A Different Captivity.

Paul wrote about how some who, when shown the truth of their actions, will not repent. This throws them into “the snare of the devil,” meaning they have been “taken captive by him [to do] his will” (II Tim. 2:26). (This is the passage just before the opening chapter 3 warning that “in the last days perilous times shall come.” Recall that 2 Timothy 3:1 sets the stage and introduces the worsening “evil men and seducers” of 2 Timothy 3:13 Understand. At some point in their course, various senior ministers simply gave over to the unbridled pursuit of power over God’s people, a power not assigned to them by God. In their lust for the preeminence of high office and influence over as many of God’s people as they could garner for themselves, they ignored all the “caution signals” and ran every “stop sign” and “red light” in the road before them.

Captured, they now do Satan’s will—while continuing to appear as “angels of light” (II Cor. 11:13-15)!

Remember—and never permit yourself to forget!—that the devil is also doing a “work.” Paul recorded that his spirit “works in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). See this! In one sense, Satan is no different from God. His “work” also involves a master plan: Thwart God’s Master Plan by having every true Christian fail the test!

The PLAIN PICTURE here is that certain leaders today have literally been taken captive by Satan the devil. These are not my words, but rather what your Bible tells you—if you are listening. In turn, this means that God’s people are then, in effect, captives of those who are themselves Satan’s captives—the splinter leaders!

Grasp what I am saying—understand precisely how this applies, because these are not difficult dots to connect. God’s people in the splinters are in SLAVERY TO LIES! This involves deception about God’s doctrines—of course, some doctrines involve behavior—as well as about Christ’s Church, Work and Government. Do not diminish the incredible importance of what is happening, and that this form of enslavement also includes its own false god—“another Jesus.” You have seen that this Jesus has a different “father” (John 8:44), with other doctrines and priorities!

But the captivity of God’s people is different—it is not forced, as with Israel—it has been enslavement BY CHOICE!

Some of the men leading the splinters have been carefully prepared for their role in God’s test over a long period. As with Pharaoh, to aid His purpose, God Himself may have played a role in hardening some of the hearts of Satan’s agents at work today. Judas, the Beast and the False Prophet, among others, are examples of where God has chosen a person for evil within His great overall purpose. However, in the end, whether some leaders today were sown into the field by Satan early on (Matt. 13:25) or prepared by God for their current role is irrelevant. Whether these men were once faithful, or ministerial tares from the beginning, the net effect is the same. They are “grievous wolves” having arisen “speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts. 20:29-30).

But how did these men get to the positions of authority that they hold? It is no accident. Under close examination, these leaders are seen to carry an unusual ability, one that the average leader or minister simply does not have.

How They “Get Away With It”

Paul’s foretelling of “evil men” at work among God’s people in the last days carries a second crucial element of warning not yet addressed. Do not miss what is really additional instruction to those who are paying careful attention! Modern false leaders are also described as “seducers.” This means their techniques are clever, cunning, hypnotic—seductive! God’s Church is described as a woman (Rev. 12 ALL), and these men fulfill the slippery “way of a man with a maid” (Prov. 30:19) with their persuasive power. The arguments and human reasoning they present when changing doctrine or dismissing plain teachings of Mr. Armstrong are usually—at least on the surface—plausible and reasonable. Their “theology” and occasional references to their view of the “history” of any specific doctrine under review, particularly when describing “what Mr. Armstrong thought or believed,” often “seem right” (Prov. 14:12; 16:25) to the casual reader who is unwilling to “prosecute” their thinking.

The meaning of the Greek word translated as “seducers” primarily references imposters, and the New King James Version uses this. But this word also carries the much stronger, explicit and more sinister connotation of a “wizard” able to “cast a spell” on listeners. Obviously, God has chosen a very powerful word here! He expects His servants to take note that He has.
Everyone is familiar with the growing number of popular televangelists and religious personalities of today. The ones with the highest profile within “Christianity” are invariably those who are the smoothest in style, tone, emphasis, body language and word choice. These men come off as sincere and believable. The result is that vast thousands often sit in stadiums mesmerized by these religious “actors.” In fact, some of these men could win an Academy Award if they were actors. Yet, many of them could not begin to compete with, or “carry the water” of, the even better actors at work with audiences in the splinters.

