May, 1974 HWA Letter on Church Government

WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG President and Pastor
May 2, 1974
Dear Brethren of God's Church:
It is vital that you read carefully every word of this letter.
Do you know where we are right now, IN PROPHECY? We are in the very time of Daniel's prophecy:
At "the time of the end, many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do
wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:9-10).
God's people are in the time of final trying and testing -- like taking final exams to determine whether
we graduate.
Today some in the Church of God do not UNDERSTAND just what the Church of God really IS! Some
have become confused as to whether there is ORGANIZATION or government in it -- and I mean in
GOD'S OWN CHURCH! And God HAS ONLY ONE CHURCH! (I Cor. 12:12, 13.) But we of "the
wise" shall understand! That understanding shall be made PLAIN in this letter.
Some wonder whether they can leave God's Church, and still be true and real Christians -- whether they
could then enter GOD'S KINGDOM with His GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE. I will answer that in this letter.
We are also in the time of JESUS' prophecy: "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come
in my name, SAYING I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many. ... But he that shall endure unto the
end, the same shall be saved. And this GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. ... For there shall arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive
the very elect" (Matthew 24:4-5, 13-14, 24).
Also it seems highly possible we are entering the very beginning of John's prophecy of Revelation 12:
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (Satan); and the dragon
fought and his angels (demons), and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the
whole world: ... Woe to the inhabiters of the earth...for the devil is come down unto you, having great
wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto
the earth, he persecuted the woman (Church)..." (Rev. 12:7-13).
Also, just as the Apostle Paul foretold, speaking at Miletus to the elders (ministers) of the Church at
Ephesus, "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing
the flock, also of your own selves (ministers in God's Church), shall men arise, speaking perverse things,
to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30). This happened then. It has happened NOW!
Many times I have told you, dear Brethren, that when God first called me, beginning in the autumn of
1926, that the living Christ brought me into His truth a step at a time. YOU have not had to learn the
truth so slowly -- Christ used me to do it for you. And one of the very last truths He opened to me was
that of CHURCH ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT! There was a reason for this.
For some years I worked in cooperation with the Church of God we have come to regard as the "Sardis
era" (Rev. 3:1-5). When I first came in contact with them, starting 1926-27, their headquarters was at
Stanberry, Missouri. They operated under a General Conference type of organization. Early in my
acquaintance with them, their head man had refused to correct admitted error, or to accept an important
and admitted truth. Partly for this reason I never joined them -- never became one of their members. I
had learned in my earliest study of the Bible that GOD'S Church would be keeping the Commandments,
including the Sabbath, would be kept in the name of GOD, and have Biblical TRUTH. Several religious
organizations had the name Church of GOD. But this seemed to be the only one keeping the Sabbath.
While they certainly did not have all Biblical truth, they did, beyond question, have more than any
church I knew, and less error. So I did continue to fellowship with them. I finally preached my first
sermon, probably midsummer, 1928, in an old former country store building at Dever, near Jefferson, in
Oregon.
In the autumn of 1930 -- probably late autumn -- the members in the Willamette Valley of Oregon split,
and one group incorporated as the "Oregon Conference of The Church of God." I was ordained by this
Conference in June, 1931. I was employed by them as a minister, holding six-nights-a-week evangelistic
meetings on a salary of $20 per week. But the salary was dropped at the end of November, when their
treasury went dry. This was in the depth of the Great Depression. In February, 1933, there was enough
money in their treasury to pay me $3 per week, with farmer members supplying vegetables, etc.
I want to give you a brief synopsis of my association with the "Sardis" church for two reasons: 1) So you
may understand why I was not led to the full understanding about church organization and government
until after the founding of Ambassador College, and because defecting ministers have been giving out
the FALSE idea that they are now doing only what I did then. That claim is 100% FALSE.
At some time between December, 1931, and the summer of 1933, a big split had occurred in the whole
Church. The President and leader of the Church at Stanberry had been outvoted from the Presidency by
one vote. He had then combined with a leading member at Salem, West Virginia, to form what they
called "The Reorganization of the Church" with "The Bible Form of Organization." This consisted of a
totally misapplied form of what they termed "the Twelve, the Seventy, and the Seven."
The "Oregon Conference" went in with this Salem, West Virginia Church. In August, 1933, I completely
gave up the $3 per week salary from the "Oregon Conference." One week later, the PARENT
"PHILADELPHIA ERA" Church was raised up, with 19 members, resulting from six weeks of six
nights a week meetings I had held at the one-room country schoolhouse eight miles west of Eugene,
Oregon. This Church consisted of four or five former California members, and the rest were all my own
new converts. I then continued holding services six-nights-a-week at a larger school- house at Alvadore,
some 15 miles northwest of Eugene, adding fifteen new members. By April of 1934 -- after the
broadcast (January 6, 1934) and The PLAIN TRUTH (February, 1934) had started -- the Church at
Eugene, following the "Oregon Conference," decided to cooperate with (but not as members of) the
Salem, West Virginia Church. They claimed world headquarters at Jerusalem, where there were no
members, so far as I knew. But their active headquarters was Salem, West Virginia. By now, April,
1934, the WORK OF GOD, which was started in January, 1934, by the EUGENE Church raised up by
me was well under way. That is, before we even began this cooperative fellowship with the Salem
organization, we became incorporated as The Church of God at Eugene, Oregon. The Salem
organization counted me as one of "the Seventy" leading elders.
I worked with them, in cooperation. I even went so far in cooperation as to send in regular ministerial
reports to Salem, even as their ministers did.
But I was not a member of this Salem organization, nor did they pay me any salary. The only
organization I was a member of was The Church of God at Eugene, Oregon. Later we incorporated as
The Radio Church of God. We had started VERY small -- 19 members. The members paid their tithes
direct to me, and I paid radio bills, and "publishing" costs (mimeograph). We in the WORK and Church
of the "Philadelphia era" were not yet large enough to be organized ourselves. That is one reason I did
not learn till later God's teaching on church organization.
Meanwhile, I continued to act as pastor of the "Sardis" church at Jefferson. Let me make clear the way
finances were then handled. As I said, our own members handed their tithes to me. Most members at
Jefferson did the same, as individuals, though some sent their tithes to Salem. I received NO salary or
remuneration of any kind from either the Salem or Stanberry organization. Nor, so far as I remember,
from any "Sardis" members other than those I served as their minister, preaching every Sabbath.
One dissenter, disfellowshipped at Pasadena, I am told, is claiming I misrepresented in saying I never
received remuneration or salary from either the Stanberry or Salem organization. He claims he can
produce a cancelled check proving this false. Any cancelled checks he may have heard of would be from
one of these individual members, and were given me to use in the VERY SAME WORK OF GOD in
which the living Christ is STILL using me.
For some years after beginning cooperation with the Salem organization in April, 1934, we of the
Eugene Church continued in fellowship and cooperation with the Salem organization -- and even when
occasion offered, with Stanberry members in Oregon. Remember, the PARENT Church of what has
become the WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD was started west of Eugene, Oregon, in August 1933.
Gradually, the Work -- primarily by radio and printing -- grew (30% a year for nearly 35 years), and as it
did I found I had less and less time to minister to the "Sardis" brethren at Jefferson. In due time, I invited
one of their ministers, Roy Dailey, to share that church every other Sabbath with me, and finally as our
WORK grew and absorbed ALL my time, I simply stopped preaching at Jefferson.
