CHAPTER FIVE –SEDUCERS GROW WORSE!
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Paul warned that “in the last days…evil men and seducers shall wax [grow] worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them” (II Tim. 3:1, 13-14).
I learned the truth from God through Herbert W. Armstrong. Do you still feel this way about your calling?
Now consider the following classic example of how a deceiver mangles and twists the Bible.
Thousands have been taught in PCG that John 1:19-21 validates the idea that there is a difference between “That Prophet” and “the Christ.” Before continuing, remember that we learned from Stephen’s martyrdom that the Jews were deceived about this. Their confusion was so mixed with hate that they killed the man who tried to straighten them out. Be careful that this same murderous spirit does not claim you as I try to help you straighten out this same matter.
Recognize again that this book takes Stephen’s position.
Now notice the account that is tripping up so many: “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Are you Elias [Elijah]? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet? And he answered, No.”
The explanation offered for why this passage supposedly teaches that Christ is not That Prophet is truly pitiful. But, since it is deceiving thousands, it needs clarification.
The rationale goes like this: Since John’s questioners thought that Christ and That Prophet were two different people, then they must be! This reasoning continues with “the Jews kept the ‘oracles of God’” (Rom. 3:1-2) and then with, “They are the authority who would know this matter.” That’s it—that’s the explanation offered! But this is utterly ridiculous.
Here is why.
The Jews were carnal-minded—meaning unconverted! This will become more important to understand in a moment. They did not even recognize Christ as the Messiah when He came (soon after this conversation with John)! Ask yourself, how could those who did not even have God’s Spirit be an authority on any supposed difference between That Prophet and the Messiah—particularly since they did not even recognize the Messiah when they saw Him? This alone makes them very poor “authorities” on this subject—or virtually any importantsubject. Yes, God used the Jews to preserve the Old Testament Scriptures and His Sacred Calendar. They are“custodians” of these. But their rejection of Christ has always been its own towering proof that they do not understand what they preserve! Remember, the Jews have kept the Passover a day late for millennia. This is but one proof that they do not comprehend what God used them to physically preserve. Space prevents listing the many additional errors in classic Jewish theology, among them the fundamentals of even who and what is God.
Consider further that John the Baptist was asked whether he was “Elijah.” Obviously, the Jews had Malachi 4:5-6 in mind when they asked this question. I now ask the reader: Did John the Baptist fulfill the Elijah role?
Let’s look at this more closely, and see its connection to more of what the Jews could not see. Matthew 17:12-13 reveals that John the Baptist was the Elijah who preceded Christ’s First Coming. (Mr. Armstrong was the second Elijah [Matt. 17:11], preceding Christ’s Second Coming—and our book on this subject conclusively proves it.) However, notice how John answered. He simply said, “I am not.” He almost certainly meant that he was not a reincarnation of the real Elijah. Yet, we know that he was the first prophesied Elijah! Similarly, Mr. Armstrong, also not a literal reincarnation of Elijah, would answer that he was not Elijah when asked if he was. Also, however, it is also true that he did not fully realize his fulfillment of this role until late in his life!
Here is the point! Christ called John as great a human being as had ever lived (Matt. 11:11). Therefore, he was adeeply converted man! If he could be such a great man (as well as converted)—and yet not be certain that he was the Elijah—then the carnal-minded Jews who rejected and crucified Christ could not possibly be authorities on the identity of That Prophet. How could they have known, one way or the other, whether That Prophet wasChrist? The answer is, they could not.
But the point goes further. The Jews also could not discern John the Baptist for who he was! In fact, the Jews missed the latter-day Elijah for the same reason: They simply cannot tell who is who in Bible prophecy!
Do not let a deceiver twist basic scriptures into a tangled ball, making them appear to say what they do not!
Christ described those of Laodicea as “poor, wretched, miserable, BLIND and naked” (Rev. 3:17). He also said they would lack zeal, be lukewarm and have a smug “rich-and-increased-with-goods-and-have-need-of-nothing” attitude. These are very, very strong words. They mean that this era is in a terrible spiritual condition. However, there is a critical element of prophecy that even the Laodiceans grasp!
Let’s learn it! Revelation 12:17 describes those who are not taken to the Place of Safety. These described there as the “remnant of her seed” are Laodicea, and the Church has always recognized this. Notice the two signs identifying these people:
They (1) “keep the commandments of God, and (2) have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
None question what are the commandments of God. But what is “the testimony of Jesus Christ”? Again, let the Bible interpret itself. Notice: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10). Note this scripture well, because even Laodiceans understand the basic “spirit of prophecy.”
Remember, Christ is the greatest Prophet of all time, and the only prophet ever compared to Him is Moses. Jesus understands the essence—the core—the “spirit”—behind the third of the Bible that is prophecy. Certainly this includes knowledge of all the prophecies about His Second Coming. After all, most Bible prophecies are embodied in His Return, when He sets up His kingdom. This has always been the central focus or “spirit of [all] prophecy”! It is the very centerpiece of the gospel!
Here is the point. Even Laodiceans understand that Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, as That Prophet, is the very embodiment of the “spirit of prophecy”—the “testimony of Jesus Christ.”
We are now ready to ask a central—and most crucial—question. If the Laodiceans understand this much about Christ’s role when He returns—and they are called “BLIND” by Christ (Rev. 3:17)—then could the leader of the Philadelphian era have somehow remained ignorant—blind—for 52 years about who That Prophet was? It is utterly absurd to suggest that Mr. Armstrong did not understand this point. Imagine him erroneously teaching, for over half a century, that That Prophet was Christ, and then coming up in the Resurrection and learning that an obscure local church pastor that he barely—or never—knew was really That Prophet!
The living Christ led His apostle from 1934 to 1986. Could anyone seriously believe that the living Christ was not competent enough or would neglect to reveal to Mr. Armstrong His (Christ’s own) role as That Prophet? Would Christ forget something so monumentally important?—or do we suppose that Mr. Armstrong was toodense to recognize such a vital doctrine? Did Mr. Armstrong forget or did he somehow neglect to properly restore something so enormous, when he was prophesied to “restore all things”?
Ridiculous!
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