AND NOW CHRIST SETS CHURCH BACK ON TRACK = DOCTRINALLY!=A0=A0 by Herbert W. Armstrong

= UNTIL about 1969=20 we in God's Church , did all "speak the same thing." By 1978 many = of the=20 ministers were speaking different things' God had withdrawn from = us His=20 blessing and power that for 35 years caused the Work of His Church = to grow=20 at the approximate rate of 30 percent every year over the = preceding=20 year!

What caused = God to=20 withdraw his blessing and power?

= Precisely the=20 same thing that choked the growth of the Church of God at Corinth = from=20 A.D. 56, 25 years after the Church was founded at Jerusalem. They = were=20 following different leaders, speaking different things, watering = down the=20 sacred and precious truths of Christ!

Christ's = apostle wrote=20 to the Corinthian Church, in A.D. 56, "Now I beseech you, = brethren, by the=20 name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, = and that=20 there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined = together=20 in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Corinthians=20 1:10).

They were = starting to=20 follow different leaders teaching different doctrines. The Church = was=20 becoming divided! And a church divided against itself cannot=20 stand!

Once such = division=20 starts among ministers it is a difficult matter to correct. For = most who=20 have gone doctrinally afield will today =97 just as in Corinth in = A.D. 56 =97=20 not be willing to change back from error and watered-down = doctrines to=20 God's truth!

This same = defection was=20 occurring in the church at Rome. And God said through the apostle = Paul,=20 "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and = offence=20 contrary to the doctrine by which ye have learned; and avoid them. = For=20 they by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the = simple"=20 (Romans 16:17-18). Jesus Christ showed me that, as much as it = hurt, the=20 No. I deceiver with watered-down doctrines, in authority, whom I = had to=20 mark and put out of God's Church, was my only living son whom I = loved as=20 only a father can. Other liberals have had to go since. God's = church must=20 be cleaned up! We must all speak the same thing, as God=20 commands!

But HOW? = How does Jesus=20 Christ put His doctrines into His Church? How did He in A.D. 31? = How in=20 A.D. 1933?

Did THE = CHURCH OF GOD,=20 of A.D. 31, believe and proclaim the true doctrines? How did they = come to=20 believe as they believed? Did their doctrines come as a result of = a vote=20 of ministers on the ideas, opinions and convictions of the = ministers in=20 the Church?

HOW must = the true=20 Church of God today receive its doctrinal beliefs? Doesn't every = human=20 individual, by himself, know right from wrong =97 what is truth = and what is=20 error? Is not the ability to know right from wrong acknowledged by = society=20 as the test of sanity or insanity? Does not mankind automatically = know=20 what is truth =97 what is good and right =97 as contrasted from what is wrong, = evil and=20 sin?

God says we = in His=20 Church must all believe and speak the same thing =97 we must be agreed on what = is truth and=20 right and good as opposed to what is evil and sin.

Brethren, = we have not=20 obeyed that command of Jesus Christ! We have not all believed the = same=20 thing! There HAVE BEEN DIVISIONS among us for that very = reason!

We = therefore have been=20 guilty before God of disobeying his explicit command! I said, = "have been".=20 But God's time of trial and test is upon us! God says, through = Daniel,=20 that at "the time of the end, many shall be purified, and made = white, and=20 tried..." (Daniel 12:9-10).

God's = sifting time is=20 upon us! God is allowing those duped by Satan to bring upon us the = greatest time of trial and testing that His Church has undergone = in our=20 lifetime!

When I = pray, as I do=20 many times a day during this supreme trial of the forces of State=20 government of America's most populous state and the forces of the = public=20 press lined up against us, falsely accusing us, picturing us to = the public=20 as if already tried and proved guilty =97 as criminals = =97 =20 I not only petition God to deliver us, but I also THANK GOD = for=20 this trial =20 and =20 test! =20 We =20 are = being=20 strengthened = by it! We are being brought closer to = God and=20 welded closer together than ever before! God, through this trial, = is=20 weeding out from our midst the liberals who did not believe = or "speak the same = thing."

These I = have loved=20 sincerely, even as I have loved my own son!

I wonder, = do we=20 sometimes love even the sin within us that we hate to purge it = out? At=20 least I know how I have so sincerely loved those individuals whom = Christ=20 has been purging out =97 that we may all be united in speaking the = same=20 thing =97 speaking God's truth!

Now HOW may = we obey=20 Christ by all speaking the same thing, when we =97 =20 especially a small portion of the ministers =97 have not = all believed=20 the same thing?

