Vanity Projects.

It should now be evident to anyone who understands, even the basic, teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, that the three Ambassador Colleges were nothing more than vanity projects.  For the people who attended them, made no spiritual contributions to the church.

The Students

All that were required to enter Ambassador Colleges was to achieve the matriculation requirements, or be recommended by a hireling minister, without the spirit of discernment. By the time the young men graduated at age 22 to 25, not a single one of them would have been called to repentance. Yet, many were baptised, and some were even selected as ministerial trainees.

It is clear from scripture that no one is called to repentance, or to be a minister until the age of 29 to 30. Note that when John the Baptist and Jesus started preaching, they were around age 29 and 30. John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus. 

The practice of selecting men for the ministry by other men, is a practice that cannot be found anywhere in the bib

On the contrary, the Holy Spirit selects the men to be ordained as ministers. Note the Chosen Vessel's selection and ordination thus: "The Holy Spirit said, separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them"(Acts13:2). And at a later date, Paul reminded the Ephesians elders that they were chosen by the Holy Spirit to feed the flock(Acts 20:28). 

Paul's Speech

Of course, Paul's speech to the Ephesian elders, at Miletus, is one of the greatest speeches even given on earth. It is a speech of divine love for God's elect over whom he had been appointed an Apostle.  He warned that there were hirelings among the flock, in Ephesus, whose plan was to draw away disciples to after them. 

After his speech of love and exhortation, as he was ready to leave the brethren wept sore, and embraced him. No converted person could read this speech, without melting into tears, of thankfulness and joy.

Division

Today, the same evil has afflicted WCG. For since the death of Mr. Armstrong, we have had a host of hirelings drawing away disciples and non disciple after them, for the sake of vanity and money.

The foolish practice of selecting unconverted, young men as ministerial trainees, was pure heresy. That madness, was a sign of the spiritual ignorance that was endemic in WCG.

The Faculty

The men comprising the faculty, whoever they were, didn't used the four gospels or the Epistles of the Apostles, as textbooks, to teach the students, who were carnally minded, theology. For the gospels and the Epistles of the Apostles were sealed documents in WCG. The faculty was just as ignorant as Nicodemus, who Jesus asked: "Are you a master in Israel, and don't know these things?"(John3:10). The faculty were using bible dictionary, bible commentaries and bible manuals, written by carnally minded people to teach the students, who were not converted, theology. That was madness! For God promised thus: "I will give you pastors, according to my heart, that shall feed you with knowledge and understanding"(Jer.3:15). Today, where are those pastors?

To be continued

The New Tetament

The term testament is the same as a will. A will contains the inheritance the testator will leave for his family and friends, after his death. While the testator is alive the will is a sealed document. So the inheritors have no idea what they will actually inherit.

At the Passover service, Jesus blessed the wine and said: "This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 23:20). This event takes us back to the allegory of Galatians Four, and the New Covenant as represented by Sarah, the free woman, and her son, Isaac, who was a figure of Christ at mount Mariah.

A deep mystery is hidden here. For Jesus is the testator, who dies enabling the will to be read. But he is also the inheritor. This recondite mystery takes us back to, "in the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1. Also, the Chosen Vessel reminds us thus: "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory (1Tim.3:16). God was manifest in the flesh, because the Word that was made flesh, is God, and is called, God, and the son of God. This mystery is so deep, it baffles comprehension!

The New Testament

The testament contains the inheritance, that is, the things that God has prepared for those that love him (1 Cor.2:9-10). Therefore, Christians are "hires of God, and joint hires with Christ," to share his inheritance (Rom.8:17). The Apostle Peter also reminds us that we await: "An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Pet.1:4).  Of course, the greatest inheritance is eternal life.

In the epistle to the Hebrews, Paul says, "for this cause, the cause is death, he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, (the first testament refers to Hagar, the bond woman, and her son)  they that are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance (Heb.9:15).

Note the phrase, "They that are called." That phrase takes us back to the doctrine of predestination. For only those that were predestine will be called. The inspired words of the Chosen Vessel are these: "For whom he also did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son...Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: It logically follows, that if you were not predestinated you won't be called.

