Armstrong Heresy
Paul Wilson
Table of Contents
Armstrong Heresy
For several years we have been receiving inquiries from people in various places, from the State of California to the Province of Quebec, regarding a certain new religious organization which is very aggressive. Its promoters are sending out broadcasts on about seventy-five radio stations of prominence in various parts of the world-North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. They are also quite lavish in the distribution of printed matter; one monthly publication (called The Plain Truth) in the United States has a circulation of 200,000 copies. Their advertising in various magazines is of a rather flamboyant type, and is quite widespread.
The master mind behind all of this seems to be one, Herbert W. Armstrong, who uses the names Radio Church of God, The World Tomorrow, and Ambassador College. He has recently acquired such a school on the outskirts of London, which is to be known by the same name as the parent school in Pasadena, California. We have no desire to delve into the vagaries of all the last-day religious concoctions; their name seems to be "legion." But in the last few months we have received more than 500 pages of printed literature of this strange organization, not counting duplications, which have come to us for analysis by people who have been receiving it-some of whom have been contributing money to it.
A word of warning is certainly in order, for it is strange indeed that any true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ could read such religious rubbish and not discern the error which is to be found on nearly every printed page. One should see enough to turn away from it with revulsion and righteous indignation, for there is scarcely a truth which we hold dear that is not undermined or denied in this veritable hodgepodge of error. Many of our readers who would disdain to read or listen to such religious poison might wonder what justification there can be for the publication of our opinions on this matter, but often the truth can be hammered out on the anvil of error. The real truth of God may frequently be impressed on readers by seeing it in all its lustrous rays against such a dark background.
Aside from warning some who may be misled by this systematized error, we have no other objective in writing this than to minister the truth of God. We desire that it may be so set forth in bold relief that souls may be more firmly established in the present truth. The Apostle Paul wrote: "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth." 2 Pet. 1:12. He also warned the saints of the devious ways of false prophets who were to come.
We shall not make any distinction between articles written by Mr. Armstrong or his son, Garner Ted Armstrong, or any of his handful of writers; for they all speak the same things and, after all, he is the editor and responsible agent in all cases. He is given to sensationalism. His heady religious mixture is composed of much of the legal system found in Seventh-day Adventism (minus Mrs. White as the "spirit of prophecy" which he seems to have replaced), a religion of works for salvation, an earthly hope, the nonsense of Anglo-Israelism, the non-existence of the souls Of the dead, denial of eternal judgment, denial of the Trinity of the Godhead, a thorough system for forcing tithing, and, in our judgment, derogatory remarks about the Lord Jesus Christ, among other grossly erroneous doctrines. Let us look at some of the errors of this system and consider them in the light of the Word of God.
Mr. Armstrong is not troubled by any modesty in making claims for himself, for he uses the very language of inspiration given by the Apostle Paul thus: "The Gospel which is preached by me is NOT AFTER MAN, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but BY THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. He revealed it to me IN HIS WRITTEN WORD! Then when it pleased God, who called me by His GRACE, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him to the world" 1; here he continues that he conferred not with flesh and blood, but went directly to the Word of God. This amounts to a claim to divine revelation. He. further says, "In these last days WHEN THE GOSPEL MUST GO AROUND THE WORLD, Jesus chose...HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG."' 2
Mr. Armstrong is not content to merely preach his strange gospel, but he condemns the preaching of the "gospel of God, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 1:1-3.) Here are his own words: "The GOSPEL to be preached was not the present-day message ABOUT the Person of Christ, but the Message He brought and preached-the Good News of the GOVERNMENT of God... a message that has not been preached for 1800 years or more!" 3 In another place he says: "Today what is called organized 'Christianity' appropriates the NAME of Christ- exalts His PERSON-worships Him-but continues to DENY HIS MESSAGE, and to rebel against God's laws." 4 Again, "It is one thing to believe ON Christ-that is, in His Person-and something altogether different to BELIEVE CHRIST- to believe what He says" 5; he also speaks of many "preaching CHRIST to the world-and yet DECEIVING the world." 6 And again, "But men crucified Him, then later appropriated His NAME, began proclaiming His deity, exalting His PERSON, while they DECEIVED the world and kept it in darkness estranged from God by rejecting His Gospel." 7 O that what Mr. Armstrong says about Christianity were all true! O that more would believe on His Person, exalt Him, and worship Him! God's gospel concerns His Son, as is said in the emphatic words of Rom. 1:1-3, but Mr. Armstrong disagrees. In another place this apostle of error says, "In this modern day, is it important which MESSAGE we believe? Today many modern ministers say, 'Just believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.' 8 Perhaps this is twisted a little from what true ministers of Christ say, but is it not basically what Paul said to the repentant jailer at Philippi? (Acts 16:31). It is, however, utterly condemned by this modern law-teacher; but he does not hesitate to take verses from Galatians where the Apostle is contending against law-teachers and use them against those who preach the true "gospel of the grace of God."
