GERALD FLURRY, THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCH OF GOD AND THE HERBERT W.
ARMSTRONG IDOLATRY
by Keith Hunt
Gerald Flurry has written a book, it is called Malachi's
Message. His statement at the beginning is this:
Quote
In her book "Another Gospel," Ruth Tucker congratulated Joseph W.
Tkach for "the direction" he is headed in the Worldwide Church of
God - away from many of the teachings of the late Herbert W.
Armstrong.
"It's clear that the Worldwide Church of God has changed its
thinking about Herbert W. Armstrong." (From a religious radio
interview on 'Truths That Transform.')"
Vast changes have been made in the Worldwide Church of God since
Herbert W. Armstrong died. Even other religions can clearly see
that the Worldwide Church of God "has changed its thinking about
Herbert W. Armstrong." But is it clear to the members of the
Worldwide Church of God? EVERY ONE OF MR.ARMSTRONG'S MAJOR BOOKS
HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED! Many of his teachings have been altered or
destroyed. What does it all mean? Did you know that many of those
changes were prophesied? Much of what has happened since Mr.
Armstrong's death is revealed in the book of Malachi.
If you will prayerfully study Malachi's Message, you will see
that there are many urgent issues confronting all of God's people
today. Please search the Scriptures as the Bereans did (Acts
17:11), and prove all things (I Thes. 5:21). Then BELIEVE YOUR
BIBLE - NOT MEN!
We have nothing to fear. God's "very elect" CANNOT be deceived
(Matt. 24:24).
A CHRISTIAN IS A PERSON WHO FOLLOWS CHRIST. Would Christ lead His
Church astray - in the wrong direction? No, He would not. If
God's Church goes astray, Christ rebukes it. If they fail to
repent, then He removes the lamp and raises up another Church or
Work. Most of the time this is what He did in past history (Rev.
2 and 3). Christ said, "...I will build my church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt.18:18). So we know
that the Church Christ leads is somewhere on this earth and we,
as Christians, have the responsibility to be in that Church
FOLLOWING CHRIST - not a man, church or any organization. Are you
a true Christian? Do you follow Jesus Christ? This subject is so
terribly important that we don't dare leave it to chance. Our
salvation hangs in the balance!
End quote
Flurry wants you to do as the Bereans did (Acts 17:7.1), and
prove all things (1 Thes.5:21). Then BELIEVE YOUR BIBLE - NOT
MEN!
Well Mr.Flurry, I did that MANY YEARS AGO and found your
"Elijah to come" (HWA MAN) seriously in ERROR on a number of
points. I found him to have turned and adopted the false Roman
Catholic teaching and practice of Church Government. I found him
to have fallen into the heresy of claiming the WCG was or would
be the 144 thousand of the book of Revelation. I found him. and
his organization to have grossly misused the tithes and offerings
of the people. I found him and many of his ministers to have
ruled the people with FEAR and to have abused and incorrectly
applied the doctrine of Church Discipline. I found him to be so
vain and pompous, so "big headed" in the last 15 years of his
life that he had to be careful when going through doors, in the
event he got his head stuck. I found he had in his writings, not
only colored things and given half truths, but at times just out
and out LIED. I had found this man to be often a preacher of one
thing while a doer of another. I found this man of yours
completely unable to get the Church "back on track" because he
himself had steadily wondered off track after his wife died in
1967.
You and the things you write in your book Gerald, are found
WANTING. You are a blind leader of the blind and you will all
fall into the ditch unless you open your eyes to the truth of the
matter and repent of your idolatry.
For the readers of this publication, let me give you some of
the statements of Flurry from his book and my comments concerning
them.
On page 3 we read:
"It is interesting that Herbert W. Armstrong(HWA) had to get
the Work-back on track twice (1974 and 1978)."
How did HWA get the WCG back on track? Was it by marrying a
woman about 40 years younger than he, even when his own son
protested against the idea? Was it by ruling the Church with a
rod of iron and casting out members right and left who would not
be "dumb sheep" and leave their minds at the door? Was it by
teaching the "supremacy of Peter" doctrine and firmly
establishing a pyramid structure of Church government? Was it by
claiming the WCG would go to a place of safety during the coming
tribulation? Was it by changing for the third or fourth time the
ruling on the use of "make-up" for women, now he preached it was
again sin after many years of it not being sin.
On page 7 we read:
"As time goes on, many more members of the Worldwide Church
of God are becoming deeply disturbed by the ......movement
away from what Jesus Christ taught through Herbert
W.Armstrong.... The Sardis era did God's work until it died
spiritually. Then HWA was raised up to start a new era."
Notice how Flurry just gives you these dogmatic statements.
He can do no other because it is a fact that anyone can read for
themselves in the Bible - the name of Herbert W. Armstrong is not
mentioned in God's word. You try to find it. You try to find
anything remotely saying God would in these last days speak
through HWA. Nowhere does Jesus Christ say he would teach us
through HWA. The book of Revelation that contains the Church ERA
chapters, does not mention the name of HWA, it says NOTHING about
HWA starting a new era. The book of Revelation gives NO DATES as
to when a Church era STARTED or ENDED, yet many brainwashed WCG
members think it does. They have heard it(what Flurry says above)
so many times over the years, they think Revelation gives names
and dates when it does not. They say that a lie repeated enough
times will be accepted as truth. Flurry accepts it as truth and
so can not see he has believed a lie. He thinks Christ taught
Herbert Armstrong in some special direct way, and can not see
that what HWA taught was often WRONG and CONTRARY to the
scriptures, especially in the last 10 years of his life.
