circumstances are different, but the same God is still in charge. That God has resurrection power and it was that power that bore testimony to the validity of the gospel they proclaimed.

You are going to see resurrection power today, also! You are going to see the dead raised!

Evangelist, Ron Dart opened up by asking "we wonder if there is anything we can do that we are not doing..." There is! RAISE THE DEAD!!

I'm not joking. I'm serious. Jesus raised the dead. You know that. Peter raised the dead (Acts 9:40). Others have raised the dead, too, although there is not a mountain of evidence about this in the Bible. There is contemporary evidence of it in our times. (I shall write on this in a future article. If you want a copy, write me.)

Jesus says this to you if you can accept it:

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father (Jn 14:12,13).

If you are sold out to God, if you will lay down your all for Jesus, He will empower you. You can do miraculous works for Him. I'm not speaking through the top of my head. I have been where it's at! And so can you, too. It's up to you.

Many could not accept the power of God back then. More cannot accept it today - in the Church! so, before it comes, there must be a time of pruning. When Jesus turned up the heat, many of His disciples drew back. They couldn't take it then (Jn 6:66). Many will not be able to take it now, either. But, if you will, you can.

"It is hard to keep from feeling that there ought to be something big we can do, that we ought to change something, do something, move something", Ron says.

You bet there is! He was being moved by the Holy Spirit to write those words to you. The Spirit is moving amongst those who are open. As more people open up to the Spirit, more power will be available. Then, when God's time is right, the dead will arise. And I'm not talking about at the Last Trump. I'm talking about a sequel to what you read in Matthew 27:52,53.

Jesus said: Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons... (Matt 10:8).

It is a command to all disciples. It is on a par with healing the sick. You believe in that! Or do you, really!? If you do, are you doing it? Are you seeing results? If not, why not? Jesus has not withdrawn from those who dare to stand up and be counted for Him. His power follows those who believe! (Mark 16:17.)

The Church of God needs to emerge from its sea of unbelief and come to see its God in a new light. When that faith arises to take hold of the promises of God, you will see the sick healed, the dead raised, and all the supernatural gifts of God flow in power.

You bet there's something you need to be doing! You bet there's something you need to change! You need to change your outlook for a start and see the greatness of your God, the miraculous power He offers you, and have His fire in your heart so those things come to pass in your life. An explosion of power is coming, and it will bring an explosion of life for the Kingdom of God!

Malcolm B Heap

¹ WAKE UP! AMERICA!, is a video of Dumitru Duduman's warnings he received from God. It also contains his remarkable testimony of how God called him when a soldier in Romania, the suffering and imprisonment he endured under Communist rule, and more. It is available for $20 from Hand of Help, 419 W Broad St., PO Box 550, Mineola, TX 75773-0550, USA, or from PO Box 29, Aylesbury, HP17 8TL, UK.