But why does Mr. Armstrong refute the gospel concerning God's Son and insist on a gospel which he says Christ taught when He was here? Simply to bring in his warped gospel, which is not gospel at all, but pure LAW. He refers time and time again to Matt. 19:16-19 where we read: "Behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but One, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." This is Mr. Armstrong's pet verse, for he relies on it to prove that the Lord Jesus taught obedience to the law of Moses as the only means of obtaining eternal life. But here was a young man who came to Jesus as to a teacher seeking to learn what he could DO to attain eternal life. If any man will seek to come to God on the ground of his own works, he will find the law; but the law never saved any man, nor did keeping the law do it. Man is doomed in his sin if there is one thing he must DO to be saved or to have eternal life. The only answer there would be to a man who wanted a means of doing, would be the law; but when Jesus applied it to his covetous heart (for the tenth commandment forbade covetousness) he went away-the price was too high. Man cannot DO anything for salvation!
Mr. Armstrong goes on in Matt. 19 to the 25th and 26th verses and makes a false use of them. He connects the 17th verse to the 25th, as though the disciples said, "Who then can be saved?" when they heard Him refer the young inquirer to the ten commandments. The fact is, however, that in the intervening verses the Lord took up the case of riches as being a hindrance to man's entering the kingdom of God. This was what amazed them, and not, as Mr. Armstrong says, How then can a man be saved if it is a matter of keeping the commandments? That was not the subject, so Mr. Armstrong's use of "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (v. 26) is in error. It is a twist to make keeping the law for eternal life seem easy, with God's help.
Mr. Armstrong speaks with all the air of authority, but test it by the Word of God. Listen to him: "But how the god of this world would blind your eyes to that! He tries to deceive you into thinking all there is to it is just 'accepting Christ,' `with NO WORKS'-and presto-chango, you're pronounced `SAVED'! But the BIBLE reveals that NONE is yet `saved'! 'He that endureth unto the end, the same SHALL BE saved' (Matt. 24: I3)." 9 Here he uses a verse that has nothing to do with this time of the grace of God, but is strictly connected with the Jewish remnant who pass through sore trials in another day. (But of course, Mr. Armstrong knows nothing of this, for all his prophetic interpretations are confusion, and are contrary to the understanding of any well-taught Christian.) That there is "NONE" saved yet is a stark contradiction of the Word of God. Was not the Philippian jailer saved? How about such words as these, "And hath saved us"? Whom are we to believe? Of course no one has been, or ever will be, saved by a gospel of works as taught by Mr. Armstrong.
The Word of God says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." Titus 3:5. And, "By grace are ye saved through faith,... NOT OF WORKS." Eph. 2:8, 9. But this Judaising teacher says: "But actually, Satan is the master deceiver-and these are ms ministers! These false ministers teach a doctrine of 'no works'- no obedience to God's law." 10 But hear what the Spirit of God says: "If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Gal. 2:21. No flesh can be justified by WORKS of any kind; and those who follow Mr. Armstrong will end in the lake of fire, in spite of his teaching that there is no lake of fire.
Placing men and women today under the law for salvation is the warp and woof of Armstrong's false doctrine, but it picks up many other bad doctrines as it goes. Let us notice another remark of his: "It is absolute MOCKERY to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ as 'Lord' and then deny the message of obedience to the laws of Almighty God which He brought to this earth and on which He based His entire life and teaching." 11 We are bold to say that if that was the message the Lord Jesus brought, then there is no gospel at all. The law was here before; what need of one to come and teach it? "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John 1:17. Judaising teachers have been the bane of the Church from the days of the Apostle Paul until now.
