GIVING & SHARING NEWSLETTER December,
1993 No. 25
Biblical
Doctrine Revised, Reprinted
Many
Sabbath-keepers do not have a clear idea as to what their church teaches, nor
what the Bible says on vital subjects.
It is important to understand what we believe, and be able to present
our beliefs and practices to others, I Peter 3:15.
Our revised
and updated book, Biblical Doctrine, is more than just a
statement of our particular beliefs. It
is an analysis of what doctrine is, why doctrine is important, and what it
means to hold fast to true doctrines and traditions. We analyze the beliefs of major Sabbath-keeping groups. Doctrinal changes and liberalization
(“watering down” of truth) are dominant in today's Sabbath-keeping
churches. We show what you can do about
this doctrinal decline.
Biblical
Doctrine has 124 pages, and we ask
for a donation to help cover our costs.
If you cannot afford to send a donation, you may have a free copy, one
per family. Order your copy today!
Biblical
Doctrine
Table
of Contents
By
Chapter, With Summary Description
Chapter 1: The
Importance of Doctrine
“Doctrine”
means the sum total of Bible teachings.
It is vital that we know true doctrine to be ready to give an answer of
the hope within us. Doctrinal truth
without love is good for nothing. What
should be our attitude toward doctrinal statements?
Chapter 2:
Outline of True Biblical Doctrine
Chart showing
outline of true Bible doctrine.
Explanation of Life Doctrines, Salvation Doctrines, and “Fellowship”
Doctrines. Alphabetical listing and
explanation of our fundamental beliefs.
Chapter 3:
Doctrines of the Worldwide Church of God
The Twenty
“Fundamentals of Belief” of the Radio Church of God (in 1968 renamed, Worldwide
Church of God). Joseph Hopkins
summarizes Worldwide Church teachings.
Comparison of Worldwide beliefs with Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Mormons, and British-Israelism.
The Systematic Theology Project (STP) of the Worldwide Church of God
liberalized its teachings.
Chapter 4: Book Review:
Mystery of the Ages
Herbert W.
Armstrong’s last book is a systematic theology containing seven “mysteries”
which few understand. Review of his
eighteen essential, basic points of Worldwide Church of God doctrine, which are
a summary of his major teachings.
Chapter 5:
Doctrines of Ex-Worldwide Church Groups
Summary and
review doctrinal beliefs of Garner Ted Armstrong’s Church of God,
International; Biblical Church of God; United Church of God; Raymond C. Cole’s
Church of God, The Eternal; William F. Dankenbring’s Triumph Publishing; Gerald
Flurry’s Philadelphia Church of God; Roderick C. Meredith’s Global Church of
God; and John Ritenbaugh’s Church of the Great God.
Chapter 6:
Doctrines of the Church of God, Seventh Day
The historical
40 doctrinal points of the early Twentieth Century Church of God, Seventh Day,
formulated by A.N. Dugger, along with doctrinal statements of the Denver Group;
Caldwell, Idaho Group; and Salem, West Virginia and Meridian, Idaho groups.
Chapter 7:
Doctrines of Sacred Name Groups
Doctrinal
statements of Jacob O. Meyer’s Assembly of Yahweh, Yahweh’s Assembly in
Messiah, and the House of Yahweh.
Chapter 8:
Doctrines of Seventh Day Adventists
List and
comments on the 27 points of Seventh Day Adventist doctrine.
Chapter 9: What
Does It Mean, “Hold Fast to That Which You Were Taught?”
False “hold
fasters” have changed doctrine. Holding
fast is refusing to give up truth for untruth, eliminating error, and growing
in truth.
Chapter 10: Tradition!
There is a
difference between tradition and doctrine. Tradition is based more on interpretation
and principle rather than a direct “thus saith the Lord.” There are several Old and New Testament
traditions. List of several modern
traditions which we believe are valid.
Chapter 11:
Doctrinal Changes and Liberalization
Doctrinal
change is NOT spiritual growth.
Liberalizing and watering down God's truth is spiritual suicide. There are many doctrinal changes of the
Worldwide Church of God. Liberalism is
evil. You can counter the growing trend
toward liberalism and the throwing away of the Almighty’s truth.
Chapter 12: Consequences
of Our Doctrinal Beliefs
The results,
or consequences, of our doctrinal beliefs, will result in distinct attitudes
and practices. Perfect doctrinal
understanding without love in action is good for nothing!
New
Items on Giving & Sharing Order Blank
Two new items
have been added to the Giving & Sharing Order Blank: The Christian Passover: What Does It Mean? When Should It Be Observed — the 14th or the 15th?, by Fred
R. Coulter; and, Satan’s Ten Most
Believable Lies, by Dave Breese.
Coulter’s book conclusively proves that the Christian Passover is to be
observed on the beginning of the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew
calendar. Breese’s book defines some of
Satan’s false doctrines which have deceived millions, and have even affected
many in the Church.
William
Miller and Adventist History
Although much
maligned for his failed 1844 prophecy of the return of the Messiah, William Miller
was a sincere and dedicated Bible student who was definitely not in it for the
money. A very interesting book covering
Miller and the early Adventists is Midnight and Morning, by Clyde E.
Hewitt. This book is a detailed account
of the Adventist Awakening and the founding of the Advent Christian
denomination, who are Sunday-keeping Adventists. Most people do not know that the majority of the original
Adventists never did keep the Sabbath.
You may order this book from:
Advent Christian General Conference of North America, PO Box 23152,
Charlotte, NC 28212.
New
King James, or King James?
Nelson
publishers has discontinued printing their New King James Version wide
margin Bibles. As past articles
have explained, the KJV and NKJV are the only major translations which use the
Received Text in translating the New Testament. The liberal Protestant backed New International Version (NIV),
and most other modern translations, use the corrupted Alexandria, Egypt, Text. It is no surprise, as we previously
reported, that the Worldwide Church of God now uses the NIV as its main
translation.
Nelson’s New
King James Version is of limited value to serious Bible students, because all
the major Bible study helps are geared to the King James Version (Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance, New Englishman’s Greek Concordance, and New
Englishman’s Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance). We recommend the Oxford Wide Margin King James Version Bible
as your main study Bible. It is hard to
get, but worth the long wait. The
Oxford Wide Margin KJV Bible has plenty of margin space for notes and
references. Stick with the King James!
Most Bibles
and Biblical reference books continue to cost more each year, as inflation
takes its toll. However, one item, the Franklin
Electronic Bible, described in our free article, “Basic Bible Study
Tools,” has undergone a drastic price reduction. The Electronic Bible is the most useful tool
for personal Bible Study, for it combines the full KJV text at your finger
tips, with instant scripture or word combination lookup capability that is
better for finding scriptures than Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. It is easy to use for anyone from 5 to
105. With lightning speed, the
Electronic Bible enables me to turn to Bible verses. Originally priced at $199.95 retail, the new edition Franklin
Electronic Bible now retails at only $99.95.
Our suggested donation is $75.00 (1993 amounts, see recent order blank
for current prices). An added benefit
is that the new edition allows you to adjust the display type size, so you can
read it easier.
An
Excellent Feast
Our family
observed this year’s Feast of Tabernacles in San Antonio, Texas, with the
Church of The Great God. John
Ritenbaugh and several other fine speakers gave inspiring and uplifting
messages. The theme of the Feast
was: preparing the Church for the
Kingdom of God. Now I’ve got to put into
practice what I have learned! Ω