Most of us have returned from what can only be described as one of the most successful and inspiring Feasts of Tabernacles. Ironically, we now have a long period ahead of us, before we have the opportunity to celebrate another festival in the Spring of 2008–which is about six months away. I don’t think for a moment, of course, that God made a mistake in allowing for such a long period of time between the Fall and the Spring Festivals. The Feast of Tabernacles is seven days long, followed by the Last Great Day–and so, we have had eight days of sermonettes, split sermons, sermons, fellowship and activities shared by all–and our memory and digestion of these events should last us until the Spring.

Now, consider this: The Feast of Tabernacles is kept for SEVEN days; the Fall Holy Days complete the SEVEN annual Holy Days; SEVEN is the number of completion; and–to stay within that picture–the Feast of Tabernacles is immediately followed by another day, going even “beyond” completion! We must therefore conclude from all these facts that God knows that the spiritual food which we received during the eight days of the last two Fall festivals, and the spiritual food which we will be receiving on a weekly basis during the SEVENTH-Day-Sabbath–is more than sufficient to last us until the annual Spring Holy Days; otherwise, God would have created additional festivals in the middle of that time frame.

We all should be able to appreciate the wonderful opportunities and privilege we have had to come before our God to learn to fear Him, as outlined in Deuteronomy 14:23. This fear is not one of dread and trepidation, but rather one of awe, respect and appreciation for our Great God. God has given us these annual Festivals both to rejoice and to learn to love, respect and obey Him. We have been given sufficient spiritual food to carry us forward to the Spring–and we should take advantage of every opportunity we are given to add to that spiritual food by drinking in the messages prepared for us on the weekly Sabbath. With that frame of mind, we can with anticipation look forward to the Spring when we shall once again begin the cycle of celebrating God’s annual Holy Days–reflecting on the process of the initial aspects of God’s master plan for mankind.

As we discuss in our new member letter in much more detail, we should not get the blues, become depressed, or let down during the following months, but rather use them as opportunities to meditate on and review the messages God has inspired the speakers to bring forth for us, and participate to the best of our ability to accomplish our individual and collective responsibilities as Christians and as members of the Church.

Most of us have appreciated during our travels beautiful natural lakes in various parts of the world, which are a product of the Creator God. We have marveled at the splendor of the color of the water, especially of those glacier lakes, and we have been awed by their beauty and their natural surroundings. Most of us have also seen man-made lakes, which are not so awesome, because they came into existence, perhaps, as a result of the building of dams or other man-made projects. The beaches of those lakes are not as nice, and the bottoms are usually filled with stumps from trees that have been cut off. The fish have been added. All of this shows that we cannot improve on perfection.

The same could be said about the seventh-day Sabbath. The Sabbath was a part of God’s perfect creation, established at the re-creation of the surface of the earth, as well as the creation of man, close to six thousand years ago. Christ said  in Mark 2:27: “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”  The Sabbath is an opportunity to rest from our labors, to worship our Creator,  and to appreciate His creation.

Some have abandoned the Sabbath and replaced it with Sunday, or they have never understood that the Sabbath is the designated day by God Almighty. Sunday is a product of man–not God. It was adopted by the churches of this world as if they could somehow improve on perfection. But they cannot!

The question is, why would we reject perfection and settle for the imperfect? Why would we want to worship our Creator with a man-made product, rather than a God-made product?

Which, do you suppose, is inferior–that which is created by God, or that which was established by man, without the advice of or blessing from God? Which, do you suppose, is superior–that which was created by God or that which was substituted by man?

Here is the real issue: Are we going to follow the traditions of man or the explicit inductions of the Creator God? God made the Sabbath for man–not Sunday. While the Sabbath reflects God’s perfection, Sunday is nothing else but a man-made tradition–a cheap substitute inspired by none other than the god of this world–Satan the devil.

All of us need to answer consistently the following question: Is our worship based on man-made or God-made injunctions? Is it based on God’s perfect law, or on man’s imperfect standards? The choice to do right is ours!

Actually, there are two parts to the following question: Are we, as a Church, Laodiceans, and am I a Laodicean?

You might be familiar with the characterization of some foolish and ignorant people that if one does not belong to their particular organization, one is automatically brushed with the title of  Laodicean and disqualified from belonging to the Philadelphian remnant of God’s Church.  

