Text for Menu-Driven Bible Study 9 September 2016  See Menu     MP3     Menu-Driven Bible Study Homepage

Topics Discussed:

Item 68 - How are Churches Scattered? ---What can I do? [at the beginning of the audio]
Item 17 - Can a Firstfruit Ever Leave an Organization? [begins at 21:36 of the audio]
Item 70 - Are You a Member of a Splinter Group? [begins at 37:49 of the audio]
Item 79 - Preparing for the Great Tribulation [begins at 54:29 of the audio]
Item 41 - Luke 15 - Parable of the Lost Sheep [begins at XX of the audio]
 

---e-mails from people lamenting the splintering of the churches

---The Bible is clear that the brethren will be scattered

---The question is HOW does it happen?   --It is a process.

---If you are to endure unto the end (Matthew 24:13), you will need to become an expert at recognizing this process

---It most often begins from within the congregation—Menu 10

 Why it Happens
-- Member moves away from the Spirit

--- is influenced by base and negative human emotions. 

---They trade the elements of the Salvation Process for envy, jealousy, hate, greed and deceit. 
---They exchange the simplicity of the gospel for politics, and lust for preeminence, power and position. 

---They sacrifice the clarity of the Word of God for the darkness of self-deception. 
---They trade unction of the Holy Spirit for confusion and being carried away with every wind of false doctrine.

---All are indications the member is falling away. 

---It happens to members, to deacons and even to ministers. 
---Member does not see it happening—thinks he is righteous

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. -- Romans 1:21-22

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. -- Proverbs 26:12

For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.  Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. -- Isaiah 47:10-11

 ---move away from the righteousness --become vain in their imaginations.  Their hearts become darkened. 
---They are conceited.  God says a fool has a better hope. 
 

----How it Happens
----I am going to share a list of how it begins.
----Each incident will have its own elements and circumstances.
 

---Some of these things are not negative or wrong, in and of themselves, but may be significant in combination with others on the list. 
---I will be using the pronoun “he” as I read the list.

See list:
 

The individual in question…

1] begins to seek a preeminence in the congregation.

2] makes himself indispensable by taking on increasing numbers of duties in the church.

3] puts on a great show of sincerity and spirituality by expounding syrupy platitudes using phrases or verses from the Bible.

4] engages in various modes of self-promotion.
5] seeks ordination to the ministry and/or a speaking credential.

6] purposely seeks to aggrandize himself with the ministry, the area coordinator and/or individuals at headquarters.

7] puts himself in a position to write papers, offer opinions, conduct private Bible studies or speak before the congregation.  Papers and sermons or sermonettes seem self-serving, critical of others, and/or focusing on biblical twigs or an abundance of non-Salvation subjects.  This person is a master of the slick argument.

8] becomes ecumenical by promoting other church organizations, their ministers or their booklets, tapes and web sites.

9] [as minister or credentialed speaker], invites himself to speak before other congregations in the church organization rather than being invited.

10] speaks before congregations in other church organizations.

11] enters into criticism of the local minister, area coordinator and/or headquarters.

12] shows disdain for certain individuals, guidelines, procedures or others aspects of church administration [local or national].
13] demonstrates the carnal emotions of envy, jealously and/or hate regarding others in the church, especially among the ministry and leadership.

14] presents himself as an authority in spiritual matters in a self-aggrandizing or conceited manner.

15] involves himself heavily in church politics.

16] uses various means to seek or gather a following.

17] seeks to create a mailing list and/or database of members.

18] seems to be engaged in social, political or administrative manipulation of others and/or situations within the church.

19] will decline to admit that he has EVER sinned a sin in this lifetime.  Rather acknowledges sin only in general statements, such as “we all sin” or “we all are as dirty rags.”

20] is seemingly obsessed with biblical twigs or has an over-emphasis in prophecy, with him as the all-knowing authority.

21] in all manner of conduct and conversation, leaves God out of the equation.  Rather than all glory going to God, he seems to have the light of glory shine on himself.

22] develops close friendships with ministers of other organizations, especially those that have splintered from this church.