On page 9 Flurry talks about only following a man as that
man follows Christ. On page ten he says we must always test our
leaders with God's word. He includes himself. Then he sates:
"CHRIST NEVER GOES ASTRAY! A man is not the trunk of the
tree. An organization is not the trunk of the tree. Gad's
word is the trunk of the tree. And what Christ established
through HWA for over 50 years is a big part of the tree
trunk."
He is quite correct in saying Christ NEVER GOES ASTRAY, but
what HWA established over 50 years was often ERROR. I've heard
that HWA in his early years kept Pentecost on Sivas 6th (error)
then later he went to a Monday Pentecost(still error) and only
after other ministers in the 70's got him to see the light of day
did he change to a Sunday Pentecost observance. HWA taught for
decades a teaching about "Divorce and Remarriage" that had MANY
new couples(some with children) coming into the WCG splitting up
because they were told they were really married to their first
wife or husband. HWA was back and forth like a yo-yo on whether
make-up for women was sin or not. He also taught for decades that
the lay members were only to "pray and pay" - no teaching the
word to others, which is contradicted by Acts 8:1-4 for just
starters.
On page 12 we read:
"Mr.Armstrong applied scriptures to individuals like himself
...... most of God's people heard HWA say that he fulfilled
Matthew 17:10-11, Malachi 4:5-6, and other scriptures...."
On page 13 Flurry asks the question "Was HWA 'erroneous' and
'spiritually presumptuous' for assigning scriptures to himself?"
According to God's word HE SURE WAS[! The only example in
the Word where a man assigned scriptures to himself was the son
of man - Jesus - God in the flesh. Even John the baptist who,
according to Jesus Himself, did fulfil the anti-type of the
"Elijah to come" NEVER SAID HE WAS THE ELIJAH TO COME when asked
if he was. John was truly humble as was Moses, not a bit like the
vain talking HWA, that alone should tell you something, but it
has gone right over the head of Gerald Flurry.
He(GF) tells us on page 14 that HWA said he fulfilled the
Elijah role. Friends, that alone tells you that HWA was NOT THE
ELIJAH TO COME because he said he was. The true Elijah yet to
come before the Day of the Lord will be humble just like John the
Baptist was and Moses before him. Two of the greatest men who
ever lived after Jesus. They were in vision with Christ on the
mount of transfiguration. Two of the very greatest but also two
of the most humblest of all men. So will be the Elijah to come -
humble - he will not declare he is the Elijah of end time
prophecy. Any man that does will prove by so doing he is a false
Elijah, just an inflated wind bag, ready to burst and disappear
in the vast expanse of heaven.
On page 15 GF(Gerald Flurry) writes:
"The big issue in this subject is this: Christ said an
endtime Elijah would come and restore all things.
"Elijah"(HWA) did come. NOW IF WE DENY THAT, WE ARE CALLING
CHRIST A LIAR!..... CHRIST SAYS WE MUST APPLY A PERSONALITY
TO Matthew 17!"
I do not call Christ a liar - no way. Jesus knew what He was
talking about. He knew the prophecy of Malachi, and that Elijah
was to come before the Day of the Lord, just before that last
year of this age. He said that John the baptist - a literal
PERSON did fulfil that prophecy, yet an Elijah that would restore
all things would come. The anti-type, John was a person, there is
no need to NOT THINK that the Elijah to come that Malachi spoke
of will not also be a literal PERSON. I fully believe it, but
that Elijah person was most definitely NOT HWA. We have already
seen one reason why HWA could not have been the Elijah to come.
There are others.
The Baptist, who was a type, lived and preach RIGHT UP TO
THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS. He did not fulfil the prophecy 50
years earlier and then die a number of years before the Messiah
came on the scene, he preached and prepared the way for the
Messiah, he lived into the time of the Messiah, he prepared a
people to receive the coming of the Messiah. So it will be with
the Elijah to come before the Day of the Lord.
Notice, Malachi says the Elijah is to come before the Day of
the Lord. The inference is, not that long before the day of the
Lord so a people can be prepared lest the Lord come and smite the
earth with a curse or destruction. If this Elijah was to came
sooner Malachi could have been inspired to have said something
like "shall come before the time of trouble such as never was
since there was a nation" - see Daniel 12:1; Jer.30:7.
Still another reason why HWA was not this Elijah to come.
Part of the work of Elijah will be to turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the
fathers. HWA for decades broke up families through his false
understanding of the doctrine of divorce and re-marriage. His
daughters had very little to do with him probably because of his
incestuous relationship with one of them. And in the last number
of years of his life he even refused to talk to his only living
son. HWA had a very dismal record for turning his heart to his
own children. Hardly a contender for the Elijah role, why James
Dobson of "Focus on the Family" fame would be a more viable
candidate for the role of Elijah, in the "family" respect.
Finally, HWA did not "restore all things" by any stretch of
the imagination(but Flurry's imagination is very stretchable) but
if anything during his last years he DESTROYED many truths and
perverted others. His false teaching of Church GOVERNMENT is
still with us via the WCG and others. The Elijah to come still
needs to come and RESTORE ALL THINGS - there is much yet that
needs restoring!