Yet, this core doctrine was not understood in WCG. WCG used to teach that the doctrine of predestination was invented by Calvin.  They obviously got that heretical teaching from some bible dictionary or reference manual. That ignorance is clear evidence that the Holy Spirit did not dwell in the hireling ministry that presided over WCG.

To be continued.

Were you there?

The people that are from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, that are scattered and peeled, are the most zealous, nominal Christians on the face of the earth. Of course, God foretold that the gentiles, and especially the people from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, would show forth his praises.

He blessed them with great musical abilities, in singing, composing and song writing.  The most poignant song they have written, and perhaps the most poignant song ever written, is entitled: Were You There When They Crucified my Lord?. Every single note in that song drips blood. Also, if you understand the significance of the number 3, you will also understand the phrase, which is repeated three times. "it causes me tremble."

If you can't answer yes, I was there, your life is not worth living. For the words of the Chosen Vessel are these: "I am crucified with Chris: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me...(Gal.2:20): If you were there, Christ will be living in you, and you will be able to echo the words of Chosen Vessel, when says, "From hence forth let no man trouble me; for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal.6:17).

Well, were you there when they crucified my Lord? That is the question!

Put Your Name here.....

Without the gift of the Holy Spirit one cannot understand the spiritual teachings of the bible. That is made very plain by Jesus, when he said: "Howbeit when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13) And that teaching was confirmed by the Chosen Vessel thus: "But as it is written, eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his spirit"(1Cor.2:9-10):

So if you are a temple of God, in whom the spirit of God dwells, you will be able to understand what I have briefly written on the allegory of Galatians four. 

In the last few weeks, my readership has increased by hundreds, but I wonder how many readers understand what I have written?

One's road to Damascus

To have received the gift of the holy spirit, one has to have been met, by God Almighty, on one's road to Damascus. And today, you should be able to call to remembrance that experience. For the inspired words of the Chosen Vessel are these: "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great fight of afflictions;" (Heb.10:32). The third chapter of Lamentations begins with these words: "I am the man (put your name there) that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath."

After explaining the wrath of afflictions God heaped upon him to bring him to repentance, he said: "My soul have them still in remembrance, and is humble in me" (Lam.3:20).

If you can't put your name there, you are not converted and you don't have the Holy Spirit: and you can't understand the bible - however much you may read it. "For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons..."(Heb.12:7).

Please, carefully note the inspired text that follows, for it tells us why so many that were in WCG were bastards, and not sons. They came to the church without chastening and repentance. They couldn't put their names there. Therefore, they were bastards(Heb.12:8). 

The tenth Generation

Also, God inspired Moses to write: "A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord" (Deut.23:2).

The tenth generation is the final generation for entry, for the eleventh generation indicates sin, as it oversteps the law. That is why there were eleven veils in the temple, separating the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies. That meant sinners, that is, the children of the flesh, Hagar the bond woman, were separated from the children of the spirit, represented by Sarah, the free woman, and her son.

Yet, people who were born out of wedlock, that is, bastards, were allowed to attend WCG's services, and some were even baptised. That is an indication of the level of biblical ignorance that existed in WCG.

Sadly, that was primarily true among the ministry. For in my 22 years attending services with WCG, I never met a single minister that was converted.  

Arthur Suckling

The only exception is probably Arthur Suckling. In 1975, when he first invited me to church, he gave a sermon detailing the sufferings he endured in the army or navy, because he wanted to keep the Sabbath. He can put his name there.

I was also baptised by him, (around 2.30 in the afternoon, on 2nd June 1975, in Woking) and in 1980, when I was being stripped naked of garments of pride, and being clothed with humility ( 1Pet.5:5), he was there, by God's mercy, to comfort me. May he find mercy of the Lord in that day.

Also, in 1995, every single minister I met, I asked him, "Did you speak out against the Tkach's heresy?" They all said, no. That is a complete failure to earnestly contend for the faith.

The Temple Details.