At one time almost all of us belonged to one big organization–with a few exceptions of some who rebelled and started their own churches. I believe that we belonged at that time to the Philadelphia era of God’s church. I also believe–and so do many others– that since the death of Mr. Armstrong in 1986, we have entered the Laodicean era. The question is, what is it that makes a church or person a Laodicean? What does the Bible tell us about the Laodiceans, as described in Revelation 3:14-22?

Christ’s major criticism–and not the objections by some “would-be-judges” who suffer from elevated self importance–is that the Laodicea Church is lukewarm, while its members feel that they are rich and wealthy and in need of nothing. They show a self-sufficient attitude–whether one applies this physically or spiritually. Christ described them as wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. It is evident that they perceive themselves quite differently than what they really are. Christ’s advice and counsel to them is to buy gold, to obtain white garments, and to anoint their eyes to see the reality of their current disposition. He also states that as many as He loves He chastens, indicating that some corrective action is required  for them to bring them around to ensure that they achieve a spiritual condition which is acceptable by Christ.

We as a church (the Church of the Eternal God in the USA; the Global Church of God in the UK; and the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada) have never claimed to be the only remnant of the Philadelphia Church, but we hope, of course, that we are part of the Philadelphia Church. We have taken the position that there are true Philadelphians in every Church of God group–or at least in most–as well as Laodiceans, and we certainly do not pass judgment on any one group or individual. 

What is the responsibility of the Church and of us, individually? The Church, as a body, is to preach and publish the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world as a witness (compare Matthew 24:14). Individually, we are to support that effort, and we are to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

If you are doing these things, then no one on this earth has any right to tell you that you are Laodicean and not a part of the Philadelphia remnant, only because you do not belong to the particular Church group of his choosing.  The churches of God are scattered right now. Jesus Christ is the living Head of His Church which is not one corporate entity, but one spiritual entity. God the Father and Jesus Christ determine who is a Philadelphian or a Laodicean–or who is not a Christian at all. At this time, we cannot perceive a movement by God  to bring us all together; therefore, there must be a reason for the scattering.  It is not the prerogative of some men  to pass judgment on God’s people or to sit in judgment of other members or groups–the self-righteous approach by some to determine–based on membership in “their” organizations–who is or is not a Philadelphian or a Laodicean, is contemptible in God’s eyes.

If you look at your particular situation and if you can stand before Christ at the judgment and say, “I grew in the Son’s grace and knowledge, even though I was not perfect, and I did my part to further the Gospel message to the world,” then you might very well hear the words of your Master: “Well done, you profitable servant.” On the other hand, those who self-righteously and blindly labeled you a Laodicean, because you did not belong to their group, might be called unprofitable servants and they might be thrown into outer darkness. Only God, who looks on the heart and circumstances in a Christian’s life, can make the right and just determination.

If you fulfill your Christian duties and responsibilities, then the answer to whether or not you are a Philadelphian or a Laodicean is self-evident.

We are admonished by Christ in Matthew 5:14-16, that we–as the light of the world–are to let our light shine. We are not to put our lamp under a basket or stool, as it were, but up on the table, where everyone can see and benefit from it. Light has interesting features. It illuminates, thereby driving out the darkness. It doesn’t make any noise and is therefore not intrusive. It allows us to do things which we could not do, once the sun has set. In order to continue a task, we merely turn on the lamps in the room in which we are working.   

As we have seen, we are supposed to let our light shine. Just exactly what did Christ have in mind when He said that? We have heard of the expression, actions speak louder than words, and–sadly–do as I say, but don’t do as I do. The power of a good example is a force to contend with, and it influences what people think about us. We let our light shine by the way we act. We are to walk in the light. Christ also said that men do their evil deeds under the cover of darkness, and Satan and the demons are associated with darkness. 2 Peter 2:4 tells us: “For… God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment…”  Men, following the lead of Satan and his demons, tend to do their dirty deeds under the cover of darkness.

Walking in the light means walking according to the commands and statutes of God, being in submissive obedience to His laws. We of course could never achieve this goal without the help of God’s Spirit in us, which is guiding us and assisting us to make right and correct choices in our lives. The closer we are to God in utilizing the tools He has described for us–prayer, Bible study, fasting and mediation–the more our light will shine as a powerful witness to this dying world.

Is our light shinning forth as a tribute to ourselves? Not at all! The reason why we must let our light shine is clearly spelled out in Matthew 5:16: “ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The whole purpose is to give glory to God; it is not for the purpose of self aggrandizement. So let us walk in the light, and let us be children of light by our good example–all to the glory of our Great God.