23] suddenly moves to incorporate the local church in what appears to be an attitude of separation from headquarters and/or the area coordinator.

24] engages in overt justification for every action taken or statement made.   He continually speaks to his sincerity and even love.

25] becomes secretive and/or full of intrigue.

26] demonstrates bad theology in increasing amounts.
27] takes steps to insure that other church ministers do not visit to speak or conduct Bible studies.

28] refuses to play sermons by Garner Ted Armstrong or make any of his booklets or tapes available locally.

29] limits exposure of the local congregation to reports, messages and sermon or Bible study materials from headquarters.

30] seeks to control all local funds and/or property of the local church, either by legal ownership or physical possession at his home. 

31] seeks local control using money or promises or enticements of money and/or position or power.

32] becomes like a Pharisee by codification of spiritual law or instructing members where they are to direct their money, tithes, offerings and/or property.   
33] engages in lying, telling one person one thing and someone else something different.
34] engages in turning one brother against another and/or smiting his brother in the church (Matthew 24:49)

35] speaks against or is critical of doctrine, constitution, teachings, booklets, Bible studies, sermons or guidelines of the church.
 
What Will Happen to These People?
Here is where I want to go back to Isaiah 47 and verses 10 and 11:

For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.  Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. -- Isaiah 47:10-11

Isaiah’s 46^th and 47^th chapters deal with the fall of Babylon, yet the principles brought out in the text apply to the subject before us….the fall of the church member who invokes the splintering process in his local church.  Notice the commentary…

Babylon represents the man-centered culture of the unregenerate world: living for carnal pleasures and lusts, abjuring responsibility towards a God of justice, and even - with the self-confidence of megalomania - denying God's existence altogether. The only fitting judgment for these moral and intellectual degenerates was sudden and appalling destruction.

---Like Babylon, the unrighteous member fails to recognize divine righteousness in God’s Work. 
---They suppose by their own might they are lords over the congregation. 
---These individuals are self-centered, caught up in their own carnal pleasures, lusts and envying. 

---What the scripture says about the judgment of Babylon is exactly what will befall anyone attempting to destroy a church of God. 

---They will experience sudden and appalling destruction, unless they repent before falling away completely.

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. –1 Corinthians 3:18-19
 

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? --1 Corinthians 6:9a

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. -- Romans 1:18

And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. -- Matthew 25:30

What Can I Do?

1] Remain immersed in the Word of God.  This will keep you from being deceived.

2] Stayed focused on your own Salvation Process and the elements thereof.

3] Pray for God’s protection of the church and its members from these types of individuals.

4] Quietly notify your area coordinator and/or headquarters of your concerns when any individual seems to be developing an increasing number of the listed elements above.  At the same time, keep your concerns to yourself, spreading no discord while the situation is looked at by the area coordinator or headquarters.

5] Endure unto the end.  Be diligent.  Be fervent.

6] Give all glory to God.
 

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. --2 Timothy 2:19 [see Lesson]

If so, how, for what reasons?

Note:  I offer this only as a discussion.  You must provide the final answer.

---Among the highest and overriding of spiritual elements – Godly Calling.
---Nothing begins for the individual until that calling.
 
---God is in absolute control of everything.
---Nothing happens but by His word and decree.
---He created the earth.  He invented ecosystems.  He made man.

---He invented marriage.  He designed sex.
---He is the author of the Body of Christ…the church…the Salvation Process.
 
---His requirements are simple and straightforward.
---Once called, we are soldiers and slaves.
---We give up free choice [except to obey or not].  TOTAL OBEDIENCE!!
 
 ---He is the creator of all true church organizations.
---He calls the people to fill those organizations.
---He calls the ministers, teachers, and helpers and bestows all gifts.

---He gives the knowledge, power and wisdom as the church carries out the commissions.
 
James 4:13-15 even states that God decides the city in which we dwell and what we do for a living by His own will.

With these facts in mind, for what reasons could a firstfruit leave a church?