As with all such false doctrines, 1 John 3:4 is frequently quoted as it is found in the King James Version of the Bible, and there, it is one of the blunders of the Version. It should not read, "Sin is the transgression of the law," but, "Sin is lawlessness." There is a vast difference between the two words and their meanings. Lawlessness is the exercise of my own will, while transgression is the breaking of a known prohibition. Now Mr. Armstrong should know better than to use "transgression" there, for he comments on the word translated "Wicked" in 2 Thess. 2:8 and says that it means "lawless"-it is virtually the same word in Greek in both places. He himself says, "The original Greek word means 'opposed to law' or 'lawless.' " 12
Breaking a known commandment, if one is under the law, is certainly sin; but sin is not confined to that-sin is the doing my own will without regard to my Creator. "Sin is lawlessness." The misrendering of the verse seems to be an essential peg to hang law-keeping on, both with the Seventh-day Adventists and Mr. Armstrong. There is one verse in Rom. 2 which settles the matter; namely, "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law." v. 12. The Gentiles did not have God's law, but they sinned without breaking a known commandment; and they died without law, and will also be judged and punished, even though they were under no law. The Word of God also says, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." Rom. 5:14. Adam had a law, and he broke it; but there was no law thereafter until the day of Moses, yet people sinned and died. Mr. Armstrong suggests that people do not know what sin is, but it is they who limit sin to breaking a law who little comprehend the heinousness of sin before a holy God.
Some who may have read Mr. Armstrong's articles or heard him on his "World Tomorrow" program may say, But does he not mention accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior? Yes, very occasionally this creeps in, but let us see what he says it means: "Accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior, truly, means letting Him 'who went about doing GOOD' live your life for you henceforth-just as HE would live it! It means living henceforth by every Word of God-making the Bible your guide, your AUTHORITY in life." 13 Here then is the crux of his teaching: Jesus Christ is your personal Savior if you let Him live your life so that you live by every word of God-by the ten commandments. In other words, He saves you by helping you do works. Such, reader, is not the "gospel of God"; it is not the Savior whom God provided; in fact, it is no Savior at all, but a mere helper of man to elevate himself to God. It is the way of Cain! It is the way of death! "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," not to help them accomplish it and His sacrificial death on the cross is the sole means of salvation to any-"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." Titus 3:5. But all this means nothing to this do-it-yourself scheme. Listen to this bold statement of error: "Yes, Satan the Devil has MINISTERS! They appear to be the ministers of Christ. But actually, they teach a doctrine of 'no works'-no obedience to God's law." 14 On the same page he calls them "false ministers who preach a counterfeit Christianity." 15 It is Mr. Armstrong who is in error, perhaps himself deceived. We read in the Word of God that Satan's ministers pose "as ministers of righteousness" and not of grace (see 2 Cor. 11:13, 15). Is not the Armstrong doctrine a false doctrine? Is it not a doctrine of so-called righteousness and not of grace?
What is "conversion" in this strange cult? Let us see: "Real conversion, then, involves a real surrender to obey God and His laws." 16 It is law, law, law. There was really no necessity that God should send His Son into this world of sin if the real object was for Him to teach obedience to the law. That was nothing new, for James said in Acts 15, "Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day." v. 21. Armstrongism is based on an utterly false concept of Christianity it is not Christianity. For him to speak of the Christianity of Christ, or of His day, is plain ignorance. When the Lord Jesus came into this world, He came as "a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." Rom. 15:8. He came "unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel"-this was not Christianity. But when He was rejected by them and crucified, God made Him to be an offering and a sacrifice for sins on the cross. This was the foundation of the gospel and of Christianity, although properly speaking it really did not commence until after His resurrection, ascension, and the descent of the Holy Spirit. Christianity started after the cloud received Him out of their sight and the Spirit of God came down to announce the good news of salvation WITHOUT WORKS, through faith in Him and His work. Christianity is connected with a glorified Christ and is founded on the finished work of atonement.