The Holy Scriptures compare God’s Spirit and Spirit beings to the wind (John 3:8). Wind is invisible to the human eye. Yet, one can feel its effect on the human body in the form of a cool breeze, or on the earth in the form of a mighty wind.

In addition, the Bible talks about not quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Here, it is compared to fire, which can be quenched  through various means. So, a person with the Holy Spirit can lose it (Hebrews 10:29; 6:4-6).

God’s Spirit has also been compared to water. We are told that in the future, God’s Spirit will be poured out–like water–upon all flesh (Acts 2:17-18). Isaiah 11:9 states: “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.”

Interestingly enough, water can be manifested in three forms. One is vapor which we cannot see–yet, it is present in the air and measured as relative humidity. The second form is liquid. The human body is, to about ninety percent, composed of liquid, and over seventy percent of the earth is covered with water. The third form is solid, which we know as ice. Water has also interesting qualities: It is the universal solvent–a requirement for physical survival of mankind and the animal and plant world; it seeks its own level regardless of surroundings, and it cannot be compressed; it also expands at each end of its state–frozen or very hot, just before boiling.

Like water, righteous Spirit beings can also manifest themselves in various ways. A righteous Spirit being can be invisible to the human eye; they can be visible to the human eye–yet, still able to go through physical objects like walls or buildings; and they can be manifested in a form which can be touched and felt, as Christ appeared to His followers after His resurrection. 

What is important for us, as God’s people, is to use and maintain God’s Spirit in the manner pleasing to God. We are told to walk in the Spirit; that is, to be a right and correct example to the world. We are also told to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18). Growing in grace is growing in the Spirit. After an orchard has been well watered, it will produce fruit for the owner in abundance. As we grow in the Spirit, we should produce the fruit of the Spirit, as mentioned in Galatians 5:21-22. This is the outward manifestation of the Spirit of God working in our lives.

As we approach Pentecost–the  Festival when the Holy Spirit was made available to the apostles and followers of Christ–let us ensure that we are manifesting the Spirit of God in our lives through the fruit of the Spirit. In doing so, we are witnessing to the world where God’s Spirit is dwelling and working in this present age–that is, in His true servants.

We can then look forward to the future, when God’s Spirit will be made available to all of mankind and when the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested on a worldwide basis–just like a well-watered orchard produces much fruit for the benefit of the owner and the pleasure of those who partake in the eating.

Paul gives us the following admonition in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” We know full well that without “this mind,” we could not reach our future goal of partaking in the resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ. The mind Paul was referring to was none other than the mind of God the Father which was also in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit, which Christ had “without measure.”

This mind enters our minds when one of God’s true ministers lays hands upon us at baptism. We start off as mere “babes in Christ.” As we grow spiritually, we approach the maturity that God expects of us, by “growing  in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

In due time the expansion of the mind of God and of Christ displaces our carnal mind, which is enmity against God. By its very nature, our carnal mind doesn’t want to be told what to do. Romans 8:7 tells us: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” It is impossible for our carnal mind to be subject to God and to even want to obey Him. That is precisely the reason why we should seek to be baptized once God is revealing His truth to us. It is only through proper baptism that we can receive the Godly mind, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, which facilitates spiritual growth until we become more and more Christ-like. We know that this process will be completed at the resurrection. At that time, we will not be able to sin anymore.

Today, we need to concentrate on overcoming sin and developing the mind of Jesus Christ in our lives. As we approach the Passover in less than a month, we should take the opportunity to examine ourselves and put sin out of our lives, so that we will be able to take the Passover in a worthy manner. And as we continue to draw near to God the Father and to Christ, we can be assured that, as a result, “this mind” which was in Christ Jesus, will be truly in us.

In the Ian Fleming novels and later in the movies, the character of James Bond had the designation “007.” This was a license to kill in the branch of the secret service Bond was serving, which was a department of the British Government.

In this day and age we can observe what I have coined “spiritual 007.” It is not a license to kill physically, but rather to commit licentiousness under the guise of grace. After all, so goes the rationale, “God is merciful, and He loves us unconditionally.” “Spiritual 007” is a “license” to commit spiritual suicide and to murder others in a spiritual way through our bad example which they might adopt and follow.

