Will the REAL Worldwide Church of God Please Stand Up?

In a recent issue of Watchman Expositor, a Protestant, Evangelical newspaper which focuses on "exposing the cults," or those who disagree with mainstream Protestantism, the headline article was "What In the Worldwide Church of God Is Going On?" The authors document the many changes occurring rapid-fire in the Worldwide Church of God, and say to their own astonishment:

Michael A. Snyder, Assistant Director for Public Affairs for the Worldwide Church of God, told Watchman Fellowship that the Church is "reviewing" the teaching of British-Israelism, reworking its teachings on the goal of mankind and "no longer promulgates the statement that man can become 'God as God is God'" and states that "this is impossible for anyone to accomplish for a number of reasons." Says the Expositor:

What particularly irked the writers for the Watchman Expositor was the fact that they had just published a review of Worldwide Church of God doctrine, quoting the November/December 1990 Good News magazine regarding the Church's doctrine on the holy spirit and Trinity, when Michael Snyder wrote to them, saying,

Snyder went on to lament about the problem the Church faces in changing so many booklets and articles, saying, "I hope you can understand the serious logistical challenge we face in updating [???] more than 100 separate titles. That process is underway, but will take some time."

On the other hand, the Expositor felt "abused" and "misused" in a sense, because their February 1991 issue had quoted material from the recent November/December Good News, which had been published just three weeks before their own newspaper went to press! To their consternation and chagrin, they found out from Michael Snyder that even this "fresh" Good News article, just printed, was "officially declared null and void by the Church"!

Yes, one wonders -- WHAT IS really GOING ON in the Worldwide Church of God?

Could Herbert W. Armstrong have been so wrong so often about so many things which he taught for so many years -- so suddenly?

Or is there another explanation for the massive overhaul and unilateral changes being performed with such incredible speed and urgency?

The apostle Paul foretold, "The Spirit clearly says that IN LATER TIMES SOME WILL ABANDON THE FAITH and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (I Tim. 4:1-2). Paul also warned Timothy, "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths" (II Tim. 4:3-4).

The GREAT END-TIME APOSTASY HAS BEGUN, AND GROWN, AND IS NOW PROCEEDING AT FULL WARP SPEED! It is time we WAKE UP to what is really happening all around us, and to the Worldwide Church of God! It's time to SNAP OUT of it!

Oh how I wish I could literally SHAKE some of you -- including some of you dear, old-time, long-time friends! What's the matter with you? Why can't you see the plain truth? How has the Devil besmirched your vision, and clouded your brain, and atrophied your mental capacities?

What's happened to you?

Paul instructed Timothy that such times would come. He warned, "And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowlege of the truth, and that they will COME TO THEIR SENSES and ESCAPE from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will" (II Tim. 2:24-26).

The Worldwide Church of God, and every other apostatizing Church of this era and time, has fallen victim to YEHOVAH God's warning and condemnation in Titus 1:16 -- "They profess that they know God, but in WORKS THEY DENY HIM, being abominable, and DISOBEDIENT, and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1:16).

The apostle John warns us, in plain words that we must "CONTEND for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3). He writes, "But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; SNATCH OTHERS FROM THE FIRE AND SAVE THEM; to others show mercy, mixed with fear -- hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh" (Jude 20-23).

People sometimes ask me, "Why do you write so much about the Worldwide Church of God?" Some reason, "If it is a DEAD Church, then why bother with it? Why not just forget it, and go on about your own business?"

But I cannot remain silent. For thirty years I fellowshipped with people who, like me, believed in the Word and commandments of YEHOVAH God. Our understanding may not have been perfect in every point. We were wrong on some things, as YEHOVAH has shown me. But we were sincere; our hearts were right. We were sincerely serving YEHOVAH God, and going through countless trials and tests, while YEHOVAH built our faith and trust in Him.

But now I see the very Church of YEHOVAH God becoming splintered and split, riven with false doctrines, riddled with NEW doctrinal ERROR, and repudiating the very proven truths that YEHOVAH used to BUILD HIS WORK in these end times, before it began straying off the path!

How can I remain silent? I YEARN for my friends and brothers and sisters in Messiah Yeshua to REPENT! My heart yearns for them to come to their senses, and to admit their lukewarmness and their guilt, before YEHOVAH God, and to EARNESTLY REPENT before it is too late!

Could I remain silent, and uncaring, at such a time? Could I just fold up my tent and steal away quietly, and leave them to their "mess." YEHOVAH God forbid! YEHOVAH GOD FORBID! Rather, as Jeremiah wrote, "His word is in my heart like a FIRE, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" (Jer. 20:9).

Rather, as Micah says, "But as for me, I AM FILLED WITH POWER, WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD, and with justice and with might, to DECLARE to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his SIN" (Micah 3:8). I cannot keep silent about these things. I dare not keep silent. Then YEHOVAH God would hold me responsible for NOT WARNING His people!

Should I simply ignore the antics and perversions of doctrine in the Worldwide Church of God, Church of God, International, and others? Is that the "Christian" thing to do? Some say that I am guilty of "fault-finding" and have a "critical" attitude which is not "Christian."

Is this true? Am I just a "nit picker"? Am I guilty of gossip and "fault-finding"? Shouldn't I just "drop the subject," and let them "live in peace," as it were, and quit discussing the volatile events that are occurring?

Is that all there is to it?

The blood of YEHOVAH's people cries out for vengeance, retribution, justice and vindication, and exoneration. Those who have been bitterly mistreated, misjudged, falsely disfellowshipped, and stripped of their families, their possessions, and now even stripped of the truth of YEHOVAH God, CRY OUT!

YEHOVAH God commands me, "SHOUT IT ALOUD, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a TRUMPET. Declare to my people their REBELLION and to the house of Jacob their sins" (Isa. 58:1).

Those brothers and sisters who are being severely misled and deceived are headed straight for one of the greatest times of suffering this world has ever seen or experienced. Oh how I would like to save some -- as many as possible. Oh how I would like to -- as my wife puts it -- "jerk a knot in their tails!" YEHOVAH God's Word says, "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3). Proverbs says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise" (Prov. 11:30).

No, I won't leave this matter alone, because I desire to SAVE as many people as I possibly can, from the jaws of destruction, from the burning fiery time of trouble, and from the smoldering, simmering Lake of Fire which lies on ahead! How could I possibly "hold back"?