But the story that I WENT OUT FROM THEM to start a "work of my own" because their head man
rejected a truth, or refused to accept a truth, IS 100% FALSE! I was NEVER EVEN A MEMBER of
them. I cooperated with them, and I was always LOYAL, in that cooperation. I was NOT ONE OF
THEIR CONVERTS -- I WAS NEVER THEIR SON IN THE LORD, as these dissenters are my "sons
in the Lord." THEY have defected and GONE OUT -- but I NEVER DID!
No minister on earth can take credit in any manner in my conversion. God was calling me! The living
Christ taught me, even as He directly called, converted, and taught, the Apostle Paul, teaching me with
the WRITTEN WORD, even as He taught Paul Himself as the PERSONAL word.
At NO time did I fight against the "Sardis" people, or seek to pull any of their brethren away from them,
or from those through whom God had originally called and converted them. This I NEVER DID. This
these dissenters ARE DOING, and there is NO PLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT where Jesus
Christ approves such a thing. I NEVER proselyted. From the first, I merely preached the Gospel, and
Christ gave me NEW converts. I went to the world with the Gospel. The dissenting ministers are going
to the Church to proselyte and draw members after them.
These dissenters apparently are making NO EFFORT to spread the Gospel in any way. Their sole aim
appears to be to falsely ACCUSE (Satan is the accuser of the brethren), to deceive, to harm or
DESTROY the Work of the living GOD, and to DRAW DISCIPLES AFTER THEM! Never have I
remotely resorted to such heinous, abominable, unChristian conduct. They are GUILTY of the very
things which they falsely accuse. What they are doing is negative, satanic, diabolical. Actually it is NOT
"they" -- but Satan diabolically deceiving and using them -- and a deceived person may be sincere.
Brethren, I have felt it necessary that you should know and understand these things, so you may realize
WHY I did not yet fully understand the truth regarding church government and organization, in
February, 1939 -- MORE THAN 35 YEARS AGO -- when I wrote an article on church organization.
There had been much confusion and argument among the "Sardis" brethren about church organization.
When the new so-called "Bible Form of Church Organization" was introduced at Salem, naturally the
Stanberry people argued against it. I think we all became confused on the question. It's like being too
close to one tree to see the forest. I KNEW that the so-called "12, the 70, and the 7" was entirely
misapplied, and definitely NOT God's form of organization. But also I knew that the "General
Conference" form was not Biblical. In both of those -- Stanberry and Salem -- the people voted --
government from the bottom like these dissenters today.
For this reason I did write an article more than 35 years ago, in the February, 1939, GOOD NEWS --
WHICH WENT TO OUR OWN "Philadelphia Era" MEMBERS -- NOT to the Salem or Stanberry
membership -- intended to PROTECT OUR OWN MEMBERS WHO WERE MY OWN CONVERTS,
AND NOT TO CONFUSE OR TAKE MEMBERS FROM EITHER OF THEM -- proving that this socalled
"Bible Form of Organization" was NOT Biblical.
By that time our own churches, and the RADIO CHURCH OF GOD were operating separately from
either of them. But I had not, as yet, come to understand WHAT IS the true Bible form of church
organization. When the true knowledge was revealed, LATER, to those of us in the "Philadelphia Era"
we put it into practice and PUBLISHED THIS TRUTH.
Brethren, do you realize THIS IS THE ONLY CHURCH on earth, so far as I know, which has
consistently GROWN in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:18) as
God commands. We GREW into the TRUE knowledge regarding church organization and government.
We published an article revealing new truth about church organization in The GOOD NEWS,
November, 1952, and again in August, 1953, "GOVERNMENT in Our Church," and in November,
1953, "JUDGING and DISCIPLINE in God's Church." As God revealed truth, His Church accepted it.
And long since, we came into the FULL TRUTH on church organization and government.
We may not have ALL truth on ALL subjects even yet, I suppose -- though if we KNEW of any truth we
do not have, we would have accepted it! But, to constantly check what we do hold, and research for any
possible NEW truth, we do have, at Pasadena Headquarters, an EIGHT-MAN team of scholars and
researchers, CONSTANTLY RESEARCHING critical doctrinal questions, and reporting their findings
and recommendations to Garner Ted Armstrong and myself for final decision. IN MULTITUDE OF
COUNSELLORS there is safety (Proverbs 11:14).
Yes, far more safety than in ONE single scholar of Biblical research, who is subject to MUCH error!
So when that article of 35 years ago, written while we were slowly growing into the true knowledge of
the subject of church organization, is quoted to you, just REALIZE that it is PROOF God's true Church
DOES correct error, and does GROW ln truth, AS REVEALED.
Now I want to make SO CLEAR there can be no misunderstanding, the answer to the questions at the
beginning of this letter. To make it CRYSTAL CLEAR, we must begin at the beginning.
First, then, I have to ask once again -- and GET IT CLEARLY IN MIND -- WHY WERE YOU BORN?
WHY did God create HUMANS? Why, once again, did God call you and me NOW, instead of LATER?
This is NOT the time when God is trying to SAVE the world spiritually. The Day of Pentecost shows we
are now merely the "first fruits" -- the very small first harvest of human souls.
Too many of us have been getting our eyes OFF the main GOAL -- OF God's PURPOSE for us in our
time, NOW. In order to DESTROY GOD'S WORK -- to get our eyes off it -- false "ISSUES" have been
raised -- QUESTIONS designed to cause DOUBTS in your minds, to destroy FAITH -- have been
raised. Subtle, clever, deceptive methods have been used to detract us from and cause us to neglect
God's REAL PURPOSE for us today! We must immediately get back to THAT PURPOSE!
Brethren, YOU, each, as an individual, were born for the most COLOSSAL, the most
TRANSCENDENT purpose our minds could conceive! Let me remind you of it! Let's get our minds
focused on the MAIN GOAL!
In Hebrews 1: God "hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of
all things (Moffatt translation, the UNIVERSE), ..." (Verse 2). And God has made us JOINT-HEIRS
with Christ (Romans 8:17).
WHY should the Mighty GOD be concerned about US, Brethren? Listen! "Thou (God) crownedst him
(each of YOU) with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands; thou hast put ALL
THINGS (the entire UNIVERSE of endless SPACE, with all planets, suns, stars, etc., etc.) in subjection
under his feet. For in that he put ALL in subjection under him, he left NOTHING that is not put under
him. But now we see NOT YET all things put under him. But we see Jesus ... crowned with glory and
honor; ... For it became Him ... in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain (forerunner --
pioneer) of their salvation perfect through sufferings" (Heb. 2:7-10).
Brethren, CAN YOUR MIND COMPREHEND THE TRANSCENDENT MAGNITUDE OF THAT
SUPREME PURPOSE? The entire UNIVERSE to be put UNDER SUBJECTION to you? That means
you are to RULE over it all -- IF you are submissive, obedient to God and His government over you
NOW!
Do you want to let resentment against God's government over you NOW disqualify you -- snatch you
from God's GRACE and PURPOSE for you, and cast you into a lake of fire? God's PURPOSE for us is
SO GREAT, we need to FEAR lest Satan divert our minds from that GOAL! Satan is subtle!
Just WHAT IS GOD? He is CREATOR! But He maintains -- preserves -- what He creates. HOW? By
His GOVERNMENT -- the GOVERNMENT OF GOD!
We cannot clearly UNDERSTAND whether God has put HIS GOVERNMENT in His Church -- and
WHAT KIND -- unless we understand His PURPOSE, and HOW it has been worked out FROM THE
VERY BEGINNING! It is because I did not yet fully and rightly understand church organization and
government 'way back in 1939 -- 35 long years ago! And without this knowledge Satan could DECEIVE
YOU, right now!