Those who argue that they are free to sin–that they have spiritual license to sin–never seem to ask where our love for God is and how do we prove that love for God. “Spiritual 007” is a departure from what the spirit of the law embraces in regard to keeping the law of God and demonstrating that love for God through obedience. The Bible rejects the thinking: “I can sin all I want because I have God’s Spirit and am now under grace.” The concept and biblical truth of repentance and putting sin out of our life seems to escape this kind of mentality–as if the Holy Spirit somehow falls out of the sky on an individual without that person meeting first the biblical criteria of repentance, baptism and laying on of hands, as outlined in Acts 2:38 and Acts 8:18. The laying on of hands cannot be done by just anyone, but it has to be done by a true minister of God, and without true repentance, baptism is nothing more than a bath. It will produce no spiritual fruit, as outlined in Galatians 5, and which we are commanded by many parables of Christ to bring forth. We are also to grow in grace and knowledge all of our lives, not just during the time frame shortly before or after our repentance and baptism.

“Spiritual 007” is a sad commentary on the conditions of this world and the individuals who parade grace around as some kind of license to sin–by turning from the holy commands of God to follow the traditions and worship practices of men which we are commanded to reject. Paul admonished us: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1, Authorized Version). Christ obeyed His Father, and He told us not to disobey God’s commandments by keeping man’s traditions instead.

We must reject the spiritual  misconception that when we are under grace we have license to do whatever we want. Rather, we should seek God’s ways, especially as we are coming up to the Passover season, which is a time to examine ourselves and recommit and rededicate ourselves in a our sincere desire to obey God and put sin out of our lives.

“Spiritual 007” is a “license” we must avoid at all costs. The only license we should have is the one to obey God, which leads to eternal life–rather than a “license” to sin, which only leads to suffering and eternal death, if not repented of. We are to look to and follow the example of our elder brother, high priest and soon-coming ruler of this earth, Jesus Christ, by not adding or taking away from what we are told in His Word, the Bible.

On the morning of January 16,1986, we received a phone call from our
eldest daughter who was attending Ambassador College in Pasadena,
California, informing us that Mr. Herbert Armstrong had died. For my
wife and me, this news was not unexpected, since Mr. Armstrong had been
ill for quite a while. The entire Church had been praying and fasting
for him, but we had come to the conclusion a week or so earlier that in
spite of our wishes and desires for him to be healed, it may not be
God’s will to do so.

We were saddened, but knew we had to carry
on in our responsibilities to do the work and grow in grace and
knowledge. Others were totally devastated by his death. It did not fit
in with their preconceived speculative scenarios which they were
preaching as doctrine. Some were so fixed in their minds that Mr.
Armstrong was going to be one of the two final witnesses and that he
would finish the work and lead us to the place of safety, that they
fell by the wayside. Others rearranged their new speculations to cope
with the reality of the present situation. However, God had other plans
altogether, and many found it hard to accept that.

After spending
some three and a half years with, being taught by and witnessing the
miracles of Christ, and having heard His admonitions in regard to His
death, the apostle Peter said: “I am going fishing” (John 21:3). Some
of the other apostles said, “We are going with you also” (same verse).
It appears that their mindset was something like, the party is over, it
was fun while it lasted but now I am going back to what I formerly did,
earning a living by fishing.

Our beloved Senior Pastor died
Thursday morning, at 5:15 am. He had been in a coma for a month, and
although we would have liked to see him healed, that was not God’s will
at this time. When Christ was in the garden, just prior to His arrest,
He prayed fervently to the Father, knowing He would suffer greatly, be
beaten, scourged and spit upon. He did not want to go through His
trial, humanly speaking, yet He submitted to the Father’s will and
said, “… not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). God knew
our wishes, desires and hopes in regard to Mr. Pope. And we know that
God was most certainly capable of completely healing Mr. Pope, and we
prayed fervently that He would do so, subject to His will. However, it
was God’s will that Mr. Pope would be taken from the evil to come and
that he be given rest till the time of his resurrection to immortal
life. Therefore, it is not the time for us to go fishing, but rather to
finish the job we have been given to do. We pause but do not stop. We
reflect but keep going. As the saying goes–and I don’t mean this in a
callous or unloving way–“The show must go
on.”

We
have a job to do and a commission to fulfill, and we need God’s power
and mercy to do it. We cannot do it on our own, but it must be done. We
must move forward in spite of trials, tests and obstacles which the
adversary puts in our path. We cannot get into the mindset of going
fishing, but rather, we must be moving forward and submitting to God’s
will. As was stated in Norbert Link’s sermon last Saturday, “Let’s be
about our Father’s business.” We are not to allow ourselves to be
discouraged by circumstances in our lives or in the Church. Instead, we
must look to God the Father and Jesus Christ to see us through
faithfully to the end, and we must be persevering in the relentless
pursuit of perfection.