GF (Gerald Flurry) says on page 18:
"Mr.Armstrong clearly was doing the work of John the Baptist
and thereafter applied these scriptures to himself. That
work began at the end of the Church's second 19-year cycle."
Here the reader is hit between the eyes with the dogmatic 19
years cycle doctrine of the WCG under HWA. His own son Ted tried
to get him(HWA) to abandon the idea of two 19 year cycles for
"the work" up to the beginning of the great tribulation, but to
no avail, till 1972 was history and we were as before, no
fireworks, no tribulation, then the 19 years cycles were quietly
dropped by most.
I have discovered that most groups that end up as a cult get
some wild peculiar doctrine that is either nowhere supported by
the scriptures or is an interpretation of some obscure verse that
could be understood in various ways.
We find this on page 21:
SHORTLY BEFORE HE DIED, HE SAID HE HAD UNDERSTOOD
MORE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS LIFE THAN IN ALL THE
PREVIOUS OF HIS LONG DECADES.
This must have been one of those moments when he may have
been, as his son has said, INSANE! Of course he may have come to
understand how easy it was to depart from the truths of God and
take tens of thousands with him into deception.
Page 22 we read:
"Read HWA's own words when he introduced Mystery of the Ages
to God's people in a letter dated September 23,1985
(emphasis mine).
Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ: Since last
December I have been working diligently on the LARGEST AND
MOST IMPORTANT BOOK IN MY LIFE ....... I CANDIDLY FEEL IT
MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK SINCE THE BIBLE."
Here you see a little or should I say BIG insight into HWA's
vain proudness as he thought his book was perhaps the most
important book since the Bible. All the thousands and millions of
books that have been written since the Bible and this boastful
Elijah thought his was maybe the greatest.
Today his book has been relegated to the dust can by those
he put in charge of the WCG. How true the inspired proverb: Pride
goeth before a fall.
This is on page 24:
"Mr.Armstrong instructed the ministers to insist that every
baptismal candidate read Mystery of the Ages."
Reminds me of other cultic groups that have their "other
books" along with the Bible to read to be a full fledged member
in good standing and attain that special spiritual standing that
is not obtainable with just the Bible.
Concerning the Autobiography of HWA, Vo1.I Flurry has this
to say on pages 26,27.
"This is the story of how God prepared the end-time
Elijah. It is a big part of the history of our modern-day
'John the Baptist' .... It's not just history of HWA. This
is VITAL HISTORY of the BEGINNING AND GROWTH of the
Philadelphia era of God's Church."
Why has the leadership of the WCG DISCONTINUED the
publication of this volume? One of the reasons is because from
the files and records of the Church of God, Seventh Day, the
organization that HWA was a minister with for many years, can be
shown how HWA fabricated, told half truths and out and out lies
about his early years in the ministry and the start of his own
work.
For the last sentence above from Flurry's comments on page
27, no Biblical scriptures are given, nor can there ever be -
there are none.
GF is a good student of HWA as we learn from page 31:
"THE MINISTERS WHO REFUSE TO HEAR Malachi's Message are
under a curse! (Mal.2:2)...... The WCG ministry would have
an opportunity to "hear" - accept or reject the message.
This is that message. You are holding it in your hands! It
is a prophecy being fulfilled this very minute!"
I've heard that talk before, from Flurry's mentor - HWA. It
would seem the vanity from the teacher has rubbed off onto the
student.
I will be as dogmatic as GF - the interpretation he has for
the book of Malachi is ALL WET, SOAKED TO THE BONE, AND A FAIRY
TALE FROM A CULTIC MIND SET.
Malachi never saw the CHURCH in vision, he lived about 500
years before the NT Church started. The very first words give you
the PLAIN TRUTH as to whom this prophetic message is sent: THE
BURDEN OF THE WORD OF THE LORD TO ISRAEL BY MALACHI. This book is
a message to the whole 13 tribes of Israel and not some small
little sect founded by a small little man that most of Israel has
never heard of nor cares about.
WHO ARE THE 144,000?
GF shows by quoting on page 43 from the Ambassador College
Correspondence Course of 1966, lesson 8, that the teaching of the
WCG back then was that the 144,000 of Revelation would be some of
the modern-day descendants of ancient Israel who will have gone
into captivity and heeded God's warning message while in
captivity. And this is still the truth of the matter. There is no
need for any interpretation, the Bible itself tells you plainly
WHO the 144,000 ARE. They are 12,000 from each TRIBE OF Israel
except Dan. Read it for yourself in Rev.7.
But with that clear word of God, what does GF immediately
do? He immediately says, "The 144,000 could be only one of THREE
POSSIBLE GROUPS: the great multitude, the Philadelphians, or the
Laodiceans."(page 43).
Now I find that incredible! The 144,000 are said to be
Israelites, from the tribes of Israel - Rev.7:4. The GREAT
MULTITUDE is said to be from all nations, kindreds, and people,
and tongues. What could be simpler to understand, no theological
degree needed here. The 144,000 could not and are not the same as
the great multitude. The 144,000 are not "out of" the great
multitude, they are APART FROM the great multitude - two separate
groups of people, yet Flurry in contradiction to what the WCG
taught in the 60's under HWA, claims they could be the great
multitude.
