Found So Doing
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Perhaps most important, Matthew 24:46 of Matthew 24 ALL shows that faithful servants are found “so doing” when Christ returns. The context (established 32 verses earlier in Matthew 24:14) makes clear that, among other things, they must be found so doing the Work! And how could a commission supposedly ceasing well over twenty-five years before “the end come” fit Christ’s description of until “the end come”? It could not, and He could not expect His people to think it did. Later chapters investigate this further.
Further, Matthew 10:1, 6 and 23 add that Christ’s servants are actively going over the cities of Israel “till the Son of man be come”—or, more properly understood, when the time of flight arrives. The next statement clarifies that this understanding of Matthew 24:14 and 46 was exactly what Mr. Armstrong believed Christ meant. His view of the time remaining in the age reflected urgency, and that “faithful” and “wise stewardship” were involved.
Now notice:
“I want to hear the living and soon-coming Jesus Christ say: ‘WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!’ Don’t YOU?…We may have only one more year—we may have two years—we may have five.
“What I DO KNOW is that Jesus said, in regard to knowing or NOT knowing the time of His coming: ‘Who, then, is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over His household…? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh shall find SO DOING.’
“If Christ should yet cut our work short one year from now, I want Him to find me SO DOING carrying on His Work right up to the last minute!”
Letter to brethren, Jan. 21, 1971
The answer to question three in this chapter is not complete without a capstone statement. May it hit like a sledgehammer. Mr. Armstrong knew that Philadelphians would be continuing God’s true Work no matter what, while Laodiceans would grow “weary” (remember, the Work is work) and “spiritually destitute,” because they were “indifferent…lukewarm…lacking in zeal”
Again, read carefully:
“Brethren, WHO is preaching the same Gospel Jesus taught, the Gospel of the KINGDOM OF GOD, to the world? Do you know any other Church fulfilling this prophecy as to the WORK OF THE TRUE CHURCH for this very day and time?
“Of the ‘Philadelphia’ Church, Christ says, ‘I know…you have but little power.’ It is probably the WEAKEST in numerical and physical strength and power—the smallest in membership, of any of the Churches from the time of the Apostles until the Second Coming. It has but few ministers. [Author’s note: My italics. And how much more true today is this compared to the biggest splinters?]
“And THIS is the Church Christ uses as HIS INSTRUMENT in proclaiming His GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM—the GOVERNMENT of God—to the world. He sets before this Church an ‘OPEN DOOR,’ for the proclaiming of this Gospel to ALL THE WORLD. The meaning of this ‘DOOR’ is explained in II Cor. 2:12-13. Paul said: ‘I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a DOOR was opened to me of the Lord.’
“But SOME of those in the Church today will grow weary with well-doing. They will brag about being the true Church [Author’s note: This certainly describes several groups today.]—thinking they are spiritually rich, when they are, in fact, almost spiritually destitute. Because they are indifferent to the real WORK OF GOD, lukewarm, lacking in zeal, Christ will spew them out of His mouth. THEY cannot be used in His work. THEY shall lose the very salvation they boast of having unless they repent! God help you never drift into the LAODICEAN church!”
“Must God’s Ministers Be Ordained By…Man?”, GN, Oct. 1962
How many today can still be moved by the powerful message in statements such as this one? Sadly, thousandsdid drift into Laodicea.
4. To whom did Mr. Armstrong attribute the thinking that the Work is either over or unimportant?
With the thinking in mind of who it is that seeks to end the Work, and this next point has been referenced, I occasionally receive letters from sincere but misguided people trying to convince me that I am actually rebellingagainst Mr. Armstrong by continuing to preach the gospel. They hope I will “comply with God” and stop the Work. Almost all of these people left PCG—the organization that has professed since December 1989 that it holds to everything Mr. Armstrong taught.
Those with even the most basic understanding recognize that this organization has almost certainly departedfarther from Mr. Armstrong’s teachings than most all others. But the majority there simply cannot recognize it, having been deceived for too long. Sadly, it was initially many of PCG’s confused ex-members who have in some cases in our early years implored me to “move on” or to “grow up” or to “come to the new prophetic understanding” they think they have. Some openly flattered me and told me how I was holding fast in “every way but one.” They even thanked me for standing firm, while expressing hope that I would abandon my futile attempt at the Work. Having seen the anemic efforts of others became their excuse to do nothing. These are rarely able to be jolted back to reality.
In fact, it was these people who, more than any others, inspired the first abbreviated version of this book. Some are sincere, so I hope I can awaken a few to the danger into which they have placed themselves. A letter from a married couple demonstrates this reasoning: “Please do not be upset with us bringing up these matters. We truly don’t understand why you can be so close doctrinally to what we were taught under Mr. Armstrong...and yet still feel that you have to go to the world again.” This couple also quoted The Incredible Human Potential(pp. 116-117), attempting to prove Mr. Armstrong said only apostles can preach to the entire world.
I know this. As explained, I know that RCG will lack the time, size and resources to do the same kind of Work Mr. Armstrong did. But Chapters Ten through Thirteen, and even Fourteen, will explain why the final Work occurring today will almost exactly parallel what was accomplished under Mr. Armstrong. In any event, this man stepped out in faith and went forward preaching to the world. And are we not all glad he determined to take the gospel to the world long before realizing he was an apostle? It must be understood that it was only later, afterpowerfully preaching for many years (about 19), that Mr. Armstrong even recognized—through fruit—that hewas an apostle. Few seem to know this story.
This fact is most critical to grasp. Mr. Armstrong did not wait for a sign from heaven to go forward. As Paul instructed regarding ordaining deacons—that they must do the work of even that physical office before ordination (I Tim. 3:10)—apostles would do the same! (Mr. Armstrong’s experience was exactly the same as mine. I also learned much later—after several decades in the ministry—the final office that Christ had given.)
Also recall that Matthew 10 ALL describes Christ sending 12 unconverted men to preach the kingdom of God, and that it only became truly evident later, on Pentecost, what it had meant that they had been chosen to be apostles. And recall that Luke 10:9 stated that Jesus sent 70 more to do the same. Presumably, most or all of these never became apostles.
In Acts 8:12, Philip, a deacon, preached the kingdom of God to Samaria. Though Scripture shows that he later rose to evangelist (and history indicates possibly an apostle after that), he entered Samaria as a deacon. The Acts account does explain that he did not do this on his own authority—nor can any deacon today. Philip had authority from the apostles to baptize, because they followed up later in Samaria in laying hands on those baptized so that they could receive the Holy Spirit. But it records this was after Philip had “baptized many.” This deacon also cast out demons and performed miracles (Acts 8:6-7), a sign of apostolic authority standing above and behind him.
In chapter 7, consider that the deacon Stephen preached the kingdom of God so powerfully to a group of Jewish elders and scribes that it got him stoned to death on the spot. This mere deacon’s powerful preaching also included a strong warning and an indictment of those hearing it! How many deacons today are still impelled by the same zeal and conviction?
But, and this is obvious, Stephen and Philip were not freelancing outside authority and direction from the apostles. Other passages put the full picture into perspective.
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