Begin at the very BEGINNING: "God created the heaven and the earth." There is every evidence this
was a PERFECT creation. God is PERFECT! At this creation, the angels shouted for JOY -- they were
so happy! (Job 38:7.) Angels were put here to populate the earth. The archangel, the cherub Lucifer, was
put here as King, to administer the GOVERNMENT OF GOD. He had been trained in God's
Government over the UNIVERSE by having been one of the two cherubim whose wings covered the
very throne of God at the Headquarters of the UNIVERSE. (Isa. 14:12, Ezek. 28:14, Exodus 25:17-21.)
Let us ask, Was the Government of God -- the Kingdom of God -- established on earth? What made a
devil out of Lucifer? Notice carefully -- speaking of Lucifer. It is written, "For thou hast said in thine
heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt MY THRONE above the stars (angels) of God"(Isa. 14:13).
He had a THRONE. He was KING of GOD'S GOVERNMENT on earth. His throne was on earth, not in
heaven. He plotted to ascend from earth into heaven. He plotted to take over the whole UNIVERSE.
Was this GOVERNMENT originally GOD'S Government? Notice now in Ezekiel 28, where Satan is
portrayed as the KING of Tyre, over the HUMAN ruler, the Prince of Tyre. God said (verse 12), he
sealed up the sum of wisdom, perfection, and beauty. "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth," ...
God had set him there, ... "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till
iniquity (lawlessness) wast found in thee" (verse 13, 15).
Notice, God had set him originally as one of two cherubim whose wings covered the Throne of GOD
over the universe. God created him PERFECT -- until ... how long? It might have been millions of years,
or only one year ... until iniquity was found in him. Finally he had SINNED (verse 16). His heart
became "lifted up" because of his beauty. God said, "thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy
brightness" (verse 17).
So he was created perfect, with beauty, wisdom, brightness. He had been over the very throne of GOD --
seat of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD. The angels SHOUTED for JOY at creation of the earth. God's
Government -- the KINGDOM OF GOD -- was established on earth. The archangel Lucifer was set on
the earthly THRONE. But he became corrupt, a REBEL against the GOVERNMENT OF GOD.
God's GOVERNMENT is based on God's LAW. God's LAW is LOVE. It is LOVE to GOD, and LOVE
to neighbor. It is serving, helping, sharing. It is humility, love and obedience toward God, loyalty, trust,
faith and reliance upon God. Satan turned to INIQUITY -- vanity, lust, greed, spirit of competition and
taking, disloyalty, selfishness, jealousy, envy, resentment, rebellion, hatred.
Now how about the ANGELS placed on earth UNDER Lucifer? They SINNED (II Peter 2:4). Their first
estate was the earth, but they "kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation" (Jude 6), and
ascended with Lucifer to TAKE OVER the Throne of God. Then they, with him, were cast back down to
earth.
These were created HOLY ANGELS. How long do you suppose it took Satan, once he turned to
iniquity, to TURN ALL HIS ANGELS INTO REBELLION? That might have required millions of
years! But God does not reveal how long.
Lucifer (Light Bringer) became Satan (Adversary, Competitor), and the angels (his one-third -- Rev.
12:4) became demons. Their UNIVERSAL SIN over ALL THE EARTH plunged the earth into darkness
and chaos. UNIVERSAL SIN and rebellion brought UNIVERSAL darkness and chaos to the WHOLE
earth.
But at this point consider -- and consider more thoroughly than you probably ever did before!
UNDERSTAND, more fully! WHY did God create MAN and WHY did He put man on the earth? There
was, of course, PURPOSE! But WHAT led up to the NEED of that PURPOSE? WHY was that purpose
made necessary?
I feel that most of us do not yet fully comprehend what brought it all about -- the REAL REASON!
So let me lead into it by asking, DOES GOD KNOW EVERYTHING? Admittedly, He could! But He
has wisely chosen to make both angels and, later humans, free moral agents -- with FREE CHOICE.
Otherwise neither angels nor humans could possess CHARACTER. To allow FREE CHOICE, God
chose NOT TO KNOW what they would decide. God gave the angels minds of their own. He created
angels out of spirit -- composed of spirit -- not of flesh and blood like humans. Angels were made
immortal -- they never die. They were each individually created. They do not reproduce themselves.
God bestowed upon angels minds possessing GREAT KNOWLEDGE -- superior to that possessed by
man. One might suppose that, endowed with so great KNOWLEDGE, and being created HOLY angels,
that they would never choose wrongly, or commit sin. Many scientists, philosophers and educators have
contended that, given sufficient KNOWLEDGE, man would solve all his problems upon earth, and end
all the existing evils.
But possession of KNOWLEDGE has neither solved troubles nor prevented evils. In the decade of the
1960's, human knowledge DOUBLED, yet the problems and evils doubled also. God placed, apparently,
a third of all the angels upon earth at its creation. Their superior knowledge did not prevent rebellion,
sin, and worldwide chaos, darkness and destruction. Angels had superior KNOWLEDGE, superior
POWERS, were endowed with FREE CHOICE -- and still all that KNOWLEDGE did not safeguard
against misuse and SIN -- they chose rebellion and EVIL.
Now consider further. God could have created angels in such a manner that they could not rebel or sin.
That is, so that they would have been UNABLE to do wrong. But then they would have had to be mere
automatons -- like an automatic mechanism -- without thought, choice, or CHARACTER. And an
automatic mechanism is not what God wanted to create.
Perhaps God was proving things. The angels under Lucifer were holy -- and Lucifer himself, sealing up
the sum of wisdom, perfection and beauty -- created perfect! Yet he led the rebellion, and evidently
induced his angels to follow him in super-sin. Their experience proved -- as humans have since proved
-- that KNOWLEDGE ALONE will not guarantee right performance. A third of all the angels did
deliberately turn to evil.
So possession of vast KNOWLEDGE, and endowment with FREE CHOICE does not constitute perfect
righteous CHARACTER. Neither does it prove that the remaining two-thirds of the holy angels will not
turn to SIN. It merely leaves the attainment of perfect, righteous CHARACTER uncompleted as of now.
But now look at GOD HIMSELF, and consider what He must have considered. God Himself possesses
PERFECT RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER. God will not sin. God will not go contrary to the perfect, holy
spiritual LAW which He created and set in living, active inexorable motion, to cause and produce ALL
GOOD. God has so set Himself that He CANNOT SIN.
So here we have the state of things, as God saw them, after the sinning Devil and demons were cast back
down to the earth they had RUINED! When the earth first was created, the angels SHOUTED FOR
JOY! There was HAPPINESS, joy, ecstacy, perfect PEACE on the earth as long as THE
GOVERNMENT OF GOD was administered on earth.
Can we see, therefore, that God had these facts to consider: That immortal beings possessing GREAT
KNOWLEDGE and freedom of choice without proven RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER could not
guarantee the PRESERVING of what God had CREATED here. Then also, that beings possessing the
perfect holy and righteous CHARACTER that God possesses WOULD preserve and maintain God's
CREATION. This led of necessity to the great PURPOSE God had in mind for creating and putting
MAN on the earth.
God's overall PURPOSE in creating and putting man on earth, therefore, was DUAL:
1) The RESTORATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD upon earth. 2) To REPRODUCE
HIMSELF, and thus produce an unlimited number of beings, begotten and BORN of God into GOD'S
OWN DIVINE FAMILY having developed PERFECT HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER, that
WILL NOT, and shall have so SET THEMSELVES that they CANNOT SIN (I John 3:9). That is the
only guarantee that the Creator GOD may perfectly PRESERVE that which He designs and creates.
