Sadly, no one, not even Mr Armstrong, truly understood the integration, character, or role of the New Testament ministry, which is the ministry of Melchisedec.
This lack of understanding led to men being retained in the ministry, who should have been excommunicated for grave sins, such as adultery, drunkenness and covetousness, which is idolatry. For example, in the early 1970s Garner Ted committed adultery, and after a period of about six months pretending that he had repented, he was reinstated as an evangelist to preach to the world. If Mr Armstrong truly understood the integration, character and role of the ministry, Garner Ted would never have been allowed to continue in the ministry!
For God has promised that none of his faithful ministers would ever be guilty of adultery! But Garner Ted was not the only “minister” or hireling to fall from grace. He was one of the most high profile to fall into the depths of depravity. However, many were guilty of drunkenness, asbuse of power and, of course, greed.
For God has promised that none of his faithful ministers would ever be guilty of adultery! But Garner Ted was not the only “minister” or hireling to fall from grace. He was one of the most high profile to fall into the depths of depravity. However, many were guilty of drunkenness, asbuse of power and, of course, greed.
However, the integration of men into the New Testament ministry of Melchisedec is announced thus: “According as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak”(2 Cor.4:13). Now if the hirelings in UCG, LCG, RCG, PCG, COG/Hulme and all the other divided COGs are true ministers of Christ, as they want sensible people to believe, they would be able explain the meaning of Paul’s inspired quotation from Psalm 116:10 to the respective members of their congregations. But they can’t, even though their life depends on it!
Anyway, God's faithful ministers are integrated into the head of the body, that is why they are commanded to feed the flock with sermons inspired by Christ(2 Cor.3:5). Just as Christ fed his disciples with messages inspired by his father(John 14:10).
Also, the ministers of the NT church are chosen by Christ in accordance with will of God thus: "Who," that is, Christ, "also has made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit...(2 Cor.3:6). An able minister is a person who has the character and ability to educate and care for God's people. That is why the Apostle Paul saw it as his job, "to make all men see what is fellowship of mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"(Eph.3:9 and Col.1:25-27).
Can any sensible person really believe that the hirelings operating in cog-land, burdened by duplicity, coventousness, greed and insatiable desire for power, understand the fellowship of the mystery? Not in a million years!
To be continued…Anyway, God's faithful ministers are integrated into the head of the body, that is why they are commanded to feed the flock with sermons inspired by Christ(2 Cor.3:5). Just as Christ fed his disciples with messages inspired by his father(John 14:10).
Also, the ministers of the NT church are chosen by Christ in accordance with will of God thus: "Who," that is, Christ, "also has made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit...(2 Cor.3:6). An able minister is a person who has the character and ability to educate and care for God's people. That is why the Apostle Paul saw it as his job, "to make all men see what is fellowship of mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"(Eph.3:9 and Col.1:25-27).
Can any sensible person really believe that the hirelings operating in cog-land, burdened by duplicity, coventousness, greed and insatiable desire for power, understand the fellowship of the mystery? Not in a million years!