On page 44 after some fancy foot work with the scriptures he
ends up by saying, "The Laodiceans did NOT come out of the
Tribulation because every indication is that they all DIED IN the
Tribulation (Rev.6:9-11; 12:11-12). These MARTYRS and the 144,000
are both in the Tribulation because they are the SAME
GROUP."(emphasis his and mine).
It is very true that there is yet to come a great MARTYRDOM
of true Christians during the time period known as the "great
tribulation" which may last for about 2 and 1/2 years - the first
2 and 1/2 years of the last 3 and 1/2 years before Jesus returns
to earth. These will die during the Tribulation and Flurry is
correct on that point. But he is way off track when he claims
(page 45) that these dead saints are the 144,000 of God's people
who die and are sealed during the 2 and 1/2 year tribulation -
that they are one and the same group of people.
THEY ARE NOT THE SAME PEOPLE!
The saints who die in the Tribulation are mentioned in
Rev.6:9-11 and this takes place before the SIXTH SEAL and the
heavenly signs of Rev.6:12. They will die and do not live again
until the resurrection(verse 11 and chapter 19:6-9). After the
Tribulation and Heavenly Signs and just as the great day of the
wrath of God is about to commence(the 7th seal - Rev.8:1) is the
sealing of the 144,000. They are not sealed(with God's Holy
Spirit - see Eph.1:13 for a Bible definition) until "AFTER THESE
THINGS" (chap.7:1) - after the 5th and 6th seals are opened -
after the TRIBULATION and Heavenly Signs. These 144,000 are not
sealed DURING the Tribulation of 2 and 1/2 years. They do not
receive their salvation through the Tribulation experience and
death as Flurry insists. They are STILL ALIVE at the time of the
day of God's wrath and are to be protected from it(all the
destruction to come) by receiving God's Spirit as begotten
children. These 144,000 have survived the captivity and slavery
by the enemies of Israel(all 12 tribes) and have come to see the
truth of God, maybe through the work of the "Elijah to come"
before the Day of the Lord - his public preaching to the peoples
of Israel while they were in captivity, and are now sealed as the
servants of God and protected from the pain and death to come on
the world during the last year of this age, or the prophetic DAY
OF THE LORD.
All indications from the Scriptures are that these 144;000
NEVER SEE any physical death but live through to the return of
Christ and are a part of the FIRST resurrection.
These 144,000 are a separate group of people from the tribes
of Israel. Separate from the great multitude, and separate from
any so called "Philadelphian" or "Laodicean" Christians. They are
not one of the former three but one by themselves - as God's word
tells us - 144,000 of the tribes of Israel.
On page 46 Flurry says:
"THOSE WHO ARE LOYAL TO CHRIST AND WHAT HE TAUGHT THROUGH
HWA ARE CALLED PHILADELPHIANS. Those who are NOT loyal to
those teachings ARE CALLED LAODICEANS."
I challenge ANYONE who believes this deceptive dribble to
give me the chapter and verse that proves such a statement as the
one above to be correct.
The Bible NOWHERE says the Philadelphians are given that
name because they are loyal to a human man and his teachings.
Jesus says to these Philadelphians that they have "kept MY WORD,
and has not denied MY NAME .... kept the word of MY PATIENCE ....
"(Rev.3:8,10). Nothing but nothing is said about them being loyal
to the teachings of a man!
By the same token, nothing is said about those who do not
follow HWA and his teachings being called Laodicean - it is just
NOT THERE!!
This kind of talk by GF is from his own WILD imagination and
idolatry with Herbert Armstrong.
Also on page 46 we read:
"God demonstrated for many years through Christ and HWA how
His GOVERNMENT works. Then He removed HWA to see if we would
individually follow Christ's GOVERNMENT without this
spiritually strong, physical leader. It is a carefully
planned test for God's people."
Flurry goes on to say all this can be shown in the book of
Malachi. Let me add - GF's interpretation of Malachi - I do not
see the name of HWA mentioned in Malachi, do you? The word of God
does not endorse any such idea that God was showing us for years
HIS GOVERNMENT through HWA, nor that He took away HWA to see if
we would follow Christ's Government without HWA. All this is
again the wild speculative mind of Flurry at work.
It is the continuation of the same SCARE tactics used so
effectively by HWA to hold his "dumb sheep" loyal to him, only
this time HWA's prime student is continuing the diatribe.
The Church GOVERNMENT that HWA established can EASILY be
shown from the NT to be anything but God's. Many(including HWA's
own son) have proved in article after article that the WCG
Government under HWA was NOT scriptural. See my in-depth studies
on this Website on "Church Government."
Concerning the "open door" policy by the present WCG, Flurry
says, p.49:
"The doors of the WCG are being opened to the world .....
This is yet another drastic departure from what HWA taught
us. He said people should be about 6 months before baptism
when they are invited to attend services."
Where did HWA get this teaching? Was it out of the Bible?
See if you can find such a teaching in God's word. See if you can
find any clear verse that teaches God's Church is to be a secret
"closed convent" type of Church, where only the "initiated" are
to meet. The early apostles and followers of Jesus were so open,
so bold, so powerful, so on fire for proclaiming the truths of
God, it is said they "turned the world upside down." Jesus said
"let your light SHINE." He taught His disciples NOT to put it
under a bushel or table but ON THE TABLE so it can give light to
the whole rooms .
Jesus said that anyone who would be ASHAMED of Him, He would
be ashamed of when He returned.