This great purpose of God reproducing Himself means immortal beings BORN into the very Family of
which God is the Father -- beings who, having free moral agency with supreme mind, knowledge,
powers of thought, decision, volition, still have achieved such perfect and righteous CHARACTER that
they WILL NOT ever commit SIN.
You see GOD is CREATOR, and PRESERVER of His creation. Satan and his angels turned to
DESTRUCTION -- became DESTROYERS.
So God created mortal MAN in His own likeness -- same form and shape -- so man could be begotten
and then BORN of God -- having power of MIND and intellect -- similar, but inferior to, that of God or
angels. But He chose to form man of the dust of the ground -- material substance. To give man powers
of intellect, God put WITHIN man a spirit, which transmits to the human physical brain the power of
intellect. God purposes to develop in man the same PERFECT CHARACTER as God -- so that, when
BORN of God and changed to SPIRIT COMPOSITION and immortality man, like God, will not and
CANNOT sin.
Such CHARACTER is something that cannot be instantaneously created -- else it would be an
automaton -- a mindless robot. It must be DEVELOPED with latitude of FREE CHOICE. It must be
developed by EXPERIENCE and right teaching. This requires TIME. So God allocated 7,000 years for
the process. And He made man mortal, so that if man finally makes a deliberate choice to rebel, he is
subject to extinction. God, in great supreme love and mercy, will not allow man to bring on himself
perpetual, eternal suffering. But if redeemed and he becomes a persistent OVERCOMER, growing
toward perfection, he is able to be finally BORN of God.
So, as a result of the rebellion of Satan and his demons, TOTAL CHAOS and darkness had come to the
entire physical earth. The minds and attitudes of Satan and the demons had become perverted.
Now we come to the second verse of Genesis l. The GOVERNMENT OF GOD, by which God
preserves what He has created, had been removed from the earth. God proposes to RESTORE His
Government by and through MAN, finally redeemed through Christ, and BORN into the GOD
FAMILY. His DUAL purpose, remember, is to RESTORE THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD UPON
EARTH, and to preserve it by means of REPRODUCING HIMSELF, by bringing MAN into perfect
righteous character, ultimately BORN into the God Family.
So, in six days, God renewed the face of the earth (Psalm 104:30), restoring light and beauty -- and
creating MAN!
Adam was given the opportunity to qualify to replace the disqualified Satan as King, administering the
GOVERNMENT OF GOD over the earth. God taught our first parents THE WAY of His Government,
based on His Spiritual LAW. The fact that God pronounced the DEATH PENALTY (Gen. 2:17) for
transgression is evidence that God revealed to Adam God's Government based on His LAW. He could
not have pronounced the penalty for disobedience without having also explained His LAW and His
GOVERNMENT. God also (through the tree of LIFE) offered the GIFT of His Holy Spirit and
ETERNAL LIFE.
But the first Adam took to himself the deciding of the KNOWLEDGE of what is GOOD and what is
EVIL. Thus he disobeyed and rejected THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD. His children -- all humanity --
have followed that way ever since.
And now, God marked out a 7,000 year period of time to accomplish His PURPOSE in MAN. The first
six of these millennial days were allocated for man's trial and test under the sway of Satan. Satan could
not, consistent with the principles of God's Government, be removed from office until a successor had
been qualified and inducted into office.
Did God KNOW what decision Adam would make? Perhaps not, yet He most certainly must have
known the probabilities, under Satan's sway. But the Logos -- the "WORD" who became Jesus Christ,
by whom God the Father had created ALL THINGS -- had offered before the foundation of the world
(Rev. 13:8) -- to divest Himself of immortal glory, to redeem MAN.
This first 6,000 years is now fast coming to its close. In it, God has demonstrated, by 6,000 years of
human sin, and the resultant pain, sorrow, suffering, unhappiness, and frustration that Satan's way only
harms, injures and destroys the one who follows that way of SIN.
This 6,000 years is to be followed by ONE thousand years of PEACE, HAPPINESS, JOY,
ABUNDANCE under the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, restored on earth by the living CHRIST, soon
coming as KING of kings and LORD of lords to RULE ALL NATIONS with the GOVERNMENT OF
GOD, finally RESTORED to earth under Christ!
This will demonstrate once and for all, that GOD'S WAY -- His GOVERNMENT -- is the ONLY way
that produces ALL GOOD. It will demonstrate it not only to all mankind, BUT ALSO TO THE
REMAINING TWO-THIRDS OF THE STILL HOLY ANGELS!
So, IN this unhappy world under Satan's sway, finally there appeared a man, Abraham, who obeyed
God. Four hundred and thirty years later, God took Abraham's descendants, delivered out of Egyptian
slavery, and with their agreement formed them into a Nation having GOD'S GOVERNMENT. To
administer God's Government at the start, God specially prepared and chose ONE MAN, Moses.
Notice, now, the FORM, or PRINCIPLE of God's government in ancient Israel: It's given in Exodus
18:13-29.
Moses "sat to judge the people ... from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father-in-law
saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? ... And Moses
said ... I do make them know the statutes of God, and His laws. And Moses' father-in-law said ...
Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: be thou for the people
to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and
laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover
thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness;
and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of
tens; and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring
unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge ... and all this people shall go to their place IN
PEACE."
Here is government FROM THE TOP (GOD) on down. Here is God's own PYRAMID principle of
government in ancient Israel.
At that time the whole NATION -- with church and state united -- occupied one concise area. The form
of organization could be administered by ONE MAN under God, at the top. It was Government from
GOD. Under the Eternal God in authority was Moses. Under Moses a NUMBER of rulers, each over
THOUSANDS (it could have been several thousands under each ruler). Under each ruler of a thousand,
rulers over hundreds. Under each ruler of a hundred, rulers of fifties, and under each of them rulers of
tens.
It was RULE FROM THE TOP DOWN -- that is, FROM GOD -- it was the GOVERNMENT OF GOD!
God chose Moses. Moses chose rulers of thousands, and so on down.
But some of the people refused to recognize it as GOD'S GOVERNMENT, and called it MOSES'
government, just as a small FEW have risen up in God's Church today, to rebel against THE
GOVERNMENT OF GOD.
Notice it. It's in Numbers 16: "Now Korah, ... and Abiram, ... and On, ... took men, and they rose up
before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty of the princes of the assembly,
famous in the congregation (the Old Testament Church), men of renown: and they gathered themselves
together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, ye take too much upon you, seeing all the
congregation are holy, every one of them (precisely what the dissenters are saying now in God's
Church), and the Eternal is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of
the LORD?"
They denied GOD had chosen and empowered Moses. They accused him of "lording it over them."
Continue in the Scripture record: "And when Moses heard it he fell upon his face: and he spoke unto
Korah, and unto all his company, saying, Even tomorrow the Eternal will show who are his, and who is
holy; ..."
The following day, "And it came to pass, as he (Moses) had made an end of speaking all these words,
that the ground clave asunder that was under them (the dissenters): And the earth opened her mouth, and
swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
They ... went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them; and they perished from among the
congregation" (verses 31-33).
That is to warn us today: "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they were
written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh
he standeth take heed lest he fall" (I Cor. 10:11-12).
Let us pray earnestly that others shall not perish, spiritually, among the dissenters today. Their death
could be ETERNAL EXTINCTION -- Korah will be resurrected.
But even before this, Aaron and his sister (the prophetess Miriam) had accused Moses. See Numbers 12:
"And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married:
for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, hath the Eternal indeed spoken only by Moses?
hath he not spoken also by us? And the Eternal heard it. ... And the Eternal came down in the pillar of
the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came
forth. And he said, Hear now my words. If there be a prophet among you, I the Eternal will make myself
known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is
faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark
speeches; and the similitude of the Eternal shall he behold: wherefore, then, were ye NOT AFRAID to
speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the Eternal was kindled against them: and he
departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as
snow: ..."
