I have read this letter before and several times–have even quoted some from it in one of my articles on our website. We know that Jesus inspired it to be written that He is the same yesterday, today and forever! The Bible is still the only standard for how the COG should be set up and to function, in spite of what some ministers want to do or say. the same applies here. It is a proven fact that HWA did not yet understand about Church government when he wrote that. He later said so himself and did something quite different after AC came to be. However, many today have confused the corporate structure or organization with what the COG really is, which I think is part of what HWA was trying to address in that letter. Men's ideas about Church government have created many problems in our time today and has to a limited degree aided in the scattering of brethren into different groups, as it was doing back then after the radio COG began and the COG 7th day had split and was sqaubling among themselves. History does repeat itself–does it not?
You and I disagree on the fact of voting in the COG–as you stated once that you had proven from Scripture of a case of voting in the book of Acts, ch.6. I let this go at the time, as what good does it do to debate something with a person who thinks he has shown proof of his point. However, let me state here as a brother in Christ and with respect to you–you did not prove anything. you simply stated to me how you percieve a few Scriptures that you have not researched thoroughly enough to get the truth. HWA made this mistake many many times. it does not mean God was not with him and leading by the Spirit–it simply means he overlooked certain things and then misunderstood other passages by relying on human reason and his own understanding–most of which he came to see where he was in error, over time. I trust you will do the same if you really want to know the truth on this subject. HWA was right about there not being any "voting" for leadership positions in the COG. UCG came along, not wanting anyone to rule over them and so they twisted so very cleverly some passages of Scripture and convinced many that there form of governance was biblically based–which it never was and still is not. the parables of Christ give ample evidence that in the kingdom some will be over others in authority and Christ will be overall. However the collective Bride at its lowest point of authority will be in authority over any human on earth, whether king or national leader–and I think you and I can agree on this. God and Christ are consistant and the way the COG should be governed will apply the same way in the kingdom. no one is going to have a vote to see who sets where and rules over what. May God bless your efforts in your future studies.
Like most of Armstrong's writings, he has elements of truth and much of his own "revelations" and conclusions. His own unwillingness to be corrected and stubbornly and pridefully hold to his own revelations, rather than humbly be corrected shows up in his church and followers decades later. They are doing the same thing he did.
The fruit of Jesus' ministry once He died and left was to grow. The fruit of Armstrong's ministry once he died and lost control of the people was split, split, split, ad nauseum.
@The editor: Thank you for commenting, but I feel I must clarify something. I wasn't trying to prove a formal case of voting where people write names on a piece of paper and put it in a box. However, at its core, voting is simply a process where individuals put forth an opinion for or against an individual or topic and these are tallied up.
Obviously, the majority must have felt that these men were suitable deacons in light of the given guidelines of selection. Whether you call it "voting" or not, it is the same result.
Yes, I have seen this and even quoted from this article. Of course, he change his mind later didn't he? Considering what is going on now, maybe he was right the first time!!
Anonymous above got it right on the mark. Armstrong was often (I won't say always) unwilling to accept correction. Arrogance and Pride are human failings. HWA was fully human, fully mortal and subject to mistakes like all the rest of us. I don't hate him for making mistakes and I think it's wrong to throw out all of his teachings just because some of his teachings show us less of God's truth and more of Armstrong's mortality than anything else.
I'm thankful for Armstrong and for the good he was able to do. But I think it's important for the CoG to watch that he not be placed on a pedestal, like the SDA have done with Ellen White. It would be a shame for the CoG to immitate their mistake.
HWA is our history, our past, part of our foundation, but not our only hope for a future.
My favorite part of what Anonymous wrote is this . . .
"The fruit of Jesus' ministry once He died and left was to grow. The fruit of Armstrong's ministry once he died and lost control of the people was split, split, split, ad nauseum."
As long as CoG leaders are living in the past, they are simply continuing to reproduce the cicumstances that lead to continual splitting. God is allowing this splitting to take place. I keep wondering how and why He is allowing His church to develop so much distance between groups. Reminds me of the Tower of Babel and all the people being split up and apart, because together they (we) were up to no good.
Hello again, John.