If HWA had opened up the Church doors to all who wanted to
enter(as most upfront Churches do), if he had allowed the members
to preach Jesus in personal evangelism, then the 50 years or so
that the WCG has been in existence would have netted many 100's
of thousands in membership, perhaps MILLIONS, just as the SDA
church has done in their 140 year teaching and preaching.
Aaahhh, but to do that HWA would have had to step down as "chief
cook and bottle washer" - he would have had to adopted a Church
Government structure similar to the one that the SDA or Church of
God, Seventh Day, has been cunning on for decades. But HWA had to
be in control. By establishing a Church that was not open to the
public, where only "baptized" members were allowed or those very
close to baptism and personally invited after being "okayed" by
the minister, then he could easily control and SQUASH any
imagined "rebellion" against his rulership and dictates. In many
ways HWA was similar to the infamous HITLER who was able to rule
with an iron fist, all under him knowing their jobs were on the
line if the masses did not continue to support the "inspiring,
strong, leader" that would lead them to victory and glory over
their enemies(in HWA's case it was victory of the world and
Satan, a place of safety from the Tribulation, and a place in the
temple of God).
HWA's policy of a closed Church door(only open to the
selected ones) was a POWER TRIP, pure and simple, a way to
CONTROL!
He may not have started out in the beginning with that in
mind with his closed door policy, but it SURE ENDED WITH IT!
Those that study and are experts on what makes a cult a
cult, say without question that CONTROL is a major factor. There
are many things a person can do to gain control, but one of them
is keep the uninitiated OUT in the first place and CAST OUT
immediately those who would "question" the leader or leaders,
this insures that the inner circle is LOYAL.
And Flurry would like that policy to continue, I'm sure it
does in his church, where he's IN CHARGE like his master before
him.
On page 56 Gerald F. writes:
"Mr.Armstrong STARTED AND FINISHED AN ERA that "restored all
things." HE STARTED IT AND FINISHED IT BEFORE he died ....
His hands laid the foundation and his hands FINISHED THE
HOUSE - the Philadelphia era.
Again no scriptural proof to back up such dogmatic
statements. He can not give you any for THERE IS NONE! The
"restoring all things" era through HWA is a LAUGH if it wasn't so
serious. HWA restored the Roman Catholic Church to the WCG
through his teaching of Church Government and the "supremacy of
Peter" idea. HWA restored FEAR and POWER through his
un-scriptural disfellowshipping practices(if the reader wants the
truth on that doctrine they should study my study of it on this
Website). HWA restored SIN to the use of make-up for women(see my
study on that topic and see the error of HWA).
We shall see shortly a number of other so called
"restoration" that were ANYTHING BUT restoring things.
On pages 56,57 GF gives an excerpt from a letter to the
Church by HWA, the date was March 19,1981. The emphasis belongs
to HWA. I give only a part from page 57 of Flurry's book.
"Did God raise up a one-man LEADERSHIP to be used by Him in
building this spiritual TEMPLE and in proclaiming after
1,900 years the true GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD in ALL THE
WORLD to even go to kings and heads of nations(Rev.10:11) -
in bringing the Church back to the FAITH ONCE DELIVERED(Jude
3)? HAS THIS HAPPENED, IN YOUR DAYS, AND HAS GOD BROUGHT YOU
INTO THIS PROPHETIC FULFILMENT AS A PART of IT?
HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE IT?"
First you will notice the outstanding HUMBLENESS (tongue in
cheek of course) of HWA. Then I take his claims one at a time.
Was it God who raised up a ONE-MAN LEADERSHIP or was it perhaps -
Satan? There are NO SCRIPTURES to prove HWA was raised up to be a
one man authoritarian leader over God's people. The NT proves God
used MANY men and apostles to guide and pastor His flock. What
HWA did from about 1967 until his death in 1986 was, build an
abusive, powerful mind control over people by two means -
dangling a golden apple(place of safety/eternal life) before
their eyes, while putting a knife to their back(fear of loosing
salvation if they left the WCG and being cut off from family and
friends by being disfellowshipped if found asking too many
question).
HWA claimed to have "restored" the true Gospel after 1,900
years. What he fails to tell his readers is that HE HIMSELF was
taught the Gospel by the Church of God, Seventh Day. He was one
of their ministers for longer than he tells you about in his
autobiography. The CG7D was preaching the true Gospel of the
Kingdom of God even before HWA was born. They are still doing it,
preaching that you do not go to heaven at death but sleep in the
dust of the earth until the resurrection, when Jesus will return
in power, His feet standing on the mount of Olives. At that time
the Kingdom of God will be established on THE EARTH for a 1,000
years, after which will come the NEW heavens and NEW earth where
God the Father will dwell with all His children. What HWA
preached about the Kingdom of God was NOT NEW, why even the
BRITISH ISRAEL ASSOCIATION were preaching that basic trunk of the
tree doctrine long before HWA, and so were a lot of other Sabbath
and Sunday observing groups around the world.
It was the height of exaggeration if not lies, for HWA to
ever claim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God had been lost for
1,900 years or that it was not being preached around the world.
The many branches of the CG7D have tens of thousands of members
around the world who are busy and were busy in HWA's day with
preaching the true Gospel.
HWA claimed he went to kings and heads of nations, and that
is true. But did he preach Christ to them? Did he tell them to
REPENT from their sins and accept Jesus as their personal Savior?