 I have written briefly on the allegory of Galatians four, There is much more to be said about Jesus and his wife, the church, which Paul describes as a great mystery (Eph.5:32).  However, God willing, I shall return to that mystery at a later date.

But for the present, I want to focus on a few details of the temple. You may remember that I asked, "who were the four men carrying the tabernacle?" When the tabernacle was finished, consecrated and sanctified, no one was allowed to touch it. To touch it was an immediate death sentence.

We subsequently learned that the true temple, not made with hands, is the Christian body, which is sanctified by the Holy Spirit dwelling in him (1 Pet.1:2). The Christian is therefore inviolate, with special protection. To touch a Christian is a death sentence. So King David was inspired to write: "Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm"(Ps.105:14-15). And the prophet was also inspired to write: "For he that touches you touches the apple of his eye" (Zec.2:8).

When Jesus was on earth, he warned people not to offend God's elect or even to despise them.  For he said: "Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come: but woe to that man by whom the offence comes! (Matt.18:7)  Later, he said: "Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels always do behold the face of my father who is in heaven" (Matt.18:10).

For those who offend God's elect, Jesus added, "It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt.18:6).  If that is better, I shudder to think what could be worst.

However, the four men, that carried the tabernacle represented four angels. For of the angels he says: "Are they not ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation"(Heb.1:14).  The angels also bear us up thus: "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, (as they carried the tabernacle) lest thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Ps.91:11-12), and (Luke 4:11).

The angels that always behold the face of God, are sent to destroy those that despise and persecute God's elect. The command is, "Touch not my anointed!"

The Temple

Moses was admonished of God to make the tabernacle according to the pattern he had seen in the mountain. Later, the children of Israel donated lots of resources for the building of the tabernacle, and God gave Ehud the knowledge and skill to use the materials to build the tabernacle. When it was finished, it was consecrated, and four men, two at the front and two at back carried it by two poles, through four rings; two on either side of the tabernacle.

The details are very significant. For instants, who were the four men that carried it? But more importantly, what was the pattern that Moses saw in the mountain? A pattern of what (Ex.25:40; Acts 7:44; Heb.8:4-5)?

Years later, King David had a burning desire to build a temple for the Lord.  But because he was a man of war, that honour was given to his son, Solomon. But did Solomon, with all the knowledge and wisdom he had, know what was the pattern that Moses saw in the mountain?

The Sanctuary 

The sanctuary, represented in the allegory, by the bond woman, Hagar: it was from there that the first covenant was administered by the Levitical priests. The administration of the 24 courses, introduced by King David, was from the lighting of candles to the offering of sacrifices, for the sanctification of the flesh. Not the conscience (Heb.9:1-2).

The Levitical priests were not allowed into the Holy of Holies. That honour was reserved for the High Priest, on the day of Atonement (Lev16:1-20). Here again, the details are recondite and sublime; and the admonition is, "He that has ears to hear, let him hear what the spirit says unto the churches"(Rev.2:17).

However, a brief summary is, the sanctuary has been destroyed; the Levitical priesthood abolished and the bond woman and her children have been cast out. I appreciate that I haven't explain what was the pattern that Moses saw in the mountain, but I will come to that. Although, it is sad that, as we approach the end of the world, the men who claim to represent God don't understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

The Holy of Holies

The Holy of Holies was located behind the second veil, and it was this veil that was "rent in the midst" just before the death of Jesus (Luke 23:45). The rending of the veil revealed that access to the Holy of Holies was now being made manifest by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Access was not possible while the first tabernacle, that is, the sanctuary was still standing (Heb.9:7-8).

Of course, after Jesus's resurrection, he entered into the Holy of Holies, to offer himself a sacrifice, without spot, for the redemption of God's elect (Heb.9:11-12).

The pattern that Moses saw

The pattern that Moses saw was from inside the Holy of Holies. But what was it? At the Passover, after Jesus cast out those that were selling oxen, sheep and doves, he made a comment that appeared to his audience to be ridiculous. He said: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up(John.2:19). His audience didn't understand what he was saying, but John was inspired to record, "He spoke of the temple of his body."