I can tell = you how my=20 son, when he was executive vice president, with a small group of = liberals=20 at headquarters, tried to bring us into harmony. Some of the = ministers did=20 not believe many of the doctrines Christ had put into His Church. = A=20 minority (yet perhaps close to a dozen field ministers) had = liberal=20 leanings =97 did not believe the same things Christ had put into = His Church.=20 So, behind my back =97 unknown to me, while I was in another part = of the=20 world carrying Christ's Gospel message into other nations =97 they = produced=20 what they called a Systematic Theology Project, changing and = watering=20 down =97 making more liberal =97 many doctrines Christ = had put into=20 God's Church.

Why did = they do this?=20 The one who wrote most of it stated to me in writing, "My only = goal in=20 coordinating the project was to bring doctrinal consistency, = stability and=20 unity to the ministry and the Church."

This = reminds me of a=20 saying we used to have on the tennis courts. "The idea was fine, = but the=20 execution was rotten."

These = deluded and=20 misguided "scholars" were in fact ignorant of the central truism; = that the=20 "same thing" we must all speak must be what CHRIST speaks; and for = unity=20 in what He speaks, the doctrines must be put into the church BY Jesus = Christ! Not by=20 compromising, watering down Christ's teachings to satisfy = rebellious=20 liberals. Jesus Christ is the living head of the Church. They = overlooked=20 that!

So it has = become=20 necessary for Christ, the head of the Church, to set God's church = back on=20 the track of God's unity =97 not confusion by trying to satisfy = rebellious=20 men by compromising God's truth!

Now HOW did = God put His=20 doctrines and teachings into His Church in A.D. 31? =97 before = many in the=20 Church turned to another gospel (Galatians 1:6-7)? And how did the = living=20 Christ put God's doctrines and teachings into His Church today =97 = before=20 these "intellectual liberals" began trying to compromise and water = down?

Only by His = chosen=20 apostles.

As I quoted = in the=20 beginning, in I Corinthians 1:10, Christ says we must all speak = the same=20 thing, WHAT "same thing" ? That which comes from the mind of = Christ =97 "Let=20 this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians=20 2:5).

The = Corinthian church=20 was not in harmony. It was divided. WE had gotten out of harmony. = WE were=20 divided! Those who do have the mind of Christ and are surrendered = to the=20 Spirit of God are being used by Jesus Christ in rooting out that = spiritual=20 cancer from God's Church.

Ministers = are being=20 called in for conferences, The first thing we at headquarters are=20 concerned about is their attitude! If the attitude is good, any = doctrinal=20 differences can be straightened out, and we may proceed in peace, = harmony=20 and UNITY in the faith =97 all speaking the same thing that Christ = speaks!=20 If the attitude is resentful, rebellious, bitter, the one having = it is=20 "hooked" on a spiritual drug far worse than physical heroin. I = have warned=20 against this attitude for 49=20 years =97 ever since I began to preach in 1930.

It is only = common sense=20 to realize that if everyone teaches what he, personally, believes, = or if=20 we follow different leaders, each speaking his own thing, we have = only=20 confusion!

Our = teaching and=20 doctrines MUST COME FROM GOD! Through Christ! And through His=20 apostle!

But HOW? = Must some=20 speak what they don't believe? We must believe what Christ says, = to be=20 saved!

Jesus = Christ is the=20 Word of God in person. The Bible is the same Word of God in print! = The=20 very first man to be used in writing down the Word of God as = Christ (in=20 the Old Testament, Yahweh) inspired, was Moses, and he wrote more = words of=20 it than any other. Now did Moses Seek this commission for himself? = No,=20 Moses had been reared a prince in the palace of Egypt's Pharaoh, = and he=20 probably cared little or nothing about being a leader for = God.

But God = called to him=20 in the incident of the burning bush (Exodus 3).

Immediately = Moses=20 protested. "I'm slow of speech," he objected, "I stutter". God was = a bit=20 angry at this. But God said He had provided for that. He had = appointed=20 Moses' brother, Aaron, to be his spokesman. Moses accepted God's = rebuke=20 and became strong and faithful in the Lord.

He believed = what God=20 said!

God has = always, in=20 dealing with humans, worked through ONE MAN at a time =97 one who = believed=20 God! Some in ancient Israel challenged this one-man leadership. = Some,=20 likewise, have challenged it today!

First, = Moses' own=20 brother and sister challenged his one-man leadership. Miriam and = Aaron=20 said. "Hath the Eternal indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not = spoken=20 also by us?" (Numbers 12:2). "And the

Eternal = heard it... And=20 the Eternal came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the = door of=20 the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both = came=20 forth...My servant Moses is not so [as the others] who is faithful = in all=20 mine house...Wherefore then were ye therefore not afraid to speak = against=20 my servant Moses?" (verses 5-8).