Did he preach so powerfully to them God's truths that he became
HATED by these kings and heads of nations? NO HE DID NOT!! I was
a part of the WCG during some of the years when HWA went before
heads of nations, and he became THEIR FRIEND! He was WELL SPOKEN
ABOUT by them. Now look at what Jesus said to His disciples in
Luke 6:26 - WOE unto you if this ever happened!
I well remember HWA taking his expensive gifts to these
heads of nations, gifts that came from the tithes and offerings
of God's people, and they were never asked if we wanted our
tithes used that way, then again when you set up a system that
teaches all tithes should be sent in to a Headquarters(which is
another false doctrine that can not be upheld by the NT) then
corruption is just a matter of time.
The minister that ordained me to the ministry of Jesus
Christ in 1982 was with the WCG until 1979, he well remembers the
days of HWA's preaching to the heads of nations. Here are his
words about that part of HWA's ministry: "Years ago they(WCG)
were preaching the Word of God. But, when HWA began his world
trips in 1967, he began to leave out the name of Jesus Christ in
his message. In its place he began preaching the theory of 'give
verses get.' Leaving out the name of Jesus Christ was in reality
the beginning of the decline of the WCG. How can you preach the
Gospel without the name of Jesus Christ - WHO IS THE GOSPEL!
Under the advise of his personal counsellor, Stanley R. Rader,
the publications began to be more 'secular' and less Biblical. In
his message, HWA replaced the Biblical message of the visible
return of Jesus Christ, in power and glory to establish the
Kingdom of God, with a so-called message of peace coming to the
world through 'an unseen hand.'" (from a letter sent to me June
the 14th 1993, emphasis his).
I have already commented on HWA's claim to have brought the
Church back to the "faith once delivered" so I will say no more
at this time.
HWA said in his letter of March 19, 1981 "HAS ANYONE ELSE
DONE IT?" My answer: No, from 1967 to 1986 not one person did it
like you Herbert, you BLEW IT WELL AND TRULY!!
Gerald F.says on page 59:
"When he died, the PHILADELPHIA ERA WAS COMPLETE .... No
more needs to be added to the house. ALL WE NEED TO DO IS
WALK IN HWA's FOOTSTEPS .... We just need to maintain the
'house.'"
Can you believe it! Yes GF really did write that in his
book. Of course, like so many of his flamboyant and pretentious
statements, there is not one scripture to endorse his dogmatism.
To the contrary - the NT is against such an idea of just hang on
to the talent, hide it in the ground, sit on it and wait for
Jesus' return. One verse that blows Flurry's hypothesis to a
million pieces is a verse he knows well, inspired by God and
written by Peter "BUT GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND
SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST...."(2 Pet.3:18). That verse is not limited,
nothing is said that you can "do away" with this instruction
after some man claims another man ended a so-called "Philadelphia
Church Era."
Any group who say all truth is "now accounted for and in the
bank" - any group who claim their knowledge of "theology" is
complete or has been completed by some special prophet they had,
is going to find themselves not only up the stream without a
paddle but up the stream and heading for Niagra Falls not only
without a boat and paddle but also no life jacket.
The SDA Church has basically done this very thing - claimed
their theology is complete, after all they had God's specially
inspired PROPHETESS - Ellen G. White, to tie it all up in a nice
neat package for them. They are guilty also of idolatry, basing
their teachings on the writings and visions and interpretations
of the scriptures on E.G.White. She is a mill stone around their
neck but the leaders of the SDA Church can not seem to cast it
off.
Flurry and his Philadelphia Church of God is not going to
learn from history and others mistakes, so he is destined to
repeat the error.
Now get a full eye shot of Flurry's idolatry, from pages
60-64:
"HWA was a type of Zerubbabel. He believed it and said so
himself, MANY TIMES!.... It wasn't the work of HWA
- IT WAS THE WORK OF CHRIST! These scorners fail to see
God's Spirit (Zech.4:6) in CHRIST'S WORK,which was
accomplished through HWA. It's God's Spirit and God's
GOVERNMENT they reject] .... HWA restored all things .....
he finished the house and then he died. But he didn't die
until he FINISHED THE HOUSE .... Several major prophecies
are telling us that our salvation has everything to do with
FOLLOWING CHRIST'S INSTRUCTIONS THROUGH HWA......
(Phil.4:9). God is giving us the same instructions today.
WHAT YOU 'HAVE BOTH LEARNED AND RECEIVED, AND HEARD, AND
SEEN IN ME' - or HWA - 'DO' I.... FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL
AND HWA!....
I am lost for words - but I need not say anything, what you
have just read speaks one word - IDOLATRY!!
Listen to this bit of ego from the file of GF, page 124:
"Those who fail to rally around HWA and his God-family
instructions won't be in God's Kingdom! The fact that HWA is
dead makes no difference!"
This kind of dribble mouthing reminds me of those fellows
who wrote the same kind of buffoonism about Ellen G. White and
Joseph Smith of the SDA and Mormon Churches.
TRUE GOSPEL ENDS WITH HWA?
On page 133 we read:
"..(Rev. 3:7-8). This is referring to the Philadelphia era
headed by HWA. There was an "open door" and the Gospel was
preached around the world(Matt.24:14)."
