|
Articles
for the Benefit of Members and Ex-Members of the WCG
* * *
51
A Message to the WCG
Part 1
This publication is a message of spiritual redirection for members and
ex-members of the WCG. It was first written in 1992, revised in 1994 and also in 1998.
It is also available in print from the address at the end.
Who has understood the mind of the
Lord? (Rom 11:34)
Preface
My wife and I were members of the Worldwide Church of God
for more than 20 years. God called us into the church and began to draw us
to Him through that avenue. We were loyal to it in every way during the time
we were members, and we made many friends. Had it not been for circumstances
which God engineered, we would still be there today, loyal to its structure,
and supportive of those who lead it.
However, events transpired which projected us into direct
conflict with certain ministers in the church whose fruits demonstrated they
were not ministers of Jesus Christ, but those of another spirit. We were
ejected by men whose behaviour displayed sinister motives.
If you are a member of the Worldwide Church of God, that
statement may sound anathema. You may not think there could be ministers of
Satan inside the church. The Bible says differently (Acts 20:29; II Cor 11;
Jude 12). God also warns us that they are very difficult to detect because
they appear, on the surface, just the same as the sheep. But "such men
are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as
apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel
of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants
of righteousness" (I Cor 11:13-15).
The full story of how my wife and I were thrown out of the
church on bogus charges by a false minister is detailed in a book to be
published shortly, available on request.
My wife and I know that what has transpired has been for
the best. Jesus gives us the promise in His Word 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).
God called me in 1965, at the age of 15 and drew me into
His ekklesia. Through reading the Bible and prayer I came to know Jesus
Christ as My Saviour. I repented of my sins and was baptised. I grew to know
God and through the understanding He gave me, I came to love His Word. He
opened my mind to His Truth. Naturally, because God had used the avenue of
the Worldwide Church of God initially to draw me to Him, I assumed that all
His Truth was only available through that church. I did not know any better.
It was also what members were led to believe. It may be a natural
assumption, but it is very näive and fuels the fire of prejudice against
other believers. Although this exclusivism is now waning, it still retains a
grip on the minds of many in the WCG, and taints the philosophy of the major
spin-off groups. It is very spiritually limiting!
It was only when God showed me later that there were many
others on earth who are also led by His Spirit, (many of whom have held
similar biblical truths to those promoted by the WCG) but who had never
heard of the Worldwide Church of God, let alone had any contact with it,
that I could see the biblical truths which I held dear were not exclusive to
that organisation. [A directory of Sabbath-observing groups throughout the
world was compiled by The Bible Sabbath Association, RD1 Box 222, Fairview,
OK 73737, USA. This directory contains the names and addresses of about two
hundred Sabbath-keeping church organisations or fellowships. And there are
many other believers led by the Holy Spirit, too.]
My wife and I were expelled from the church on false
charges against which we were not permitted to defend ourselves. We were not
given a fair trial, and our former friends in the church were told lies
about us which turned them against us. I wrote numerous letters of complaint
appealing to the administration of the church to have our gross injustice
rectified, but all to no avail. Over the space of 33 months I wrote 55
letters to WCG church leaders trying to find equity. Many of these letters
were comprehensive and therefore essentially lengthy. But they were either
casually ignored by the Worldwide leadership or dismissed with a few
irrelevant lines in reply. If I had been guilty of the accusations that were
levelled at me, and if I did not care for those in the church, I would not
have bothered!
Since our expulsion, God also led us into the company of
other Christian believers, who, although they have some different
understandings, display the fruits of agapé love which the Bible
declares are the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit (Matt 7:16-20;
12:33; Gal 5:22,23). "All men will know that you are My disciples if
you love one another" (Jn 13:35).
He led us to Christians who also manifest His power
– power to perform miracles, healings, and other supernatural
manifestations of His Holy Spirit (Mark 16:17,18; Jn 14:12). We are told not
to deny His power (II Tim 3:5). [More about God's power is expounded in MG2,
A Message to Law-Keepers.]
Clearly, what I had been taught in the Worldwide Church of
God (WCG) was NOT the sum total of all truth available. God was showing me
more. Truth is more than just certain biblical knowledge and understanding.
Since Jesus is the total personification of Truth, Truth embraces His power
and other aspects of His Being also.
To say that Truth is available outside the Worldwide
Church of God may sound to Worldwide members like heresy. If so, that is an
indication of the depth of WCG deception. Between 1989 and 1991 God began to
totally reorientate my thinking. He showed my wife and me more than we
learned in Worldwide. God showed us that He is working with many
others elsewhere in different ways. I offer an explanation, here, of some of
what God is doing through other Christians and why [More is
explained in Who Is The End-Time Elijah?]. Also, in chapter 5, we
provide a prophetic insight into some of what God will do shortly in these
final hours of human government to catch the attention of the world and
declare a final witness.
