This is a sequel to my last article titled “In Retrospect.” I would like to point out here the salient consequences of Joseph W.Tkach (JWT) and company’s crucial decision to junk just about everything that Worldwide Church of God (WCG) founder and Pastor General Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) had taught as Bible truths and practices.
The Grace Communion International (GCI), the now totally “Protestant” or “evangelical” church that once was the WCG, now believes it is no longer required of church members to observe the “old covenant” laws that have, supposedly, kept the members from truly experiencing the grace, faith, mercy – and liberty – that Jesus Christ brought on order to save mankind from sin and death.
In consequence, the GCI has forgotten what the Bible itself defines sin to be: transgression of God’s law and commandments (1 John 4:3). But, GCI –like evangelicals — would counter: that law, under the new covenant, is now replaced by Christ’s simple two-fold law: to “love God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul” and to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:35-39). To this let our Lord Himself reply: “Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. For assuredly, I say to you, ‘Till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or tittle of the law will by no means pass from the law, till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:17-19). Furthermore, Jesus said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40). [See: The Law of Christ, Moses and Jesus – Are They Contraries? and Saved for Good Works.]
In addition, the apostle Paul wrote: “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said ‘You shall not covet” (Romans 7:7).
The GCI now believes that WCG members had been needlessly burdened or oppressed by their keeping the “old covenant” laws, such as those concerning the Sabbath, the holy days, the tithes, the food law, etc. That somehow these laws were “bad” for the WCG members.
In consequence, GCI comes under condemnation of such Scripture passages as 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.” Romans 7:1-2, “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” [See: Freed From Bondage, and The De-liberation of the Worldwide Church of God.]
Furthermore, CGI leaders come under the condemnation of Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness [lie] for light [truth, 1 John 1:5-6], and light for darkness,” and Ezekiel 22:25-28, “Her priests [like today’s ministers] have profaned My holy things. They have not distinguished between holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in their midst are like wolves tearing the prey. To shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.” [See: What if the Sabbath Is Still Holy? God’s Feasts in the Book of Acts: Mere Time Markers – Or to Be Observed? Did Christ Cleanse All Meats? and “Be Holy for I Am Holy.”]
By adopting the doctrines of mainstream “Christianity,” the CGI has now become a “friend” to the world; whereas previously as WCG, the church had been declared an “enemy” of the mainstream community. As a result, God’s condemnation, in James 4:4, falls on the CGI: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with [hostility against] God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Furthermore, Hebrews 10:26-27, 30-31 says: “For if we sin willfully [knowing what God’s law forbids but knowingly doing it], after we have received the knowledge of the truth [Psalm 119:142, 172 says God’s law and commandments are truth and righteousness], there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries [God’s enemies]…For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord [Deuteronomy 32:35]. And again, ‘The LORD will judge His people’ [Verse 36]. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
In consequence, God promises as sure to come: “Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them. I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath, and I have recompensed their deeds on their heads” (Verse 31).
Will you save yourself from this evil generation?
Seeing all these consequences – and the ultimate consequence of sin, unless repented of and forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus Christ: the “second death” in the “lake of fire” (Revelation 20:8) – will you move soon to save yourself from this evil [“perverse,” NKJV] generation (Acts 2:40, KJV)?
I hope and pray that you will!
Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
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