I ask: With all the warnings in God’s Word about false leaders, why do so many among God’s people seem perfectly content to accept without question what they are hearing? Yes, why?

Do not miscalculate regarding what is occurring around you! These men are extremely good at what they do, having had years, even decades, to hone their lethal craft. Many of them are virtually “wizards with words” who seemingly can “cast a spell” on their unthinking members. In fact, the incredible deceit of some of these men almost defies description. I have heard their sermons and read their articles, and found myself thinking that Diotrephes himself could learn from some of them (III John 9-10).

Upping the Ante

Another problem enters here. Certain ones of these leaders so hate parts of God’s truth and Work, and the light that I am shining on their false teachings and leadership, they are now willing to openly predict that God will put me to death, but only after great “sorrow, bitterness and suffering,” as at least three separate leaders have declared. This is because of the principles and facts covered in books such as these that expose them.

Satan’s purpose is to frighten people away from God’s Work!

These declarations represent a shocking development, something not seen before in the splinters and slivers. But they are a trend I foresaw in early 2000 that had to come. With the above kind of awful prediction, confusion and deception has descended to a new and different level. When some can compare my actions inupholding the truth to those of Mr. Armstrong’s apostate successor—and this is occurring—a new threshold has been reached! To declare me to be like this man, asserting “both appointed themselves apostles,” is to miss a towering difference: I seek to return God’s people TO the truth, the other man and his cohorts sought to takethem FROM the truth!

Most remarkable is that the great majority of the thousands hearing such men seem to believe them. So many have become completely incapable of discerning even the most basic “good and evil” (Heb. 5:13-14).

Pass the Test!

You must see that some of today’s leaders are able to spin events and present confusing disinformation and outright lies faster than snowflakes hit in a blizzard and bullets leave a machine gun. You must be able todiscern these men. This can only be done by measuring their teachings (and sometimes their conduct!) against the doctrines you were taught, not by the eloquence of their venomous attacks on RCG, me or the Work of God. Only those who deeply love all of God’s Way will be able to cut through the wonderfully cunning and murderous deceit from these ENEMIES OF GOD, and survive.

Desperate people say and do desperate things. When leaders feel that their empire, their following, their legacy and their source of financial support is being threatened—that it could begin to implode and crumble without action—they lash out. This can come with a fury that would make the devil blush!

But the wise will carefully weigh their words—and take action themselves (Dan. 12:10; Matt. 24:15). They will discern and REJECT murderous liars. In the end, you will either give heed to the voice of truth or to the voice of deceit. Do not permit yourself to see your decision as more or less than this. You have been shown the difference and by now should see it clearly.

Brethren, you must pass the test—GOD’S TEST!—of these SATANIC LEADERS in the overlooked second step you now face. II Timothy 3:14 told you how to do this!

The Courageous Few

Grasp that it will only be by the departure from spiritual captivity of enough courageous brethren now that will ensure the existence of a surviving Israelite remnant who will be liberated from their prophesied horrible captivity later. These are willing to now cut through the avalanche of seductive deceit burying almost all today so that they can come and put their shoulder to the wheel in God’s Work.

This means many more must yet come spiritually weeping and loathing themselves, and supplicating and seeking God, while He is still accepting some prior to the Tribulation. This will involve deep repentance, as these anoint their eyes with more of God’s Spirit, thus obeying John 14:26.

It has been said that the “road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Indecision must not be permitted to trump good intentions, and pave the road to the Tribulation. Those who will come must neither dawdle nor procrastinate in an age foretold to suddenly snare an unsuspecting world.

Do not dilly-dally!

Re-accepting the Same Commission

Nothing you have read throughout the book has been new truth. Instead it is just more forgotten truth for thousands who should have resisted amnesia by remaining filled with God’s Spirit. But for many others, like their Israelite counterparts born or becoming adults after Mr. Armstrong’s time, they have never heard explained—made PLAIN!—exactly what is at stake for either today’s descendants of Israel or the lukewarm dominant element now among God’s people. Thousands entered the Church and heard a generation of pastors who never preached, or carefully preached, these things. Therefore, I have tried to speak as bluntly as possible. I have tried to use a “jolt” to awaken all who will heed.

