Chapter Three – Other Questions—More Clarity
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There is much more to cover of what the Church previously understood about the Great Commission. The content of what Mr. Armstrong taught about the ongoing responsibility God gave His Church requires several chapters to cover. This one answers three more central questions.
3. What importance did Mr. Armstrong place on doing the Work within the scope of a Philadelphian’s conduct?
Mr. Armstrong did not mince words when connecting compromising the importance of one’s participation in the true Work of God to LOSING ETERNAL LIFE! Notice this:
“Unless we fulfill God’s SPECIAL PURPOSE for our calling now, we might never go into His Kingdom. This fact must not be taken carelessly!
“How many of us become unmindful of God’s purpose and assume we were called and put into God’s Church only to GET our personal salvation and to ENJOY the fellowship and social life of our local church?
“Brethren, do we not find ourselves taking for granted that the churches in what is called ‘Christianity’ are also God’s churches—that WE are just another of the many denominations, the only difference being that we hold to some different doctrines?
“That is simply not true! We in GOD’S Church are not just one of all these churches. They are of this world. They do not have, or know, or proclaim, Christ’s gospel—the message God sent to the world BY CHRIST, as the MESSENGER.
“When [Christ] returns [Luke 19:11-24], He will demand of each of us to show how we have used the GIFT of His Holy Spirit—how much we have CONTRIBUTED to His Work—the PURPOSE for which He put us in His Church NOW! … Those who prove disloyal or drop out of the Work—the only purpose for which you were called now—will find themselves in the position of the one described in John 9:20 and 24. They will lose the very salvation they were trying to GET!
“You are each admonished to ‘make your calling and election SURE’!”
“Why Did God Put You In His Church?”, GN, May 1974
Did you notice in the last large paragraph Mr. Armstrong’s references to “His [God’s] Work—the PURPOSE for which He put us in His Church NOW!” and “the only purpose for which you were called now”?
Do you—will you—still believe this?
The next statement is especially important. It summarizes Mr. Armstrong’s view of the one true Church, God’s Work, true Christian love, unity, his view of scattered, divided brethren and the Marriage Supper. It also clarifies how these issues are all effectively overarched by continuing and finishing the Work, here linked to continuing to practice the “give” way of life.
Notice each point:
“What about the ‘loner’ Christian who says, ‘I will serve Christ in my own way’? What about the one who leaves God’s Church to have his own private relation with Christ—to get his own salvation—without giving his part of the Church’s effort to send the true gospel into ALL THE WORLD?
“Or, what about the one who follows a MAN because of that man’s personality, charisma or attractiveness, or some other group?
“Stop and THINK!
“Is Christ going to marry a number of differing groups, not in complete harmony with each other—yet all ‘professing CHRIST’?
“Jesus said, ‘He that is not with me [and since He is the Head of God’s one and only Church, He plainly meant with Him where HE is working—in God’s one Church] is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad’ (Matthew 12:30).
“Jesus Christ is going to marry THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE CHURCH – not a number of scattered groups or scattered individuals.
“God’s law and way of life may be summed up in the one word ‘LOVE’—which is outflowing—the way of ‘GIVE’—while Satan’s way is that of ‘GET.’ The one who tried to GET his salvation apart from the one Church Christ is going to marry is on the ‘GET’ way. Those loyally in the Church are GIVING of their prayers, loyalty, encouragement and support to Christ’s chosen apostle in GIVING the GOOD NEWS to the world—its ONLY HOPE.”
“7 Proofs of God’s True Church,” PT, Sept. 1979
“Give” vs. “Get”
Could any forget how often Mr. Armstrong stressed the importance of “give versus get”? He believed that brethren who neglected the Work were plain selfish. Now think how selfish it would make Mr. Armstrong if he had believed that he was the only one permitted to “give” good news to the world—particularly during the most sinful, awful and blinded age in history. Mr. Armstrong would have been teaching God’s people that after he died it would be “okay” to return to getting—to focus on “getting” oneself into the kingdom, “getting” a higher reward, even “getting” headquarters to do things the way people wish as so many now do—rather than in continuing to give the same treasure he was used to give to us—to you—and so many others!