I see only two:    1] your death   2] apostasy of the church  [rare third case]

---can one leave because of personality conflicts or not liking the minister?
---can one leave to begin a separate following?
---can a person leave to pursue differing doctrines?
 
 Is hate, jealously or envy legitimate reasons for leaving the true church of God?
---The Spirit of God that is in me tells me no, one cannot for these reasons.
---These kind of behaviors are not tolerated my puny mankind. 
---Would this be tolerated in the NFL?  At Boeing?  In the US Army?

***Man demands absolute loyalty in all three of these examples. 
***Why would you not think that God would differently than these?
 
---Does floating from church to church sound like a Godly calling?
---Examples:  The 7-church floater.   The 1-year in each church floater.

---If the ICG is a true church of God, who made that church? 
---Does the ICG have members who attend only the ICG?  How did they get there?  ---Does the ICG have ministers?  Who ordained them? 

 Let us talk percentages for a moment.  Is a Godly Calling a 50-50 relationship?
---Do the humans call the shots 30 or 40% of the time?

No, God’s will trumps man’s will 100% of the time.
---What power does the soldier have over his commanding officer?
---What power does the slave have over the Master?

The Bible is full of examples of God’s will prevailing over that of the human.
---Did Abraham remain in Ur?
---Did Jonah succeed in running away from his calling?
---We even read of Paul and Timothy wanting to go to Asia one time and the town of Bithynia another time but were forbidden by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16).

 Where is the righteous example that would justify other reasons for leaving a Church of God other than the two I have stated?
 
 You make the call.

 ---Had e-mail.  Referred to us as splinter group

What is a splinter group?  Is the ICG a splinter group? 

--Our first clue is fact “splinter group” is a man-made term.  ---It has been applied & now misapplied by Body of Christ. 
---Let us begin by looking at the definition of the term.

Splinter Group: A group, such as a religious sect or political faction that has broken away from a parent group. 
---The key phrase here is “broken away”. 
---This phrase denotes a group, that of its own choice and volition, leaves an organization to begin another one. 
---Is this what happened with the ICG and the CGI before it?  Absolutely not. 

---The Church of God, International (CGI), in obedience to God, left the Worldwide Church of God as it went apostasy.
---Garner Ted Armstrong and those with him did not “break away” by personal choice with declared reasoning and/or justification. 

---They simply obeyed God to flee the apostasy. 

---Decades later, the CGI, itself went into apostasy.   

---Rather than fighting the injustice, Mr. Armstrong obeyed God and quietly left the apostasy. 

Take a look at the meaning of the word “splinter”

Splinter: To crack or split into two or more fragments by means of or as a result of force, a blow, or strain: break, fracture, rift, rive, shatter, shiver, smash, sunder.
---Are these the words God would want applied to the Church of God? 
---When God points out the apostasy to His firstfruits, who is receiving the blow, the fracture and the shattering? 
---Who is being torn asunder? 

---Clearly it is the church succumbing to the apostasy and those staying in it. 

---Those coming out of the apostasy continue as before, preaching the gospel and feeding the flock in the ways of the Salvation Process. 
---Nothing has changed other than geographical location and the prefix or suffix they put to the name, “Church of God.”

--In menu item 17, I ask the question, “Can a Firstfruit Leave a Church Organization?  Other than one rare exception, there are only two justified reasons I see for leaving a Church of God:
1) apostasy of that organization   2) the death of the firstfruit.

So what of all these groups that sprung from other groups that sprung from still other groups?  [I explained 19 groups]

--Are they [the 19^th group] justified before God? 
--Are the 18 groups they sprung from all apostate?
---Are all 19 justified and true churches of God
---How does that work, spiritually

---Truth: groups borne out of envy, hate, lust, greed, jealously.
---Guy breaking away wants to be the leader.
---He wants to preach his idea babies and foreign doctrines

---He often has to demonize the group he is leaving.
---See Menu Item 68—How churches are Scattered.

---Story of the “covered up” Notebook piece.
---Does that sound like the work of a true servant of God?