We must pause for a related question: Who else is even talking about all that you have seen presented? Who else preaches these subjects, giving many—or any!—whole sermons on them? You have seen enormous, towering prophecies open up, and seen that they are found all through the Old Testament prophets. (There are many more passages than those I have quoted.) You have also seen that the fulfillment of these prophecies isIMMINENT, and that they will affect all nations—the ENTIRE WORLD! Why then does no one speak with authority about them—and, most importantly, their direct connection to the final Work of God at the end of the age?

The time is soon coming when all of God’s people, the Church of the New Testament and Israel of the Old, will have to remember where they heard these truths explained—where God’s Church and government—and thetrue Jesus Christ!—was at work all along. They will have to acknowledge who it was who explained to them what was at stake in the years just ahead.

Will you have to remember THEN—or will you heed NOW?

Regaining a Sense of Urgency

People of the modern age take pride in not showing emotion as past generations once did. There has become a conscious effort in society by people to suppress natural human feelings. The emphasis is now more on being “laid back,” “cool,” “hanging out” or “chilling out.” Gone is an emphasis on being deeply passionate about a matter. And almost gone are statements such as “he has fire in the belly” or “he is on fire” or, as was often reported in the past, “he is on fire for the Work!”

Now ask: How did you feel after reading about the prophecies of the previous chapters? Did you experience an overwhelming feeling of excitement? Did the picture described give you goosebumps?—chills? Did it leave you deeply sobered? But are you also inspired by God’s Master Plan? Most important, does this knowledge make you want to participate?—to DO something?

I am trying as hard as humanly possible to rekindle the fire of urgency once felt by God’s people. I am trying toSTIR YOU UP!—LIFT YOU!—to see a grander horizon, one connected to why you were called into the Church, and toWHY YOU WERE BORN!

Let’s allow Mr. Armstrong to describe this urgency by revisiting an earlier quote from him about the famine of the Word:
“…brethren and co-workers, the prophesied Great Tribulation (nuclear World War III) will start soon after the European unification. That means OUR WORK OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE FINISHED! We have not now much more time. Soon shall come a FAMINE of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11).

“God says, work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work—in the Work of God!
“Nothing else is important in our lives, now, but this all-important Work of God” (Co-Worker Letter, Nov. 22, 1982).

Hear the message. Feel the passion. Catch God’s vision. Return to your first love. Regain the sense of urgency lost by society and the majority of brethren who have been so badly affected by society’s environmental “sea change” in approach to inspiration, zeal and feelings of excitement. Ask God to help you rekindle what has been lost. Meditate on the knowledge you have received. Use the forgotten tool of fasting, and do so more than once, if necessary. And be willing to restudy this book with all referenced sermons.

You can once again thrill to exciting news of God’s Work!

Open Door, Then Slammed Shut

We know some will seek to hinder God’s Work—this has already happened. But nothing will be able to stop the final message going out until the open door God has given His Work is shut, and the famine of the Word slams into the nations of Israel. This will come because the task—the God-ordained duty—has been completed. God’s Work will be FINISHED! The time will have come when no one else will listen and further warning becomes a waste of time. When this happens, God can no longer be found, having “withdrawn Himself from” Israel and “returned to His place.”

Next? Absolutely devastating national punishment must begin for HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS!

Similar to Israel, God calls Laodiceans the “REMNANT of her [the true Woman Church’s] seed” (Rev. 12:17). This term describes the brethren remaining after the juncture at which Philadelphia has escaped to safety (Rev 12:16).

You do not want to be in THIS remnant, because it has no survivors! And it will have been indecision and procrastination that sweeps most of God’s people into the “fire” of Revelation 3:18!

When this point comes, most brethren will have permitted—in fact, caused!—themselves to be out of time, sealing their fate. So tragic—and so unnecessary!

Next? The very worst kind of trial and chastisement must begin for TENS OF THOUSANDS!

One More Great Prophecy!

All of this should have real meaning to you, and at this point you should at least be intrigued, if not already fascinated, excited and inspired by rediscovered knowledge. However, there is one more forgotten, but supremely important, prophecy that only now comes into view. It powerfully amplifies all that you have seen.

We are finally ready to ask: What is the connection between the “short work” and the “little book” of Revelation 10 ALL? This question leads to the next chapter—and another subject that no one understands or talks about as did Mr. Armstrong…