Law-teachers like Mr. Armstrong turn the so-called "sermon on the mount" into a declaration of the gospel, whereas it is the Lord's setting forth the principles on which His kingdom will
be established in another age, although when He gave it, He and His kingdom had not been finally rejected by Israel.
(To be continued next month)
Reference Index to Armstrong's Writings
1 Circular Letter P. 3
2 A True History of the True Church p. 26
3 All About Water Baptism P. 5
4 1975 in Prophecy p. 17
5 A True History of the True Church P. 5
6 A True History of the True Church p. 4
7 1975 in Prophecy p. 17
8 The Plain Truth, September, 1959 P. 3
9 Why Were You Born? p. 11
10 The Plain Truth, November, 1959 p. 19
11 The Plain Truth, November, 1959 p. 19
12 The Plain Truth, November, 1959 p. 19
13 Why Were You Born? p. 22
14 The Plain Truth, July, 1959 p. 14
15 The Plain Truth, July, 1959 p. 14
16 The Plain Truth, July, 1959 p. 14
Armstrong Heresy
This is the second part of our review of the false religion propagated widely today under such names as "The World Tomorrow," "The Plain Truth," "Ambassador College," and under the name of its promoter, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.
This false system brings in confusion at every turn. Notice Mr. Armstrong's remark: "The BLOOD of Christ does not finally save any man... But we are SAVED-that is, given immortal life-by Christ's LIFE, not by His death." 17 What is this but a deliberate slight on the blood of Christ? Have we not boldness to enter the holiest-that is, the very presence of God-by the blood of Jesus? (Heb. 10:19). Surely we have, for God says so; but Mr. Armstrong says that it is insufficient to save us. Is not the wish parent to the thought, so that all can turn on our keeping the law, as though Christ lives our life, so that we keep the law for salvation? A careful examination of Rom. 5:10 will prove that when we were enemies of God we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son-all the enmity was broken down-but are we to be forgotten or forsaken now that Christ is risen? No, never; "We shall be saved by His life"; that is, in His living, He secures our salvation to the very end. There is no law-keeping in the text; it is only so in the false doctrine that perverts it.
Now let us see what Mr. Armstrong says of repentance. He states: "Repentance means to quit sinning, and sin is the transgression [here is that error again] of God's spiritual LAW-so repentance means to begin living according to God's Commandments!" 18 This is unadulterated error. How is a sinner going to stop sinning? you may as well tell him to quit breathing. Only if he did that, would he stop sinning. Repentance, rather, is the judgment that I form of myself in the presence of God. Job was finally brought to repent and abhor himself in dust and ashes, whereas this erroneous teaching would have a man lift himself out of the mire of sin by his own effort. True repentance would have me see the utter ruin of myself and have me own it before God, while looking away to Jesus, my sinless and holy Substitute, and His finished work.
Here is another fundamental error of Armstrongism: "If we obey God's commandments as revealed then by God's spoken Word, but now by the Bible, we clothe ourselves with God's kind of righteousness and are acceptable to God." 19 If this were possible-to obey the commandments-it would be our righteousness and not God's, and the Scripture says that all our righteousnesses are "as filthy rags." The Apostle Paul, a blameless Jew in his day, said that he desired to be found in Him-in Christ -not having his own righteousness, "which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Phil. 3:9. The "righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe." Rom. 3:22. Here is the righteousness of God, and it is for all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ-not for those who pretend to keep the law. We say pretend, for we are bold to affirm that there is no man that does keep it so as to stand before God, accepted by Him. People who say, We keep the whole law, are either very careless with the truth, or they lower God's law to suit their own selves. The (perhaps) best natural Jew that ever lived was Saul of Tarsus, but he said the law killed him. He verily thought he was keeping the law until the sharp edge entered his soul by the tenth commandment- "Thou shall not covet." Where is the man who can say before God, "I have never lusted, I have never coveted anything"? God's righteousness is for those who had none, and it is on the basis of faith and not of works-not of law-keeping.