"And the = anger of the=20 Eternal was kindled against them" (verse 9). And Miriam was = inflicted with=20 leprosy for a while.

Yet, though = our members=20 and ministers all know this, some are not afraid to speak = contemptuously,=20 in hostility, or defamingly against Christ's apostle today! They = need not=20 fear ME! For I will not turn on them or strike them.

Why then, = do they not=20 fear God? It must be one of two things. Either they do not really=20 comprehend this teaching of the incident about Aaron and Miriam, = or they=20 do not believe that God has chosen me as His apostle and human = leader=20 today. Or, perhaps they think God is not the same yesterday, today = and=20 forever! In any event, this is a matter between them and Jesus=20 Christ.

But there = was an even=20 more significant incident of opposition of Moses' = leadership.

That is the = case of=20 Korah. Dathan, Abiram and On. "And they rose up before Moses, with = certain=20 of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes...famous = in the=20 congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together = against=20 Moses...Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are = holy,=20 every one if them, and the Eternal is among them: wherefore then = lift ye=20 up yourselves above the congregation of the Eternal?" (Numbers=20 16:1-3).

They = accused Moses of=20 appointing himself =97 though there had been ample evidence by the fruits = of Moses'=20 leadership and even miracles God did through him, that they were = without=20 excuse, just as many are today.

What = happened to them?=20 "And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up...They, and = all=20 that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the = earth=20 closed up on them: and they perished from among the congregation" = (verses=20 32-33).

GOD IS ON = HIS THRONE!=20 And He is the same God! He has not changed! Once again, the same = God is=20 going, very soon now, to shake this whole world =97 to produce = astounding=20 miracles =97 and those who take His Work lightly and ought to know = better=20 are going to have to realize that He is the same God = today!

We are in = the trying=20 and sifting time, right now, for God's Church! Notice it, in = Daniel=20 12:9-10:

At "the = time of the end=20 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried: but the wicked = shall do=20 wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise = shall=20 UNDERSTAND" (Daniel 12:9-10).

My children = in Christ,=20 can we not see that we are in that time, now? God is trying us as = never=20 before. He is drawing those of us who both love and fear Him = closer to Him=20 and to each other! He is permitting trials and tests, such as we = never=20 experienced before, to come upon us, so that we will rely on Him = in=20 unshaken faith! But the self-minded among us, even the few in the=20 ministry, do not understand! They do not believe God is the same = today and=20 will act the same =97 in His own time! They do not TREMBLE at His = Word=20 (Isaiah 66:5). But they shall!

God has = always worked=20 through one man, primarily, at a time. God chose David and worked = through=20 him. Two of David's sons, at different times, conspired to wrest = David's=20 throne from him.

At this = point I noticed=20 beside my typewriter a letter I had not seen before from = Queensland,=20 Australia. I paused to read it. I quote a sentence from it that is = apropos=20 to what I have been writing. This member wrote:

"Take = courage, Mr.=20 Armstrong. God took it personally when Miriam spoke against Moses, = and=20 when Israel spoke against Samuel." How significant that this = letter caught=20 my eye at this stage of this article, The letter continues: "No = doubt but=20 that God also takes it personally when they speak (and act) = against you=20 (and His Church)."

In founding = God's=20 Church, Jesus worked primarily through one man, Peter, even though = He=20 originally chose His 12 disciples. Few have ever noticed how Peter = was the=20 real leader, Jesus had told His disciples to go NOT to the = gentiles, but=20 to the "lost sheep of the House of Israel." The "House of Israel" = never=20 refers to the Jews =97 always to the kingdom that became known as = "the lost=20 ten tribes." They were In Western Europe and Britain when Jesus = gave this=20 instruction.

Undoubtedly = it was=20 after Peter and the original apostles had left the Middle East and = traveled to Britain that we read only of Paul and those under=20 him.

Notice now = Peter's=20 preeminence. Few have ever put all these scriptures together as I = shall=20 now do. This shows PETER was leader.

"And Jesus, = walking by=20 the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called PETER, and = Andrew his=20 brother, casting a net into the sea...And he said unto them, = Follow me,=20 and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:18-19). This is the = first=20 mention of calling His disciples. It is significant that PETER is = named=20 first.

Matthew = 10:2: "Now the=20 names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called PETER. = "Notice PETER=20 is called "the first."