When people criticize and accuse one whom GOD has chosen and set over them, it is not the human
servant, but GOD they are accusing.
In the days of Samuel, the people of Israel rejected GOD as their real Ruler, ruling through such humans
as HE chose, as at that time, God was ruling through Samuel. They demanded a MAN to be their king.
God gave them Saul, who rebelled against God. Then God gave them David, a man after His own heart.
Still it was government FROM THE TOP DOWN!
That is God's PRINCIPLE OF GOVERNMENT. It's the SAME TODAY in His Church! He says, "I
CHANGE NOT!" (Mal. 3:6.)
Now come to the NEW TESTAMENT. Jesus came as a Messenger bringing from God the most
important Message ever announced to mankind. This Message was NEWS -- the GOOD NEWS that the
KINGDOM OF GOD would be restored to the earth, and already, even then, was AT HAND for those
who would accept it and its KING, Jesus.
Jesus called, and chose TWELVE Disciples (students or learners), to become His Apostles. TWELVE is
the number of a JURY -- the unanimous verdict of which CONFIRMS a truth. They became
EYEWITNESSES to CONFIRM the truth of the RESURRECTION -- by which we may ENTER INTO
the KINGDOM OF GOD. They were SENT to proclaim the GOOD NEWS of the KINGDOM OF GOD
and to be eyewitnesses to the RESURRECTION.
To carry on God's WORK of proclaiming Christ's GOSPEL, God chose TWO on earth, under the
resurrected living CHRIST, as His leaders here on earth: Peter to those Israelite born, and Paul to the
Gentiles.
Galatians 2:7-8: "But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed
unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the
apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles)."
As we progress through the Bible on the question of GOVERNMENT, the PRINCIPLE of government,
from the TOP DOWN, is consistent. But the application, or details of STRUCTURE differs, and varies
to adapt to the time, conditions and facilities. The revolters from God's Work confuse structural form
with PRINCIPLE of government, which is ALWAYS from the TOP (GOD) down. They are NOT THE
SAME.
In the Old Testament, God chose ONE (Moses, Samuel, Saul, David, etc.) at a time, UNDER GOD,
because Israel was ONE nation in ONE location or area. ONE at the top of the human level, under God,
with others under him, was all that was required to administer the PRINCIPLE of government FROM
THE TOP DOWN.
But in the first century of the Gospel Work in the New Testament, God was sending the Gospel into
MANY COUNTRIES, over wide areas. So He organized His Work into TWO principal divisions, or
areas -- ISRAEL and GENTILES. They were widely separated geographically. Communication was
virtually nil, except by personal contact. Transportation was by foot, horse or muleback, or by camel or
elephant, or sailboat. If Peter were the sole human head under Christ, it might take him weeks to
communicate with the man next under him in Rome, if he were in Jerusalem. So God worked directly
with TWO in separated areas. Today, if I, for example, need to communicate with Mr. Hunting or Dr.
Meredith at Bricket Wood, or with Mr. Luker at Sydney, Australia, I can usually reach them in a matter
of three minutes to an hour or so by telephone. Or I could reach them in a matter of hours by airplane.
With such communication and transportation facilities available today, Christ requires only ONE, once
again, directly under him. Several times I have questioned whether Christ would ordain one or several
more apostles, but always on counseling with evangelists, their response has been a decisive and
absolute "NO."
In the first century, GOD HIMSELF chose Paul and committed to him authority directly under Christ,
the Gospel Work to the Gentiles. He was not chosen APART FROM, or CONTRARY to or IN
OPPOSITION to Peter or to the HEADQUARTERS at Jerusalem, as dissenters have CHOSEN
THEMSELVES, apart from, and in opposition to, God's HEADQUARTERS today. When Paul went to
Jerusalem Headquarters, it was by revelation from God. He communicated to the leaders there what he
preached to the Gentiles, lest he might be preaching CONTRARY to them as God led them, and thus
might have been preaching IN VAIN -- as he would have been, if he preached a DIFFERENT Gospel
(Gal. 2:2 and 1:8-9).
Paul was called separately and directly by Christ. He was NOT one of Peter's sons in the Lord. He was
not one UNDER Peter who, on his own, broke AWAY from Peter and God's Headquarters, and set
himself up as HEAD of a competing church seeking to DESTROY GOD'S Church. The dissenters today
CANNOT claim they are following Paul's example.
YOU, Brethren, today, ALL were called, directly or indirectly through me and THE GOVERNMENT
OF GOD doing the WORK of God -- you are all MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN CHRIST.
Compare I Corinthians 4:14-16: "I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn
you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ (or who pose as being), yet have ye not many
fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the qospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye
followers of me." So far as following Paul's example is concerned, God IN PERSON directly called and
guided Paul in a way he does not YOU, and the turning away of the dissenters CANNOT be justified by
any comparison with Paul, and the Government of God through Paul.
Brethren, we in God's Church are being trained and prepared, NOW, to RULE in the Kingdom of God
during the millennium. What KIND (principle) of government are we being trained to administer?
At that time, beginning with Christ's coming and the resurrection, Christ will be KING of kings over
ALL NATIONS (Rev. 19:16). Directly under Christ, over Israel -- that is all the nations springing from
the twelve tribes of Israel -- will be the resurrected David. Notice: "For it shall come to pass in that day,
saith the Eternal of hosts, that I will ... burst thy (Israel's) bonds ... but they (Israel) shall serve the
Eternal their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them (Jeremiah 30:8-9).
Notice again: At the beginning of the millennial reign under Christ, God will unite Israel (ten tribes) and
Judah once again into ONE NATION, in the land of ancient Israel (Ezek. 37:22) with one king over
them. "And David my servant shall be king over them" (verses 24-25). Again, "And I will set up one
shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David" (Ezek. 34:23)
Of course, also under Christ will be others over the Gentile nations, but God has not revealed who
specifically. But, UNDER DAVID, God does tell us who shall rule those of each of the twelve tribes.
Peter had asked Jesus what the twelve apostles would have in the Kingdom during the millennium. "And
Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when
the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the
twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28).
Will there be others UNDER each king over one tribe? Turn to Luke 19, beginning with verse 11. Jesus
gave a parable to His disciples, because they thought the Kingdom of God should immediately appear in
their time. (Some dissenters, like the Baptists or other Protestants, are now coming to believe it did
appear then, IN THEIR HEARTS.)
"He said therefore, A certain nobleman (Christ) went into a far country (God's throne in heaven) to
receive for himself a kingdom, and to return (to earth). And he called his ten servants (so-called lost ten
tribes of Israel), and delivered them ten pounds (British money, here representing symbolically God's
Holy Spirit, or spiritual gifts for the operations in the WORK of God in the Church, NOW) and said unto
them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens (Judah -- the Jews -- His own to whom he came and who
received Him not -- John 1:11) hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this
man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom
(second coming of Christ to RULE all nations), then he commanded these servants to be called unto
him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he (Christ) said unto him,
Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou AUTHORITY over
TEN CITIES. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he (Christ
the King) said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities." And the one who had accomplished
NOTHING in God's CHURCH, now, lost even that which had been given to him.
This shows we are REWARDED (not saved) according to OUR WORKS -- according to how much we
have GROWN in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ -- how much we have SUPPORTED GOD'S
WORK, either actively in a specific position, or by our prayers, encouragement to those who do serve,
tithes, etc.