These people who in substance say they are Jews, but are not, put great stress on absolutely keeping the Sabbath. But perhaps the Lord's word to such in His day would be in place, "But none of you keepeth the law." How many Sabbath keepers keep it according to the law? Yet Mr. Armstrong says we have to keep the letter and spirit of the law. Does he not know that the letter kills (2 Cor. 3:6)? Which of them does not light a fire on the Sabbath? Now the letter of that law would preclude turning on the gas stove or flicking a light switch; yes, and even turning on the automobile switch. These are just the modern counterparts of the old ways of making a fire. 0 that those who desire to be under the law would believe God: "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse"! Gal. 3:10. Not merely those who break the law.
We have noticed before that this false cult denies that a sinner is saved instantaneously when he accepts the Lord Jesus as his personal Savior-as the One who died for him and his sins on the cross. Now notice what this system says salvation is: "The Creator is still creating! He is molding, fashioning, CHANGING us, transforming us to His own noble, righteous, holy, spiritual CHARACTER! Yes, creating in us this perfect CHARACTER! Salvation, then is a PROCESS!" 20 What a fable! Salvation according to this system then is but a process of creating a character, as the false teacher says: "Salvation is merely the COMPLETING of CREATION.... Character is created by experience... SALVATION IS THE COMPLETING OF CREATION." 21 In another place this character building process is spoken of thus: "Holy, righteous CHARACTER is something even God cannot create instantaneously! It is produced, or developed, only through EXPERIENCE! Experience requires TIME, and CIRCUMSTANCES!" 22 If all this process of salvation could be true, then the Philippian jailer and his household were not saved as Paul told them they would be by simply believing in the Person of the Lord Jesus, nor had they any reason to rejoice as the Scripture tells us they did. Neither was the converted thief received into Paradise that day (as promised by the Lord), for he had no time to build a character; nor have we received the salvation of our souls. Nay, but let God be true, and Armstrongism be found a false witness; and this goes even further and says: Christ "WROTE that salvation BY HIS EXPERIENCE." 23 Reader, have you had enough of this religious contradiction of the Word of God? BEWARE OF POISON! The false system is spiritual poison.
But as we have gone this far, perhaps we should examine the doctrine a little more. With the background of law-enforcement, it was easy for this system to press the absolute necessity of giving God at least one tenth of your earnings, and then after pressing this on the basis that if you do you will reap rich rewards here and now, it was an easy transition to press the point that only to God's chosen ministers could the tenth properly be given. As all others were to them false teachers and even ministers of Satan, then it could be urged that you should seek out God's true ministers as the only ones to whom the tithes should be givens-this quite naturally then applies to themselves as the only proper recipients. We marvel at the credulity of so many people who have sent them their money.
We wish to further call attention to certain remarks which we deem derogatory to the glory of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is one: "No one, outside of our Savior, has yet attained to immortal life." 24 This may sound innocent enough, but is it? That blessed One was the author, or originator, of life; He had life in Himself; yes, He was the life. As a man, He could lay down His life and take it again. No mere man could "lay down" his life. Even as a man, no one could take His life. To say that He attained to immortal life at His resurrection is to degrade Him. Really, it is a part and parcel of that false doctrine found in Seventh-day Adventism (which Mr. Armstrong seems to have taken from them intact) called "conditional immortality." Its reasoning is that man does not possess an immortal soul that lives on and on after death, either in weal or woe. It is a flat denial of the Word of God which tells of those who die in faith as being "absent from the body, and present with the Lord." The soul and spirit do not die at the death of the body, nor do they sleep. Luke 16 takes us behind the scenes and lets us see the misery of the soul of a man in hades, whose body was buried on earth. "Conditional immortality" is false in every way. In the working out of that scheme, the Lord Himself is supposed not to have existed when He lay in the tomb; whereas, He sustained the universe at that very time. Therefore, to say that He had to await resurrection to get immortal life is a denial of the glory and truth of His Person. "Conditional immortality" also denies that the converted thief went to Paradise that day to be with Christ, as promised.
Another Armstrong statement that requires notice is: "Jesus Christ was the most FULL-GROWN man who ever lived. He alone had COMPLETE emotional stability and maturity." 25 Is not this statement dishonoring to Him who was absolutely the perfect Man in every way, and who was God manifest in flesh as well?