Matthew = 16:16-19:=20 "...Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the son of = the=20 living God, And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art = thou, Simon=20 Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but = my Father=20 which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee [PETER], That thou = art Peter,=20 and upon this rock I will build my church...And I will give unto = thee=20 [PETER] the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou = [PETER]=20 shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou = [PETER]=20 shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

In Matthew = 18 Jesus=20 appears to be speaking to the 12 as a group, and in verse 18 the = binding=20 and loosing is again mentioned. The binding and loosing was given = to=20 APOSTLES, but Peter was unquestioned leader of the original 12=20 apostles.

John = 21:15-17:=20 The commission, "Feed My sheep" is three times given to = PETER.

Acts 2:14: = On the Day=20 of Pentecost, it was Peter who gave the first sermon, converting = some=20 3,000. Verse 38, Peter gives the instruction for = baptism.

Acts 3:4, = 12: It was=20 Peter who healed the cripple. And it was PETER who gave the sermon = to the=20 assembled crowd, and God added 2,000 more to the = Church.

Acts 4:8: = It was PETER=20 who spoke boldly to the rulers, after imprisonment, and, verse 19, = said,=20 "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more = than=20 unto God, judge ye."

Acts 5:3, = 15: It was=20 PETER who spoke to Ananias and Sapphira, causing them to drop = dead. Verse=20 15, it was Peter's shadow as he walked by that healed the = sick.

Acts 5:29: = Peter said=20 "We ought to obey God rather than men."

Acts 8: = Peter with John=20 went to Samaria. Verses 18-23: It was PETER who rebuked the first = pope,=20 Simon the Sorcerer.

Acts = 9:32-34: PETER=20 heals Aneas.

Acts = 9:38-41: PETER=20 raises Dorcas from death.

Acts 10:1, = 9: PETER=20 used by Christ to be the first to open salvation to gentiles. = Verses=20 19-24, circumcision not required.

Acts = 11:1-2, 18:=20 Apostles hear from PETER how God had granted repentance to = gentiles and=20 salvation with eternal life.

Acts 15: = Here is the=20 crux chapter, not generally understood. Paul and Barnabas had come = to the=20 church at Antioch. Certain Pharisees had come down from Judea and = taught=20 that "Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye = cannot be=20 saved." Paul and Barnabas have much dissention and disputation = with=20 them.

Now here = was a classic=20 example of how doctrines were put into the Church and doctrinal = disputes=20 settled in the Church!

It was = determined that=20 Paul and Barnabas and certain others go up to Jerusalem for = apostolic=20 settlement through the Holy Spirit.

"And the = apostles and=20 elders came together for to consider of this matter." Now notice, = "there=20 had been much disputing" between the apostles and elders. They = were not of=20 one mind!

How was the = matter=20 settled? By the Holy Spirit, but through whom? "...PETER rose up = and said=20 unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God = made=20 choice among us." Notice, PETER was specially chosen, "that the = Gentiles=20 by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And = God, who=20 knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy = Spirit, even=20 as he did unto = us; And put no=20 difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by=20 faith."

Notice, it = was God=20 leading Peter, as chief apostle. For these gentiles to be required = to be=20 circumcised, would obligate them to become a debtor to do the = whole=20 [ritual] law" (Galatians 5:3). Therefore Peter concluded, "Now = therefore=20 why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, = which=20 neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that = through=20 the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as=20 they."

Peter had = spoken! God=20 had made choice among them, choosing PETER to open salvation to = the=20 gentiles, and, now, to SETTLE, this dispute over what God required = of=20 uncircumcised gentile converts. And that settled the = matter!

Notice, = once Peter had=20 settled the dispute, "Then all the multitude kept silence, and = gave=20 audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders = God had=20 wrought among the Gentiles by them." Paul and Barnabas were not = disputing=20 Peter's decision. They were NOT giving their input to the disputed = question =97 the question had been SETTLED =97 by PETER! Paul and = Barnabas=20 merely gave the ministers gathered there the NEWS of what God had = wrought=20 through their ministry.

Then James = rose. James=20 was pastor of the Jerusalem headquarters church. In today's = language, we=20 would call him chairman of the meeting. He did not make the = decision.=20 PETER had already made it. He merely said, "Simon [PETER] hath=20 declared..." And James merely CONFIRMED Peter's decision, making = it=20 official. That ought to make clear this crucial 15th chapter of = Acts =97 the=20 one classic example of settling any disputed doctrine in the = Church. And,=20 though there were other apostles, God worked primarily through ONE man =97 = PETER! Has God=20 changed? Or is He the SAME still today?

Finally, = notice=20 Galatians 2:7: "But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of = the=20 uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the = circumcision=20 was unto Peter."

The = Jerusalem=20 conference (Acts 15) showed that Peter was predominant over even = Paul,=20 although Paul was the ONE MAN God worked through primarily in the = ministry=20 to gentiles.