Gerald F. has to tell you that Rev.3:7-8 refers to the life
of HWA because on your own reading the uninitiated would NEVER
KNOW. The word "Philadelphia" means brotherly love, yet thousands
of members of the WCG will assert that during the last 20 years
that HWA ruled there was LITTLE "brotherly love" in the WCG. Some
of the stories of how people were treated and CAST OUT would take
a whole book - a horror book. I have heard some of these stories
first hand from ministers and lay members alike, they are truly
disgusting and shameful, and Flurry wants us to believe that this
was the Church of brotherly love. He must be living in a world of
his own where evil is good and good is evil.
We have already seen what kind of Gospel was preached by HWA
to the world and its leaders - not the Gospel Jesus preached that
is for sure.
The ninth chapter of the book opens this way:
"Mr.Armstrong's last instructions to Mr.Tkach were,'I have
reached world leaders (Rev.10:11), your job is to get the
Church ready.' HWA also told an evangelist a couple of days
before he died that 'the Gospel has been preached.'.... SO
THE GOSPEL COMMISSION TO THE WORLD WAS FINISHED WHEN HWA
DIED.
We see here the words of men, one man - the master of self
pride and egoism, followed by the words of his dutiful student. I
guess HWA was correct, he did get to world leaders alright, but
not with the plain truth of God's pure word about what they and
their nations faced if there was not deep repentance and a
turning to the true Eternal God with all their heart and mind and
soul. I guess he was correct in saying "the Gospel has been
preach" for many before him had done so, and he himself at one
time, before the death of his wife, had preached the true Gospel.
But Flurry's claim that the Gospel commission to the world
was finished when HWA died, is based not on the words of the
Bible but the wanderings of a deluded cultic mind set that has
fallen into the Satanic trap of "trusting in man" which THE WORD
tells us not to do - see that for yourself in Ps.146:3.
GOD'S MAJOR WORK TODAY - WHAT FLURRY SAYS IT IS
In reading the NT, what would YOU say is the commission and
major work of Christ's Church? In reading the PROPHETS of old,
what would YOU say is the major work for God's people today?
Notice what Jesus told his disciples to do: "Go you into all the
world and preach the GOSPEL to every creature." (Mark 16:15). Oh,
Flurry might say that was for only the 11 apostles(verse 14).
Well now, turn to Matthew 28:19,20 - the same instruction is
given but also notice especially verse 20. They were to teach
others "all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am
with you always, even to the end of the world (age)." What Jesus
commanded those 11 in going to the world with the GOSPEL (Mark)
and TEACHING (Mat.) was to be passed on to others - a constant
continuation, and Jesus would be with His servants - ministers -
followers - right to the end of the age - a clear indication that
there was no time limit imposed on this commission - this was the
commission of the Church to the end of the age. Jesus did not
say, "This commission of preaching the gospel I give you until
the Elijah to come, has come, then you can sit on your hands and
just hold on, or preach some other message you determine is
appropriate."
Even at the very last minute, just very shortly before
Jesus' feet touch the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the Gospel is
going to still be preached to the world by an angel - see
Revelation 14. Notice the Gospel is called "the EVERLASTING
Gospel" - it is certainly going to be preached till the end of
the 1,000 years and the human harvest is gathered into the
Kingdom of God.
Then notice a very important prophetic message Jesus gave.
It is found in Matthew 10:23 " ....you shall NOT HAVE gone OVER
the CITIES of ISRAEL TILL THE SON OF MAN COME." How clear, the
truths of God, the Gospel, the prophetic messages to the nations
and towns of Israel(that Flurry will agree is the British
Commonwealth, USA, and nations of North Western Europe) will NOT
HAVE ended before Jesus returns. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
(verse 6,7) will still need to be preached to the cities of
Israel right up to the time of Christ's return, even then we (the
Church of God) still will not have "gone over the cities of
Israel, till the Son of man be come."
The message for us, the Church of God, is just as clear in
the prophets, it is all summed up by Isaiah, "CRY ALOUD, spare
not, lift up your voice like a TRUMPET. and SHOW my people their
TRANSGRESSIONS, and the house of Jacob their SINS." (Isa.58:1).
As Flurry KNOWS the message of the prophet EZEKIEL never got
to the peoples of Israel, Judah, and the other nations he
prophesied against, it is a message for TODAY like no other book
of the prophets.
NOW WHAT DOES GF SAY IS THE MAJOR WORK OF GOD TODAY? Here
it is friends, again with no scriptures to back it up, only his
dogmatic egotism in BOLD letters:
"GOD'S MAJOR WORK TODAY IS GETTING THIS MESSAGE
OF MALACHI TO HIS PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM READY
TO GO TO A PLACE OF SAFETY AND INTO GOD'S KINGDOM (Luke
21:36)."
That fanatical, crazed, bizarre, fanciful, harebrained,
screwball and rash statement is found on page 139 of GF's book.
THE BOOK OF MALACHI, ACCORDING TO FLURRY
On pages 143 and 144 we find these words:
"The whole Malachi story revolves around an end-time Elijah
- HWA....The book of Malachi is primarily about the Church
from the time of HWA's death to 'the great and dreadful day
of the Lord' THERE SIMPLY IS NO OTHER EXPLANATION FOR THIS
END-TIME BOOK - if we are led by God's Holy spirit......
