Posted on 04/14/2006 6:32:26 PM PDT by DouglasKC
I've never heard of it. Where did this come from d-fendr?
Good grief, he's your founder. I would think some of his writings, other than the Anglo-Israel ones, are still around your church.
From Christianity Today:
Armstrong vehemently opposed the doctrine of the Trinity. "There is not one God, but two," he wrote. "God the Father, the Possessor of heaven and earth, the Father of Jesus Christ; and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the active Creator of heaven and earth—the One who became Jesus Christ."Does any of this sound familar to you?The WCG belief in a "God Family" has been likened to the Mormon belief that the faithful will one day attain godhood. "Our potential," wrote Armstrong, "is to be born into the God Family, receiving total power! We are to be given jurisdiction over the entire universe!. … We shall impart life to billions and billions of dead planets."
A WCG publication offered further clarification: "At the time of the resurrection we shall be instantaneously changed from mortal into immortal—we shall then be born of God—we shall then be God!"
"God" has a name. A family name so to speak. We don't know what it is exactly. The KJV translates it "LORD". Some pronounce is Yahweh, or Jehovah. The point is that it IS the name of God. It means, in Hebrew, "the self existent", or "the eternal."
In the simplest terms, God and Christ are "one" in the sense that a man and wife become one at marriage. In a perfect marriage there is a man and a woman and they are one in thought, desire, aims and goals, yet two distinct beings. In the biblical model:
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
In other words, the father and the son agree completely. They are in perfect unity, perfect oneness of aims and goal.
This name, Yahweh (or whatever, we don't know) the mighty ones (elohim), is expressed "The Lord God." They are one. If my last name is "Smith" and I'm married, then we are known as "The Smiths". Same with God. Seems simple, but that's why God created man and wife...to not only express the marriage of Christ to church, but to show the relationship of the son and the father.
I was not aware that the SDA's practiced the laying on of hands. I knew that the Mormans do and believe that this gives them Apostolic abilities. Do you also believe that you have the same abilities as those on whom the Apostles laid their hands? If so, which abilites do you possess?
How would this teaching be different than "two gods who are married"?
You know...it just dawned on me. "Gene Scott", a local televangelist here in L.A. (Glendale) since the late seventies ....on T.V. 24/7....used to "preach" on the pyramids and the relationships "he found" throughout the Old Testament. He also expounded on "the Lost Tribes" and their relationship to the Celts. I used to watch him from time to time as he was interesting and actually held a Stanford PHD.
He died recently (6 months ago I heard). I do know that he defended Herbert Armstrong and the "Church of God" quite vehemently against the State of California in regards to something or other. He seemed to be the only "Local" clergy that was willing to take sides in the issue and as I recall he said he was on God's side at the time.....with Herbert Armstrong.
Maybe this is where you are remembering a connection about pyramids? I believe his original affiliation was The Assemblies of God. Please forgive me for butting in.
He's not "my founder". My founder is Jesus Christ. I never belonged to the Worldwide Church of God.
Does any of this sound familar to you?
Nope. I never read that article in Christianity Today. I do believe that we are children of God. The bible states this clearly. I also believe that Jesus Christ is our elder brother. The bible says this. I also believe that when Christ appears, that we will be like him. The bible says this. I believe that God, the father, is my father in heaven. The bible says this too. I also think that we are destined to be a kingdom of priests and to rule with our brother Christ. The bible says this.
Now this can be "spun" in language similar to the article to imply that I think I'm going to be "God", but I don't think I'm going to be God the father, but I am, and you are, going to become a literal child of God, like Christ, our brother and saviour.
I believe, among other places..
"The book of Job shows God talking with Job about the creation. God is saying to Job: "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?" There is the implication here that Job had directed the building of some very great edifice -- such as the great pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Job was righteous and somewhat proud of his accomplishments. God was whittling him down to humility by a comparison of accomplishments."
Did God Create a Devil? by Herbert W. Armstrong
"Some authorities believe that Job was the architect and director of the building of the Great Pyramid-still today the largest building on earth, and prior to the construction of the Woolworth building the tallest. That Job was proud of his righteousness is plain. That he also might have been puffed up over constructing the worlds greatest building clears up much that God says now to him."Pretty wild stuff, huh.
WHY Must Men Suffer?by Herbert W. Armstrong
Um, your church branched off of it.
No problem, Diego.
I've seen Gene quite a few times. Yes, the similarities are there.
I'm not an SDA. The bible commands the laying on of hands in order to impart the holy spirit after baptism:
Act 8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
Act 8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Act 8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Act 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
Act 8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Having God's spirit imparts spiritual gifts which are:
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Everyone who has God's spirit has a different gift and all are equally important.
Hands are also laid on for healing and for ordination as elders or deacons. There are biblical references for these too.
The Bible states that Christians are already "priest and kings." See Rev 1:5-6
My church branched off nothing. My church is the body of Christ, all those who have accepted Christ and have God's spirit. I attend services with "The United Church of God". Corporately, it was formed in 1995. The corporation was formed by many who were formerly attended services with the WorldWide Church of God. However, the organizational structures between the two are totally different.
Isn't the Catholic church a branch of Judaism?
That's true, but we do not yet reign on earth:
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
I agree with then scriptures which you have posted. However, my question to you was, "Which of these gifts do you possess as the result of the laying on of hands?"
Not really, it's speculation and is pretty clearly identified as such. It makes sense in the context of God's response to Job, but I wouldn't hold it as gospel truth.
It's not spun, it's a direct quote. Read the whole thing and see if you don't agree with what the magazine article is correct in its attribution.
Your Awesome Future by Herbert Armstrong
If pressed, I would say that I received the gift of service. It's what I prayed for before becoming religious, the heart to help people. But as Paul said, spiritual gifts are fine, but if we don't have love we might as well be nothing. Develop love of God and others and any spiritual gifts God gives us will manifest.
Read the context of Rev 5:10 beginning with verse 1. The "shall" began when Jesus assended into heaven and went before the throne of God. Did that event transpire upon His return to heaven or is it still future? Yes, we rule today; as Paul says "We are more than conquorers (Rom 8:37)
Please. That's just silly. It was formed by members and directors of the WWCG as a reaction to happenings of the WWCG and your website is full of Armstrong material. To claim no similarity at all is.. well, sorry Doug, silly.
Isn't the Catholic church a branch of Judaism?
"Grafted on "is the way we say it, but, yeah, branching off would be one way to look at it.
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