For the first time in the history of the world, Jesus revealed that the temple was a pattern of God reflected in the duality of the human body, which is the fulfillment of the plan he purposed in himself before the foundation of the world. The plan was, "Come let us make man in our own image, and in our likeness."

At a later date, Paul asked the Corinthians: "Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you"(1 Cor.3:16)? With all the confusion that was in Corinth, some could have honestly said, "We didn't know that." Also, what about the thousands that attended WCG, and are now in GCI, UCG, LCG, COG/Hulme, RCG, PCG, COG/Dave Havir, are they temples of God?

In another passage, Paul shocked by the defilement that was in the church, responded with, "What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own"(1 Cor.6:19)? And again, (2Cor.6: 16).

Yet, despite all the rebukes and admonitions, people are still carnal.  In WCG, we had adultery, fornication, drunkenness and other sins too awful to mention.

The duality of man

The duality of man takes us back to the allegory of Galatians four, where it is written, "Abraham had two sons." God also has two sons, Adam and Jesus, and both of them are portrayed in the temple. Adam in the sanctuary, and Jesus in the Holy of Holies. Adam is an image of God, as all human beings are, who are born according to the flesh. But Jesus is of the spirit, He is "The likeness of his glory, and the express image of his person...(Heb.1;3).

*****

Today, we have an army of men who claim that God has appointed them to preach the gospel. So one would expect these men to know, and be able to explain to their congregations, what was the pattern that Moses saw in the mountain?  Supposed that question was posed to the Chosen Vessel, by a member of the church at Ephesus? Do you think the Chosen Vessel would be blushing with the embarrassment of ignorance?

To be continued

The Folly of Science.

Today, science has been elevated to the status of a religion, where people, included those who call themselves Christians, every morning march up to the temple of the gods to do homage, and listen to their latest empirical assumptions.

Yet, the Chosen Vessel in his Epistle to Timothy, admonished thus: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and opposition of science falsely so called" (1 Tim.6:20). Note the phrase "falsely so called." The term science is derived from the Latin, meaning knowledge.  But God describes it as false knowledge, and warned his people to avoid it. But try telling that to David Hulme, who preaches psychology, and calls it the gospel.

The "vain babblings," are the idiotic, nonsensical theories we hear, ever so often, on anything from climate change to carbon footprints. But Paul warned Timothy that "vain babblings" have the same affect on the mind as cancer on body (2 Tim.2:16-17. The "vain babblings," spiritually, kill people's minds..

Also, in Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians, he says, "The wisdom of this world comes to nothing"(1 Cor.2:6).  And he added, for it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent" (1 Cor.1:19). All the empirical assumptions, conjectures, surmises and speculations spoken and written by the gods of science, who are now dead, have come to nothing. Yet, every morning, the worshippers of science march up to temple of the gods to sing their praises.

Of course, we have several branches of science, but the biological branch is the worst that has ever afflicted the world.  The gods of science, thinking that they can improve nature, invented pesticides, which are sprayed on the land by people in protected suits, for fear of being poisoned. 

The pesticides kill what the gods of science label pests, but these creatures were placed in the soil by God to purify the land. The pesticides poisoned the land, the birds, the animals, the food and our bodies. When we inevitably get sick, we are prescribed legal drugs, with their destructive side effect to hasten our death.

In addition, for 5.5 thousands years, cows were eating green grass, drinking water and producing milk. Then the gods of science said, to get more milk and better beef, cows must be fed bone meal. As a consequence, cows now get sick, and to get them better, a multibillion pound/dollar industry called: veterinary surgery has been developed to poison cows and other livestock with legal drugs. For sick animals never get better. Often, the solution is, kill all of the sick animals to save  those that are not sick.

We even now need pet insurance, to protect our cats and dogs from the poisons of processed foods.

If this madness were scripted in Hollywood, no one would believe it. Yet, it is reality in the evil world in which we live.

When I was boy, growing up in Barbados, our dog ate the scraps that fell from th poor man's table, and not a single cat or dog ever went to a vet.

To be continued