Later, from heaven Jesus said: "He that overcometh, and keepeth my WORKS unto the end, to him will
I give POWER over the nations, and he shall RULE THEM with a rod of iron" (Rev. 2:26-27). And,
again, "To him that overcometh (grows in SPIRITUAL CHARACTER) will I grant to sit with me in my
throne (in Jerusalem), even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in my Father's
throne" (Rev. 3:21).
Brethren, we are IN TRAINING, NOW, for that RULE in the KINGDOM OF GOD.
And what PRINCIPLE of government? From the TOP DOWN. From GOD -- it is HIS Government --
the GOVERNMENT of God the Father. Under Him is Christ. Under Christ, over ISRAEL will be the
resurrected DAVID. Under David, each over one of twelve tribes, the TWELVE ORIGINAL
APOSTLES. Under each of them, rulers over CITIES.
DEMOCRACY, from the bottom up -- every man doing what seems right IN HIS OWN EYES, would
never prepare you to REIGN with Christ then. THINK, Brethren, what it would mean if you should
REBEL against God's Government as HE has placed it in HIS CHURCH NOW, and follow the
dissenters OUT of God's Church, into what unauthorized humans have ASSOCIATED THEMSELVES
into -- an "ASSOCIATED CHURCH." I should demand PROOF that such is of GOD. There is NO
EVIDENCE. It is of MEN -- disloyal, selfish men -- swayed and deceived by Satan!
But now back more specifically to the CHURCH. Just WHAT IS the Church of God? Let's see it as
GOD sees it, in relation to His OVERALL PURPOSE.
Remember, God's overall PURPOSE in creating and putting MAN on earth may be stated as:
1) The RESTORATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD UPON EARTH. And to do this by means
of,
2) REPRODUCING HIMSELF, thus producing an unlimited number of beings begotten and finally
BORN of God into the divine FAMILY OF GOD, having developed holy and righteous CHARACTER
that WILL NOT, and therefore cannot violate or transgress GOD'S GOVERNMENT, and, with God's
GOVERNMENT, ultimately to RULE THE UNIVERSE.
Just WHAT, then, is the KINGDOM OF GOD? The KINGDOM OF GOD is, 1) the GOVERNMENT
OF GOD, but also it is 2) the FAMILY OF GOD, which, being the RULING Family, governs the
UNIVERSE.
As the FAMILY of God, consisting of the Father, and the BORN (immortal spirit-composed) SONS of
God, it is (will be) a DIVINE ORGANISM.
As the RULING Family it also is the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, organized from the TOP DOWN.
Now WHAT, then, is the CHURCH OF GOD? Under the Old Testament there was the Congregation
(Assembly -- Church) of ISRAEL, consisting of physically-begotten and born DESCENDANTS OF
Israel.
Under the NEW Testament, it is the Church of GOD -- consisting of the spiritually begotten (not yet
born) children of GOD. The CHURCH OF GOD, at the coming of Christ and the resurrection, will, BY
the resurrection, BECOME the KINGDOM OF GOD.
And since the CHURCH OF GOD is to BECOME the KINGDOM OF GOD, it is now, 1) a spiritual
Organism, in which each begotten child of God has a personal contact, through Christ, in prayer and in
fellowship, with the Father of the Family of which each of us is a begotten child. And in order to carry
out the Divine Great Commission, 2) an ORGANIZATION, organized with the GOVERNMENT OF
GOD, to carry on what we customarily refer to as the WORK OF GOD.
Now let's look into New Testament teaching to see how this is POSITIVELY REVEALED.
Take the Apostle Paul, called and chosen by Christ direct, as leader, under Christ, in getting THE
WORK to the Gentiles, as well as the conducting of services in the churches, after the Work has resulted
in conversions and local churches -- that is, the function of "feeding the flock," after THE WORK has
not only proclaimed the Gospel as a witness, but also resulted in conversions and adding members to the
Church.
I quoted from Galatians 2:7-8 about how Paul was assigned by Christ to head THE WORK to the
Gentiles.
Now notice Titus 1:4-5 and 2:15 -- Paul wrote to Titus (UNDER PAUL), "To Titus, mine own son after
the common faith (even as those under me in THE WORK today, are MY own sons, directly or
indirectly, in the Lord), ... from God the Father (first in rank) and the Lord Jesus Christ (second in rank)
our Savior. For this cause left I (next in rank -- to Gentiles -- under Christ) thee (under Paul's authority in
the Work) in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders (under
Titus who is under Paul, who is under Christ) in every city as I had appointed thee."
Paul gave reason, in the following verses, for GOVERNMENT and AUTHORITY in the Church -- "For
there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers ... whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert
whole houses (even as those fighting against order and government in God's Church are doing today),
teaching things they ought not (as right now), for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet
of their own, said, The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, (lazy gluttons -- RSV), ... This witness is
true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith." And Paul adds, chapter 2:15,
"... and REBUKE, with ALL AUTHORITY."
Yes, God's Government is NECESSARY in His Church, and He PUT IT THERE!
No authority in the Church? What did God MEAN when He says in His Word, "OBEY them that have
the RULE over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account
(as I know I shall) that they may do it with JOY, and not with grief for that (causing those over you
grief) is unprofitable for YOU. Pray for us (THOSE OF US GOD HAS SET IN AUTHORITY TODAY)
for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things, willing to live honestly" (Heb. 13:17-18).
No government in God's Church? Then WHY did God inspire this to the Thessalonians? "And we
beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are OVER YOU in the Lord, and
admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among
yourselves" (I Thes. 5:12-13).
One of the things SATAN works overtime in injecting into any mind that will let it enter, is
RESENTMENT OF AUTHORITY. GOD'S authority is administered in LOVE -- and actually as one
SERVING those under His authority for THEIR GOOD and out of loving CONCERN for them. That is
the way I try to use what authority God has delegated to me, and I try to teach those under me to use it in
the same manner -- as a servant, not one lording it over those under him -- as JESUS gave us an
example. Satan DESPISES government, except as HE himself harshly and in hate employs it.
But what does GOD say about DESPISING GOVERNMENT? "But chiefly them that walk after the
flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and DESPISE GOVERNMENT. Presumptuous are they, self- willed,
they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, whereas angels, which are greater in power and might,
bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be
taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their
own corruption" (II Peter 2:10-12).
Brethren, THAT'S GOD'S WORD, not mine! Now notice I Corinthians 12: In this chapter God is
showing that in THE WORK of the Church -- proclaiming the Gospel to the world, and feeding the
flock, there are different ADMINISTRATIONS, different OPERATIONS, in the Church, and for these,
God has given various spiritual GIFTS, or empowerments, by His Holy Spirit.
ADMINISTRATORS refer to performance of executive duties, MANAGERIAL responsibilities, rather
than policy-making. For example, in the U.S. Government, the LEGISLATIVE Branch, that is,
Congress, with the Senate and the House of Representatives, makes the laws. The PRESIDENCY is the
EXECUTIVE Branch, the Supreme Court the Judicial. The Presidency, or Executive Branch is called
"the ADMINISTRATION." So in the Church, God has set differences of ADMINISTRATIONS. For
example, we have today the Division of Church Administration (CAD), or, Executive Administration
over ministers and churches. There is the Educational Administration, or Executive direction over the
Colleges and Imperial Schools. There is Publishing Administration, Broadcast Administration over radio
and TV, etc. This of necessity requires organization. The exact pattern or STRUCTURE may vary
according to conditions, need etc., but the PRINCIPLE of the organization MUST BE THAT OF GOD'S
GOVERNMENT, from the TOP, God, then Christ, on down, as CHRIST has directed and chosen.