Well Mr.Flurry the Spirit of God leads me to see and BELIEVE
what is plainly written in the very FIRST VERSE - "The burden of
the word of the Lord to ISRAEL by Malachi." Now that needs no
fancy interpretation, it means what it says and says what it
means(I think that was one of your masters favorite saying over
the air waves). Here's another, "Don't believe me unless you can
see it in your Bible" and you have just read from your Bible to
WHOM THE MESSAGE OF MALACHI IS SENT, and it is NOT to the CHURCH,
but to ISRAEL (all 13 tribes, chap.2:11). Also note chapter 3 and
verse 6.
The Herbert W. Armstrong before 1967 would definitely NOT
AGREE with YOUR interpretation of Malachi, but would have, like
he did with all other prophetic massages to Israel, BELIEVED
MALACHI WAS SPEAKING TO ISRAEL NOT THE CHURCH, JUST AS GOD
HIMSELF SAYS. AND THAT IS THE PLAIN TRUTH AND YOU KNOW IT!!
AN ARGUMENT FROM THE WORDS OF GAMALIEL
Many have and are still using the words of Gamaliel in Acts
5 to prove their work - if it continues - is blessed and comes
from God. Flurry follows the deceitfulness of this reasoning.
First, the book of Acts makes it VERY CLEAR that the work
under the apostles was THE work of God. The Holy Spirit had come
upon them in no uncertain way for all to see. Great and mighty
MIRACLES were being performed by MANY in the Church of God. Read
again the first 5 chapters of Acts and mark all the places where
God was doing MIGHTY miracles through the disciples, miracles
that have NEVER BEEN DONE IN GOD'S CHURCH IN THIS CENTURY BY
ANYONE. Did HWA or anyone of the ministers of the WCG ever take
the hand of anyone and say "In the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth rise up and walk" as Peter did in Acts 3 and verse 6.
Has anyone in God's Church in this era ever sentenced another to
DEATH for lying to the Holy Spirit, and have them DROP DEAD ON
THE SPOT, as Peter did in Acts 5:7. Has any minister in God's
Church in the last 60 years ever spoken in TRUE TONGUES as the
early apostles did? Has the Holy Spirit ever SHAKEN a building
where God's people were praying as in Acts 4:23-31?
Sure, there has been healing miracles in God's Church over
the last 60 years but not quite like those in the early chapters
of Acts.
God made it very plain that the NT apostolic Church was the
WORK OF THE LORD, no question about it, so Gamaliel was very wise
in his advise to the Jewish council.
Today however, God gives NO SUCH POWERFUL SIGNS AND WONDERS
for us to be assured that a certain work is "from the Lord."
Today we must use the scriptures to determine who is from God and
preaching His truths, we must be like the Bereans of Acts 17 -
searching the scriptures daily to see if what is preached is
according to THE word. We must do as Isaiah 8:20 tells us. We
must go to the Word of God and if they speak not according to IT,
then no light is in them, and if there is no light there must be
only darkness.
Flurry says(page 151):
"If the PCG Work today is a human effort, it will come to
nothing. But if God is behind it, no man can stop it....
THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCH OF GOD ARE GOING
TO BE SUPPORTING GOD."
Is the MORMON CHURCH, of God, or is it the work of MEN? Is
the group called JEHOVAH WITNESSES, of God, or is it a human
effort? Is the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE Church the working of God or
men? Is the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH from God, or is it the efforts
of humans?
All organizations that come in the "name of the Lord" ARE
NOT FROM GOD. Jesus clearly said that "many will come in my name,
saying I am the Christ(admitting Jesus is the Christ) but shall
DECEIVE MANY."
Not all the human efforts of men in the name of the
Christian religion COME TO NOUGHT!! Many are very successful in
gaining members, prestige and fame, the RC Church is one example.
The continuation and growth of Flurry's PCG MEANS ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING in proving one way or another if it "be of God or not."
GERALD FLURRY'S TEACHING WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE AND FOUND TO BE
IDOLATRY
Some of the last words of Flurry in his book are: BELIEVE
YOUR BIBLE - NOT MEN! I say a BIG "amen" to that, and because I
have read the words of Flurry's book and because I have searched
the Scriptures I can tell you with all conclusiveness, with all
assurance, with all incontrovertible, and other large or small
words that mean the same - Gerald Flurry is not only committing
IDOLATRY in his teaching of Herbert Armstrong, but he is one of
the many "false prophets" that Jesus said would come and DECEIVE
many before His return.
It makes no difference that he and his followers keep the
Sabbath, feast days, shun the pagan holidays, tithe three tithes,
only eat clean foods, preach the resurrection and Kingdom of God.
SO DID THE PHARISEES in Jesus' day, yet they were condemned by
Christ for making up their OWN RELIGION AND INTERPRETATIONS OF
GOD'S WORD! And this is what Flurry has done - made a religion of
Herbert Armstrong and his words and writings.
Flurry and his book is full(running over) of EGOTISM. To
quote another HERBERT - Herbert SHOFIELD: "Egotism is the
anesthetic which nature gives us to deaden the pain of being a
fool."
My plain truth evaluation of Flurry: A BLIND LEADER OF THE
BLIND. And you know what Jesus said about them - they all fall
into the ditch!!
If anyone reading this is IN the PCG Church, my advice to
you is:
GET YOUR COAT, GET YOUR BIBLE, GET OUT AND RUN AS FAR AND AS FAST
AS YOU CAN AWAY FROM WHAT IS ANOTHER CULT!
................
Written 1994
