CHAPTER EIGHT –A FALSE CHRIST
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The INTRODUCTION briefly referenced that Christ places leaders into the different New Testament offices that He has designed to administer to and feed His Church, and to do His Work.
It is crucial to understand that Christ gives offices to certain men in His Church. This was briefly explained early in the book. You must comprehend that there is a BIG difference between a man presumptuously taking an office and responsibilities to himself, and a man receiving an office that was given to him by Christ, because he has been chosen for one or more duties or responsibilities. It is absolutely vital to recognize the all-important difference here. Mr. Armstrong knew that Christ had given him certain offices because he could look back, in each case, and see the fruit demonstrated that he held a certain position, office, role or duty—such as the Elijah, rank of Apostle, Watchman to modern Israel and Messenger to the sixth era (the latter of which he explained inMYSTERY OF THE AGES).
In each case, Mr. Armstrong learned through fruit shown over sufficient time that Christ had indeed given him each of these responsibilities. Never did Mr. Armstrong covet an office, then look ahead at how he might fulfill it, follow this by then taking the office on his own authority, with this, in turn, followed by setting out to convince others that he now had the office. This is never the way God’s servants do it! Men truly chosen of God are always able to LOOK BACK over the years to see how God has used them. They do not need to invent reasons why they WILL hold a particular office, and then take it to themselves.
The reader must see the tremendous difference between one who is truly GIVEN an office by Jesus Christ, and a man who is a presumptuous, self-promoting IMPOSTOR who sees one or more offices and titles that he desires, declares himself to have these offices and roles, and then sets out to prove to others that he does.
The critical element that separates those to whom Christ gives an office is HUMILITY. The man would have neverthought of himself as holding a high office until long after he was already doing the job. The one who takes offices on his own authority is driven by VANITY, which eventually always turns into EXTREME ARROGANCE and worse. The latter, is a person who was seeking to exalt himself. This is either because he is not, or was never, humble. Christ CANNOT EVER USE such a person, and “resists” such (James 4:6; I Pet. 5:5). He gives offices to those who want to serve, never to those whose goal is to be served for purposes of SELF-EXALTATION!
The fruits proving that a man is chosen of God become readily evident because the man’s humility allows Christ to freely work through him.
A special caution is in order here: Those who have been “burned” by a false leader, or worse—as with so many of God’s people today—a series of false leaders, have difficulty ever trusting any leaders again. But it can be done. This takes faith in God, but, I repeat, it CAN BE DONE! The problem grows worse, however, for those who have been “burned” by a false prophet, and more particularly by any man who has taken to himself a whole variety of high OFFICES and TITLES. Of course, this has been the case with the one claiming to be That Prophet. Former followers of such self-exalted “leaders” have an even greater difficulty ever again believing that Christhas truly GIVEN one of His servants one or more high offices or duties. Such is the jading that can come to those who have had this painful experience. In effect, Satan has such people exactly where he wants them—against all manner of government and authority, and completely unable to ever again trust Christ’s ability to lead His Church.
Ironically, many today were once willing to follow a FALSE leader who had never demonstrated fruit, but then later, tragically, have allowed themselves to be unwilling to follow one who is a TRUE leader—one who really does have a high office—who has demonstrated by fruit that Christ did, in fact, select him for his position.
Be careful that this does not describe you!
Think very hard about all that has been explained in the last two subheads until it becomes crystal clear in your thinking. (Our book The Government of God – Understanding Offices and Duties covers in detail each office or rank, including the duty and function of each in the New Testament Church. It offers thorough explanation about how to KNOW for certain when one has been given any of these responsibilities. Read this truly vital book very carefully in your study of the Splinter Explanation Packet.)
Jesus Christ will fulfill many offices and titles when He returns! Of course, He already holds several. God’s Word refers to Him as King of Kings, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Savior, High Priest, That Prophet, The Great Shepherd, Apostle, The Mighty God, and others. Certainly the reader is familiar with these terms.
Let’s “reason together” about this. Do you think for a moment that a man who takes roles designated solely for Christ will respectfully acknowledge that this makes him a false Christ? Obviously not. So, expect clever, cunning, serpentine counter-claims attempting to explain away all that you have learned here. False Christs crave the worship of their followers and MUST fight to retain their adoration!
Let’s ask some straightforward questions about Christ’s titles. For instance, would anyone doubt that one claiming to be our SAVIOR, while saying he did not intend to be a false Christ, would be any less one—merely because he asserts that he is not? Would anyone doubt that if one claimed to be our HIGH PRIEST, while saying he did not intend to be a false Christ, he would be any less one—merely because he asserts that he is not? Would anyone doubt that one claiming to be the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, while saying he did not intend to be a false Christ, would be any less one—merely because he asserts that he is not? The same could be said for PRINCE OF PEACE or KING OF KINGS, etc. You see the point.
If someone claims to be That Prophet, but disconnects this office from Christ, this person is still a false Christ. Of course, he is deluded in his reasoning. But then so is anyone who makes claims equivalent to elevating himself into any of Christ’s roles! And he cannot claim “innocence by reason of insanity” before God. Even in the world, “ignorance of the law” is never permitted as a valid defense. It has been my experience that only very, very rarely will—or can—one return to a sound mind after going even remotely this far. Only God can heal a mind gone so far wrong—but even then only if the man truly yields himself and submits to God as clay to the Potter!
A final aspect of the demon world must be noted before continuing! Demons want to be considered the saviors of the world. Demons want to rule the earth as king of kings. Demons want to be the wonderful counselors that people seek through psychics, wizards, witches, mediums, “channelers,” etc. Demons (specifically Satan) want to be considered the mighty god (“of this world” – II Cor. 4:4). Similarly, demons are generally aware of prophecy. They have long used chosen agents to foretell the future—Jeane Dixon, Nostradamus, Edgar Casey, and many others.
Understand therefore! A demon spirit would love to be considered That Prophet—and would love to influence a human vessel to this end. Appropriating that title to itself, through a human agent, is very attractive to ademon—especially if it could gain control of many of God’s people in the process! Very carefully reflect on this reality of the spirit world!
In fact, this is the very reason that demons have inspired this man to ban his followers from contact with any of the brethren in other organizations. From a demon’s perspective, the worst possible thing that these followers can be exposed to is the Spirit of God within those outside his group who are able to see how wrong-headed is the thinking of the leader they are using.
This is also another way that fear is being used in the ever more dangerous cult environment that such false prophets create. They want their followers to be afraid to talk to “outsiders.” These false leaders know that knowledge dispensed outside their control is a threat to their ability to retain control. Hence, the implementation of what could only be called the tragic policy of forbidding followers all contact with members of other “Church of God” organizations. This blanket disfellowship, a product of a horribly misguided rendering of what Mr. Armstrong taught on this matter, has also been extended to immediate family members who are not in his group.
But the Bible does reveal that two, final very special prophets will yet appear before the end of the age.
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