OPERATIONS, refers to functioning -- a doing or performing of what involves practical application of
principle or process; the quality or state of being functional or operational; method or manner of
functioning.
The very fact that God has endowed different members in His Church with additional spiritual gifts,
added to their own natural talents and abilities, in itself shows emphatically that there is definite
ORGANIZATION in His Church, and that the ORGANIZATION must flow from a chain of authority,
according to the PRINCIPLE which GOD (our legislative branch), has set -- that is, AUTHORITY
FROM THE TOP DOWN. That is the PRINCIPLE. The OPERATIONS refers to functioning according
to the practical application of the PRINCIPLE of government given us by GOD.
The ADMINISTRATIONS in the Church refers to executive performance and managerial
responsibilities, NOT to policy-making. In other words, adapting the method of functioning, according
to the PRINCIPLE which GOD (the Policy Maker and Law Giver), not we, has laid down.
If you will put this 12th chapter of I Corinthians together with Jesus' parable of the pounds (Luke 19)
and the parable of the TALENTS (Matthew 15), you will see that God gives special spiritual gifts
according to each one's natural talents or abilities.
Because of these various administrations, and operations, God shows in this chapter that He has
bestowed VARIOUS spiritual gifts added to the natural talents and abilities of various ones to perform
the many DIFFERENT functions required for the ORGANIZED Work of God. For this purpose He
compares the Church -- the BODY of CHRIST -- to the human body, with its many members
performing the many functions. All members do not perform the same function. God, through Paul,
shows for example, that the hand performs a different function than the foot does.
But the one individual "scholar" of Biblical research of the dissenters seems to think we use this verse 15
to attempt to prove that the right hand (a minister, for example) gives orders to the left hand (church
member). That might be funny if it were not so pitifully stupid. That is not what Paul is saying, but that
the hand does not perform the same function as the foot. It is speaking of different operations, different
people having different talents and abilities, to which God is adding various spiritual gifts for better
performance. In verse 16, Paul shows that the ear does not perform the same function as the eye. The
whole body is not merely the eye (verse 17) or the person could not hear. If it had only the ear it could
not smell.
But (verse 18) God has set all these different abilities for different functions AS IT HAS PLEASED
HIM.
Trying to TWIST and DISTORT and PERVERT the holy Word of God by representing that Paul was
trying to show that the right hand cannot talk to and order the left hand to do its bidding is utterly
ridiculous, and should deceive nobody. Obviously, the right hand can't TALK, and God's Church has
never represented that it can.
The man's human head is what directs the hand, the foot, the ear, and all the members of that one body.
And the Head of every MAN is CHRIST, and the Head of Christ is GOD (the Father) -- (I Cor. 11:3).
So here is what we REALLY have: God the Father at the top. Under Him, Christ. Under Christ, the
human head, and under the head, all the organs of the body which obey the human head.
A significant portion of the human brain is devoted to the COORDINATION of all the various parts of
the body. This enables the hundreds of muscles in the human body to function together in total unity of
purpose. Otherwise, each one of these muscles would be doing its own separate thing, and the body
could not function. For example, the cerebellum, a component in the human brain about the size of a
small orange, primarily functions as a center for coordination. When the cerebellum is damaged
(whether by disease or trauma), the person is severely disabled -- even though each muscle can be
directed by the brain and each muscle itself is functioning properly -- because the coordination of the
muscles is impaired. This coordination function totally destroys the dissenters' concept that the two arms
are independent of one another, but only report to the head. I grant that fact, but the head, to be the head,
must coordinate them so they are working in perfect alignment and unity.
Now WHAT is this chapter (I Corinthians 12) showing? That the Church is ONE -- and ONE ONLY --
and has many members. That there are different Administrations and different operations (verses 5-6).
That there are different spiritual GIFTS (but ONE SPIRIT -- verses 4, 7-11). Christ is the Head of the
Church, called "the Body of Christ," having many members for many functions. To show many
functions, it is compared to the human body (verses 12-26). Then, we read of the respective offices in
rank (verses 27-30).
So, as to RANK of offices of executive administration, and operational functions, "And GOD hath set
some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues (languages)" (I Cor. 12:28).
That is the rank in which GOD set them. Now I want to show you how the "scholar of Biblical research"
for the dissenters ranks them. I quote directly from a transcript of a sermon, tapes of which have been
distributed to as many members as possible, on this point:
"Now, brethren, I think it is far better to call these titles, rather than ranks. I know the apostle is put first.
I realize the teacher is put last. But I'll tell YOU, sometimes the teacher or sometimes a pastor can give
an apostle something that he didn't have before, you know. And I think that this would be important ...
However, IF WE turn it around from being titles, and/or administrations or functions, what people are to
do as far as functions are concerned, and we turn it into rank, a rank. A rank implies rulership. It implies
lordship. It implies power and authority. Well, to go quite a ways with it, you know, that's what it
implies if you say rank" (emphasis mine).
Notice now! GOD says -- the Holy WORD OF GOD says: "And GOD set some in the church, first,
apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers ..." That's what GOD says. But this leader of the theology of
the dissenters from God's Church says, "BUT I THINK it is far better to call these titles, rather than
ranks." He THINKS his way around the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, and the AUTHORITY which
CHRIST has delegated.
GOD SAYS, first, secondly, thirdly. But HE THINKS his way around GOD'S WORD! Brethren,
GOD'S Church dares not handle the Word of God so carelessly, so deceptively.
Again, he says, "A rank implies rulership. It implies lordship." Indeed rank, as Christ set it in the Church
implies rulership, and I have quoted several Scriptures above that show that. But rulership emphatically,
as the living Christ taught it, and wields it Himself today, and as God's Church teaches and wields it,
emphatically DOES NOT imply "lordship."
Who is the HEAD of God's Church? JESUS CHRIST is the Head. He wields RULERSHIP, and
delegates rulership to some of us on earth, under Him. HE sets us the example in HIS KIND OF
RULERSHIP. It is rulership IN LOVE -- meaning with OUTGOING CONCERN for the good and
welfare of the one ruled under Him. He bears RULE over me. And I find no harsh "lordship" in it.
Let those who have gone out of God's own Church, because they have allowed Satan to subtly inject into
their minds an attitude of resentment and rebellion against any authority over them, tell me where and
when I ever exercised any harsh, hostile, unChristian "lordship" over them. I know that no such attitude
is in my mind or heart.
In the word of the unconverted, those in authority do exercise lordship over those under them. Christ
said it should NOT be so with us. But He did not in so saying abolish all authority or rulership. He PUT
RULERSHIP in His Church. He DELEGATED authority. What He was teaching His future apostles, is
that we in GOD'S GOVERNMENT should NOT bear rule IN THE SAME HARSH AND UNLOVING
MANNER as the unconverted in the world.
Let's get this point CLEAR. It's basic. Misunderstanding at this point has caused some to leave God's
Church, and perhaps even God's salvation and gift of eternal life!
Notice what Jesus taught: "And there was also a strife among them, which of them (Jesus' disciples)
should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship
over them, ... but ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he
that is chief, as he that doth serve" (Luke 22:24-26). This same conversation is also recorded in Mark
10:42: "... ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over
them ... but so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to
be ministered unto, but to minister, ..." But no one can say Jesus had no authority.
Years ago, seeing this, and not considering the many, MANY Scriptures charging some in the Church
with authority, rulership, saying to "rebuke" the unruly, etc., I took the above scriptures to mean there is
no authority in the Church. I did not want to exercise authority. I was still NEW in God's truth (this was
over 40 years ago). So, in the early days of the parent Church of the Philadelphia era, at Eugene,
Oregon, I allowed "wolves in sheeps' clothing" to come in and sow the seeds of discord among brethren.