Philadelphia is defined as the era of brotherly love. Its members care about their fellowman—in both the Church and the world. These brethren are not selfish—they are not people unwilling to share what they have. It deeply insults Mr. Armstrong’s teaching, understanding, character and memory to suggest that “Philadelphians” no longer need to give to others the hope-filled message and marvelous truth that was so freely given to them.
Let me repeat that it is a shameful embarrassment that supposed “brethren” who claim to “hold fast” all restored doctrine have abandoned perhaps the greatest doctrine that Mr. Armstrong taught. They bring a reproach on the entire life and work of this incredible leader and servant of his fellowman.
Plain Doctrine
Make no mistake—and this is also repeated—the ongoing obligation to announce God’s kingdom is DOCTRINE!Let none kid themselves—rejecting the continuance of the true Work of God is PLAIN HERESY! Though many today have found ways to fool themselves that it is not, God is not fooled. If this applies to you, I do not mean to hurt you, but rather to exhort you—and to RE-AWAKEN your former love of doing God’s Work!
Also, what if Mr. Armstrong had viewed leaving Sardis as so many view leaving the big, doctrinally-compromising Laodicean groups—as an excuse to isolate themselves, not any longer assisting in the Work where Christ is leading? If he had left Sardis, but not carried out the Great Commission, simply because most at the time (those in Sardis) were unwilling to participate in it with him, then you and I would never have learned the truth. We would still be in the world. Thank God that Mr. Armstrong did not think like so many former brethren today who claim to follow his teachings, but who have become entirely selfish and inwardly focused! Hopefully, it has become clear how ridiculous and dangerous this thinking is.
Be alert, and do not fall for it!
“The Work of God was originally started by ONE man—Jesus Christ. But on the day of Pentecost, A.D. 31, the same Holy Spirit that had carried on God’s Work through his individual body entered into and empowered his apostles, and the entire COLLECTIVE BODY, which on and from that day constituted God’s Church.
“But, after proclaiming that gospel MESSAGE to the world of that day—after the Church had grown and multiplied in number and power, the headquarters Church at Jerusalem fled in the face of advancing Roman armies shortly before A.D. 70, became scattered, and under persecution—and because of discouragement because Christ had not yet returned in power and glory—the Church WENT TO SLEEP ON THE JOB of proclaiming Christ’s true gospel message!
“We are in a spiritual WAR—on the firing line with CHRIST as our general—firing spiritual bombs of GOD’S TRUTH—the message of Christ’s own GOSPEL—to make this whole world CONSCIOUS of the GOOD NEWS of Christ’s soon coming and his KINGDOM, to rule the happy, peaceful WORLD TOMORROW! There can be no letting down—no slacking—no quitting in this war!
“What would happen in a war if an army, by a sudden burst of effort, surged forward to win a single battle, then laid down their arms and decided to take it easy or go on furlough? They would then LOSE THE WAR! Christ said it is only he who endures to the end who shall be saved! LET US CARRY ON, more determined than ever—more dedicated and devoted to Christ’s great mission than ever! We must not win a partial battle, and then lose our war. LET US NOW PLUNGE ON HARDER THAN EVER TO FINAL VICTORY!”
Co-Worker Letter, Oct. 25, 1985
Mr. Armstrong wrote the above statement just eleven weeks before his death. He understood that the still living Jesus Christ, not himself, initiated the Work in the New Testament era, and that it was a COMMISSION(Matt. 28:19-20) to God’s leading servants throughout the entire New Testament era. All of the above statements testify that he recognized God’s Work superseded the duration of his own life. Notice that Matthew 24:14 reveals the gospel is preached until “…the end come.”
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