I have read this letter before and several times–have even quoted some from it in one of my articles on our website.
We know that Jesus inspired it to be written that He is the same yesterday, today and forever!
The Bible is still the only standard for how the COG should be set up and to function, in spite of what some ministers want to do or say. the same applies here. It is a proven fact that HWA did not yet understand about Church government when he wrote that. He later said so himself and did something quite different after AC came to be.
However, many today have confused the corporate structure or organization with what the COG really is, which I think is part of what HWA was trying to address in that letter. Men's ideas about Church government have created many problems in our time today and has to a limited degree aided in the scattering of brethren into different groups, as it was doing back then after the radio COG began and the COG 7th day had split and was sqaubling among themselves.
History does repeat itself–does it not?
You and I disagree on the fact of voting in the COG–as you stated once that you had proven from Scripture of a case of voting in the book of Acts, ch.6. I let this go at the time, as what good does it do to debate something with a person who thinks he has shown proof of his point. However, let me state here as a brother in Christ and with respect to you–you did not prove anything. you simply stated to me how you percieve a few Scriptures that you have not researched thoroughly enough to get the truth.
HWA made this mistake many many times. it does not mean God was not with him and leading by the Spirit–it simply means he overlooked certain things and then misunderstood other passages by relying on human reason and his own understanding–most of which he came to see where he was in error, over time.
I trust you will do the same if you really want to know the truth on this subject. HWA was right about there not being any "voting" for leadership positions in the COG. UCG came along, not wanting anyone to rule over them and so they twisted so very cleverly some passages of Scripture and convinced many that there form of governance was biblically based–which it never was and still is not. the parables of Christ give ample evidence that in the kingdom some will be over others in authority and Christ will be overall. However the collective Bride at its lowest point of authority will be in authority over any human on earth, whether king or national leader–and I think you and I can agree on this. God and Christ are consistant and the way the COG should be governed will apply the same way in the kingdom. no one is going to have a vote to see who sets where and rules over what.
May God bless your efforts in your future studies.
The editor
Like most of Armstrong's writings, he has elements of truth and much of his own "revelations" and conclusions. His own unwillingness to be corrected and stubbornly and pridefully hold to his own revelations, rather than humbly be corrected shows up in his church and followers decades later. They are doing the same thing he did.
The fruit of Jesus' ministry once He died and left was to grow. The fruit of Armstrong's ministry once he died and lost control of the people was split, split, split, ad nauseum.
You'll know them by their fruit – Jesus
@The editor: Thank you for commenting, but I feel I must clarify something. I wasn't trying to prove a formal case of voting where people write names on a piece of paper and put it in a box. However, at its core, voting is simply a process where individuals put forth an opinion for or against an individual or topic and these are tallied up.
Obviously, the majority must have felt that these men were suitable deacons in light of the given guidelines of selection. Whether you call it "voting" or not, it is the same result.
SafeTmanEd says:
Yes, I have seen this and even quoted from this article. Of course, he change his mind later didn't he? Considering what is going on now, maybe he was right the first time!!
Anonymous above got it right on the mark. Armstrong was often (I won't say always) unwilling to accept correction. Arrogance and Pride are human failings. HWA was fully human, fully mortal and subject to mistakes like all the rest of us. I don't hate him for making mistakes and I think it's wrong to throw out all of his teachings just because some of his teachings show us less of God's truth and more of Armstrong's mortality than anything else.
I'm thankful for Armstrong and for the good he was able to do. But I think it's important for the CoG to watch that he not be placed on a pedestal, like the SDA have done with Ellen White. It would be a shame for the CoG to immitate their mistake.
HWA is our history, our past, part of our foundation, but not our only hope for a future.
My favorite part of what Anonymous wrote is this . . .
"The fruit of Jesus' ministry once He died and left was to grow. The fruit of Armstrong's ministry once he died and lost control of the people was split, split, split, ad nauseum."
As long as CoG leaders are living in the past, they are simply continuing to reproduce the cicumstances that lead to continual splitting. God is allowing this splitting to take place. I keep wondering how and why He is allowing His church to develop so much distance between groups. Reminds me of the Tower of Babel and all the people being split up and apart, because together they (we) were up to no good.