It resulted in splitting the church in two -- possibly turning half my flock onto the way that leads into a
lake of fire! God had His own way of REBUKING ME SOUNDLY, making me see this in its true light.
Jesus here is talking about THE MANNER in which the authority Christ delegates is used. He is NOT
saying there is NO AUTHORITY.
Let's continue on and make it CLEAR. Continue in Luke 22:28: Jesus continued, "Ye are they which
have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a KINGDOM, as my Father hath
appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel."
So you see, in the same speech where Jesus taught against "lording it over" those under one's authority,
He delegated to them authority of KINGSHIP, sitting on twelve thrones.
I have had to correct some under me in God's Work on this very point -- the manner in which authority
was used. Those of us in God's Church are not YET perfect. We must OVERCOME and GROW in
grace. But the remedy is not to take all authority which Christ has delegated OUT of the Church, but to
learn to administer it IN THE MANNER Christ has taught.
Above I have quoted GOD'S INSTRUCTION -- "Rebuke them sharply!" -- "RULE," etc., etc.
The parallel instruction on the RANK of authority in the Church is in Ephesians 4, beginning with verse
11: "And he (Christ gave some, ..." The RSV translates it more clearly: "And His gifts were that some
should be apostles," etc. Continue, "some prophets, and some evangelists, and some, pastors and
teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for THE WORK of the ministry (proclaiming the Gospel of the
Kingdom to all the world), for the edifying of the body of Christ ..."
God's Church today is organized on THAT DIVINE PATTERN. The word "prophet" has two meanings.
One is to receive direct from God instruction or foreknowledge of a happening. In the early first century,
before the Bible was completely written, God did send a message through a prophet, who conveyed that
message to an apostle. There has been no occasion for that function today. A "prophet" also can mean
one who PREACHES. We do have that function in the Church today. The Bible does not in detail
specify "preaching elder " and "local elder," but it appears that some local elders were preachers and
others were not, but were leaders in meetings. We designate these accordingly.
And now, finally, let me repeat -- and answer -- the questions at the beginning of this important letter.
I said some in the Church DO NOT UNDERSTAND just what the Church of God really IS. I have
shown that to understand, we must also know just what the KINGDOM OF GOD really IS, because, at
Christ's coming and the resurrection, the CHURCH of God will become the KINGDOM OF GOD. The
Kingdom of God is the divine FAMILY OF GOD, into which we may be born -- the CREATING
Family which RULES and thus MAINTAINS what it has created. Therefore the Kingdom of God is
BOTH the divine FAMILY of God, and the GOVERNMENT of God, ruling the entire UNIVERSE.
Therefore the CHURCH is both the spiritual organism composed of the begotten (not yet born) children
of God, and the organization or organized government of God on earth carrying on the WORK OF GOD
-- the Great Commission: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel," -- "Go ye, therefore, and
teach all nations;" -- "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness
unto all nations," just before THE END of this age.
Next I said, some have become confused as to whether there is ORGANIZATION or government in it. I
have abundantly shown text after text in the New Testament showing GOVERNMENT and RULE and
AUTHORITY in the Church -- and I did not even quote such passages as I Corinthians 5, where Paul
ordered the Church to "put away from yourselves that wicked person;" or, I Corinthians 4:21 where Paul
said to that Church, "What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of
meekness?" Without organization, the Church could never fulfill its Great Commission -- its VERY
PURPOSE FOR BEING, at the present time. Yes, there is organized government, and RULE -- but the
rule is in LOVE -- in outgoing concern for the good of those ruled.
Then I said, some wonder whether they can leave God's Church, and still be true and real Christians --
whether they could then enter God's Kingdom with His gift of eternal life.
God has ONLY ONE CHURCH on earth, which He directs in the doing of His Work -- not TWO
churches -- not MANY denominations and sects, and "groups." "But now are they many members, YET
BUT ONE BODY" (I Cor. 12:20 -- see also v. 12, 13). "For by one Spirit are we all (not part of us)
baptized into ONE body."
Paul compared the Church to the human body. If you cut off an arm, it withers and dies -- there is no
longer life in it.
The CHURCH of God will be changed into -- will BECOME -- the KINGDOM OF GOD. When the
CHURCH becomes the Kingdom of God, where will those be that broke themselves off? That is a
question for YOU to answer. God is the judge. The Worldwide Church of God is DOING THE WORK
that Christ commissioned. It started out doing that Work. That is THE PURPOSE for which God caused
the membership, for the first time in generations -- or since the first century -- to MULTIPLY in
numbers, so that there could be enough to grow into a WORLDWIDE Work. The Commission is: "Go
ye INTO ALL THE WORLD" -- "Go ye, and teach ALL NATIONS;" -- "for a witness unto ALL
NATIONS." No other body, church, or group is doing that! As to whether you can RUN AWAY from
your part in that Commission, having been a part of it, and still hear Christ say to you, when He comes:
"Well done, good and faithful servant," YOU answer. I shall not be your judge -- you shall answer to the
living CHRIST. I do know that I would be AFRAID to run from what God has called me to do, and then
expect Him to bless me for it! And I will say, that the living Christ DOES NOT set up additional
churches, on disloyalty, rebellion, false accusation, and character assassination. There is NO PLACE IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT where any went out of God's Church, separating themselves from the Body
through which they had been CALLED and baptized, with Christ's approval or blessing.
I know WHERE THE LIVING CHRIST IS WORKING, and guiding, and blessing, and that's where I
intend to KEEP ON WORKING!
WHY has God called you and me NOW, while we still have to fight and resist the cunning of Satan,
AHEAD OF TIME -- instead of WHEN CHRIST SHALL HAVE COME, AND PUT SATAN AWAY,
AND SET HIS HAND TO CALL EVERY LIVING PERSON? The answer is, TO GET THIS JOB
DONE!
Dear Brethren, I feel like writing to you as the Apostle John did, as "my little children," (I John 2:1) --
for, directly or indirectly, you are my sons and daughters in the Lord -- or of the Work which Christ
raised up through me. We are right now in the time of FINAL EXAMS -- of severe trying and testing --
to determine whether we shall make it into God's Kingdom and eternal life -- to be a priest or king,
ruling under Christ for a thousand years -- and after that, the WHOLE UNIVERSE under our feet! The
future before us is so transcendently ENORMOUS we cannot now fully conceive of it.
We have been called AHEAD OF TIME. We have Satan to fight and we need the WHOLE ARMOR OF
THE LIVING GOD to avoid being deceived by his wiles and deceptions. But I wonder IF God may not
have something BETTER in store for us, IF we overcome and remain firm and faithful in God's Work,
than He will have for those called after Christ comes, and Satan is imprisoned, and EVERYBODY will
be living under God's Government, with perhaps MOST going that way. It will surely be easier for them,
then. Perhaps our reward will be greater.
Let's not fail in these final exams. If you are my children in the Lord, God has given me a truly BIG,
FINE, HAPPY FAMILY filled with the LOVE OF CHRIST that passes all understanding, and we shall
be together for ETERNITY!
So I ask you, dear Brethren -- and my children in the Lord -- to REMAIN LOYAL TO CHRIST IN HIS
WORK -- to STAND SOLIDLY BACK OF ME AND GARNER TED ARMSTRONG IN GOD'S
WORK, sacrificing even more as God makes possible, praying constantly, earnestly, fervently, and in
LIVING FAITH, for us and the WORK. May God's richest blessings continue upon you.
With deep love, in Jesus' name,
Herbert W. Armstrong