 ---I can tell you right now, under the authority of Jesus Christ, that God would never establish a true Church of God on a foundation of hate, envy, lust and greed. 
---Such is not the work of God, but of Satan. 

---Satan is the one causing the splits and fragments in the church. 
---He is the one producing the force, the blow and strain. 
---He is the author of the lies, hate and envy that result in the rifts, shattering and the tearing asunder of some local congregations. 
---THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF A “SPLINTER GROUP”

Notice what your Bible says about this situation:

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. –2 Thessalonians 2:3

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. –1 Timothy 4:12 [see Lesson]

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. –2 Timothy 4:3-4 [see Lessons]

---All these scriptures were inspired by God through Paul, the foremost expert on apostasy and splinter groups. 

---Who is being described in these scriptures? 

---When they depart the faith, they follow doctrines of devils, speaking lies, having only a form of godliness, heaping to themselves [false] teachers and ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

---In other words, they are forming church groups.  These groups are splinter groups and by definition are not true churches of God.
 

What should a firstfruit do in physical preparation for the Great Tribulation?  Should firstfruits be storing food and water?  How much?  What is the difference between stewardship and hoarding?  What role does faith play?

I often receive e-mail asking for procedures and recommendations for preparing for the Great Tribulation.  Most of the questions focus on laying in a supply of food and water.  I have contemplated this issue for some time. 

My conclusion is there is absolutely no physical thing one can do to prepare for the Great Tribulation.  I have many reasons for this belief.  I will offer these reasons in the form of questions:
 
 1] How does one procure and store and protect 3.5 years of food for a family of four [the national average]?
 2] If you are compelled to flee, how could you take the food with you?
 3] How does one prepare for war and our country being invaded?
 4] How does one prepare for massive nuclear attack?
 5] How does one prepare for types of pestilence such as the world has never seen?
 6] How does one prepare for massive earthquakes?
 7] How does one prepare for the seven last plagues?
 
I have no opposition to someone storing food and water as a normal exercise in stewardship and being prepared for natural disasters and other unforeseen circumstances.  The Great Tribulation, however, is not a natural disaster or unforeseen event.  It is three-and-one-half-years of war, famine, pestilence, earthquakes and destruction such as has never been seen in the history of mankind.
 
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. –Matthew 24:21
 
How does one prepare for an event such as this?  How does one prepare for pestilence, famine, earthquakes and atomic bombs all at the same time?  The Great Tribulation will be a time of absolute faith in God for each and every day that passes.  He will provide the food, the water and the protection we need according to His will.  At the same time, certain of us will be selected for special service, that of being a martyr for Jesus Christ.  God will provide for them too.  Notice what God says to these martyrs:
 
But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. –Matthew 10:19-22
 
If there is no preparation needed for the martyr, why should there be some for the one that endures the three-and-one-half years of tribulation?
 
But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. –Matthew 10:23-24
 
 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. –Matthew 6:31-33
 
We have one biblical mandate for the Great Tribulation and that is to endure in the Salvation Process and to keep our eyes and heart on the Kingdom of God.  We do this and God will take care of the physical.

This is an often misused and misapplied scripture. 
Who are the lost sheep?
 
Are they people who left the ICG? 
Can ministers and members be likened to the shepherd?

Some have used this parable (from Luke 15 and Matthew 18) to justifying a program whereby the congregation and/or ministry goes after a member who has stopped attending or has left the church all together in an attempt to bring him or her back to the fold.  This is wrong on at least two counts.

1) In the parable of the Lost Sheep, Christ is the shepherd. 
--- He gave this parable to explain and justify His being seen with sinners. 

--- This is not a parable that instructs the congregation to go after members who have left the ICG. 

--- Nowhere do you see a sheep going after the lost sheep.

2) Neither the ministry nor the members of the congregation have any power to convince, convert or save anyone in or out of the church. 

We have no biblical direction to go after those who are falling away or were not converted in the first place.

---End of Text---
 

Questions Covered as of 9 September
The questions handled thus far highlighted in green.  If you wish to hear one again, feel free to ask for that one again.
Up for this coming Friday are 77-72-63