What this publication contains will prove to be a
challenge to members of the Worldwide Church of God and its offshoot
churches, such as International, Philadelphia, Global, United and
many others of like philosophy. I hope you can take it! If you can, you will
be greatly blessed, as my wife and I have been after moving on from WCG
dogma.
I seek ultimate Truth and true objectivity. I hope you do
too.
I encourage you – if you are a brother
or sister who has devoted your life to the Worldwide Church of God, as my
wife and I did – to prove where the biggest heresy lies. Does the church
have all truth? Is it the only body of believers on earth who represent
Christ? Is it the one True Church, as we were led to believe for some time?
Or have you been led up the 'garden path' in this regard? Have you believed
a lie?
Footnote added 1998:
The present WCG no longer promotes itself
as God’s One True Church, despite the prevalent thinking of many long-time
members in this regard. However, that philosophy – while it is not overtly
encouraged – is still maintained in more subtle forms.
The psychology that the WCG is still
"God’s Church" lingers on in the minds of many. More subtle
forms of exclusivism also persist in various members’ psyches. And the
administration, while it espouses Christ, does not lead people TO Him, but
to give their support and loyalties to the human leadership of the church.
Thus, the message in this publication is
still valid, despite the ‘noises’ coming from WCG pulpits that the
church has changed. It has not yet properly addressed the most damaging
cultic aspects of its philosophy! And it claims it is still a vehicle in
God’s hands for the promotion of His Work on earth. It is not – not any
more!
Introduction
Members of the Worldwide Church of God were conditioned to
believe the following concepts — that:
- The Worldwide Church of God is God's True Church on
earth.
- It is the only body of Christian believers today which
properly represents God, and has preserved His Truth.
- God does His Work of preaching the True Gospel to the
world for a witness to all nations through that church alone.
- The human leadership of the Worldwide Church of God is
divinely appointed and divinely led.
- Salvation is only available through the WCG.
- Unless Christians observe the seventh-day Sabbath they
are not true Christians.
[N. B. This was written in 1992. Since then, the WCG has
radically reappraised its position and teaching – largely as a result of
exposure such as this. See footnote below.]
These are false beliefs! They are not substantiable by
scripture. They are clever lies which most of the church membership has come
to believe. They are concepts which control and limit the spirituality of
those who accept them. Through the subtle promotion of such views, the
ministerial rulers of the church (itself a corruption of the function
of ministers) have been able to exert near absolute control over the
members. It is very subtle, but highly effective, mind control! It
has ensured the organisation's stability and financial security.
The above six assumptions are not supported by scripture,
nor by fact. God's Word gives many indications, when studied objectively
without preconceptions, that such concepts are radically wrong. The booklet God's
Church – Whose Authority? available on request, deals with some of the
issues raised by these six presumptions.
Other false concepts were challenged and biblically
exposed through a series of personal letters written during 1992 and 1993 to
several individuals with a Worldwide background. The following message is
based upon what was written in some of those letters. I have included some
of the statements or questions which prompted their compilation.
It is hoped that the truth contained in those letters will
help to form the foundation for a new building of understanding, and will
help to set free the minds of those who have been spiritually limited, even bound,
by absorbing such wrong exclusive ideas. Tolerance of other Christians and
acceptance of how Christ is able to work in many different Christian groups
must begin to re-educate the minds of believers world-wide. When our
minds can be totally free of prejudice, whether doctrinal or denominational,
Christ will be able to take us on into much greater spirituality. There
is much more for Worldwide members to discover and understand when they are
able to release themselves from demonically-imposed exclusivist,
isolationist prejudices.
If you hold any of the six philosophies listed above, it
is hoped that you will be prepared to read what follows with an open mind
and prayerfully consider that you could have been misled.
It is our prayer that you will allow the Word of God to
mould your thinking, so that we will all become more like Jesus, our Christ,
whose desire was to condemn no one for misconceptions. His desire was merely
to set people free, to grant them life, and life in all its abundance (Jn
10:10).
May God bless you and unlock your mind to His complete
Truth.
Malcolm B Heap
N. B. These abbreviations are used in
the text which follows:
WCG = Worldwide Church of God
PCG = Philadelphia Church of God
HWA = Herbert W Armstrong
CGI = Church of God International
GCG = Global Church of God
* * *
|