The Church = is GOD'S=20 Church. The head of the Church, under God, is Jesus Christ. Under = Christ,=20 on the human level, is His chosen apostle, through whom He has = raised up=20 and built this SPIRITUAL TEMPLE to which the reigning Christ shall = soon=20 come in glory (Ephesians 2:20-21).

Now in = closing, back to=20 the theme of this article. God COMMANDS that we all SPEAK THE SAME = THING!=20 It must be that thing which the mind of Christ speaks =97 and He = speaks only=20 as the Father commanded (John 12:49).

All = doctrines in the=20 Church as it began, A.D. 31, were put in by the = apostles.

All = doctrines in the=20 present Philadelphia era were put into the Church by Jesus Christ = through=20 His chosen apostle.

Now WHY = does Christ use=20 such caution in putting HIS doctrines into God's Church through = His=20 apostle?

LET ME MAKE = THAT POINT=20 CLEAR!

You have = just read a=20 case in point =97 Acts 15. This crucial crux chapter has been=20 misinterpreted, twisted and distorted. I have tried to take space = to MAKE=20 IT CLEAR in this article. The other apostles and ministers were = all in=20 confusion, arguing and disputing. But Christ silenced them by=20 speaking through = His CHOSEN=20 chief apostle. PETER!

Let US=20 UNDERSTAND!

First of = all, in human=20 history. God spoke direct in person to Adam and Eve. They did not = believe=20 what He said!

But God = chose Moses,=20 and God chooses only a man who believes what God says. Moses wrote = more=20 words of the Bible than any person. The prophets were chosen by = God =97 not=20 by themselves =97 and they believed what God inspired and wrote it = for=20 us.

Christ came = and=20 preached to many THOUSANDS. Yet only 120 believed what He said! = And even=20 of the apostles, there was disputing until Christ spoke through = PETER,=20 whom HE chose!

In our day, = God brought=20 about my conversion in a manner UNIQUE in our time. He CONQUERED = me,=20 first, by making me realize 1) that what I had previously believed = was=20 untrue, and 2) that I had to REPENT and BELIEVE =97 that is, turn = from=20 former ways and beliefs, to a different way of life =97 GOD'S WAY = =97 and to=20 BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS! =97 my mind SWEPT CLEAN of all previous=20 beliefs.

When Christ = chose His=20 apostle for this time, he chose one who,

1) does believe what God=20 says,

2) will not compromise or = water down=20 truths and doctrines Christ has given and

3) has an open mind to receive = further=20 truth from Christ, and to be willing to acknowledge error when = PROVED and=20 turn from it! I do TREMBLE at the Word of God! I love it, and I = FEAR to go=20 contrary to it or to mislead you, my brethren and my children in = the=20 Lord!

As long as = this Church=20 believed and spoke THE SAME THING Christ put in it through HIS = apostle, HE=20 BLESSED IT, and it grew 30 percent a year for 35 years. But when = my=20 son

Garner Ted = came to take=20 over more authority than had been delegated to him, surrounding = himself=20 with a group of liberals, who LED him, and misled him into = watering down=20 God's doctrines =97 under their false influence a Laodicean = lukewarmness and=20 indifference, losing the love of God's truth, found root in the = Church.=20 Christ BUILT this Church through HIS chosen apostle! We did, = perhaps=20 imperfectly, but certainty in general, SPEAK THE SAME THING! We = grew in=20 Christ' KNOWLEDGE and truth as well as in size and scope of the=20 Work.

Then my son = fell under=20 the influence of a group of liberals, with whom be surrounded = himself. He=20 began to disagree with Church doctrines more and more! AND GOD = WITHDREW=20 HIS BLESSING!

For 10 = months now, the=20 living Christ has been setting His Church BACK ON THE TRACK! Also = His=20 college. The liberal element MUST GO! Either the liberals must = TURN FROM=20 their liberalism, as defined in my recent article in this edition=20 entitled, "What is a Liberal?", and put IT out of themselves and = the=20 Church, or they must go out with it! I hope the former.

God has = allowed this=20 terrible trial and test to come upon us, with the government of = the state=20 of California trying to take over and manage and operate God's = Church! In=20 defiance of the Constitution of the United States! They do not, = now, and=20 they SHALL NOT, operate, manage or destroy the Church and Work of = the=20 LIVING GOD! His authority is infinitely greater than theirs. = Perhaps, like=20 those who crucified Jesus, they know not what they do (Luke = 23:34). But=20 they are drawing God's Church closer to Him and closer to each = other.=20 Praise God for cleaning up His Church!