Let us not start to compare Him with fallen human beings, but ever stand in awe when His blessed Person is mentioned. We need the unshod foot of reverence when we approach this ground, as did Moses and Joshua in His presence in another day.
Here is another statement which we deem derogatory: "Melchisedec was the High Priest of God during patriarchal times. And Christ occupies the same office now, holding the same rank"; 26 and in another place, "We know Melchisedec was High Priest-that He held the rank equal to that of Jesus Christ, actually one of the Godhead!" 27 To us this is nothing short of blasphemy. Who has the same rank as Jesus Christ? No one who is not God, and Scripture gives NO hint of Melchisedec's being anything but a man. He was purposely introduced without giving any genealogy, as a mysterious personage who could be a type of the Lord Jesus when He reigns as "priest upon His throne." Mr. Armstrong's denial of the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead opens the way for this strange doctrine.
And another erroneous statement is: "A greater man never lived-a man never lived who could exercise more gigantic, all-encompassing POWER than Christ! There never was a more dynamic, lively, energetic, personable, talented man!" 28 Do not these remarks lower Him to the level of man? To compare Him with mortal, sinful man, even favorably, is to degrade Him. Frankly, we are shocked at the language found here. Psalm 50:21 comes to mind: "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee." We have been struck time and again with the evident lack of consciousness of who and what He is, and the very infrequent use of His title, "Lord."
Now we come to another piece of consummate error, which is the counterpart of what we have been considering: "We shall then be BORN of God [at the resurrection]-WE SHALL THEN BE GOD!... The PURPOSE of your being alive is that finally you be BORN into the kingdom of God, when you will actually BE GOD, even as Jesus was and is God, and His Father, a different Person, also is God!... You are setting out on a training to become CREATOR-to become GOD." 29 Can anything be ranker than this? Is not this lifted from Mormonism? Think of it—man to become God. This is a gigantic falsehood. That is what the devil suggested to Eve in the Garden-a way to become God. Here it is in our day. How can a true believer read such gross error and not burn the paper containing it forthwith? In our previous paragraph, this false doctrine put Melchisedec in the Godhead; now it puts all who attain the resurrection (on the basis, as we have seen, of their law-keeping, with perfect characters obtained thus) into deity. Mr. Armstrong says that Jesus is no more God than we shall be! And this is palmed off as the last great message from God for this age! Is it not rather the doctrine of antichrists? (1 John 2:22).
Let us notice the facts according to the Word of God. We will never become God-never be deity-we shall always be creatures, and He the Creator. The Lord in His prayer in John 17 desired that He might have the truly saved ones with Him in the glory above, that they might behold His glory, a glory which He had before the world was-that is a glory we will never partake of, we will only behold it with awe and admiration of Him whose it is. He said further: "The glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them." Here is a glory, a glory He gained as man, which we shall share with Him. May we ask you, reader, Can anything be right in a system so thoroughly permeated with destructive error-error to damn the souls of those who truly accept it? May God deliver any believers who may have become ensnared in it through ignorance.
We said before that Armstrongism denies the Trinity, although it is a cardinal truth of the Word of God. This truth was first clearly revealed at His baptism by John at Jordan, when the Father spoke from heaven to the Son on earth, and the Holy Spirit came visibly upon the Son, sealing Him as a man down here for His ministry. It is somewhat obscurely mentioned in Isa. 48:16, "The Lord GOD, and His Spirit, hath sent Me." But this is what the false teacher says: "One of the pagan concepts originating with Semiramis is the false idea of a 'Trinity.'... The Hebrew word for `God' here [Gen. 1] is Elohiyrn, which is plural. The Father and He who was to become the Son [note here the denial of His eternal Sonship] are here referred to (John 1:1). The 'Spirit' means the Holy Spirit of God-that divine force by which so much good is accomplished and which resides in both Father and Son." 30 And in another place: "They
began teaching the pagan Trinity doctrine and the immortality of human souls." 31 Is not this wresting the Scripture to their own destruction? The Spirit of God is spoken of in Scripture as one of the Trinity, a Person in the Godhead. Notice these words: "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come." John 16:13. He is also spoken of as God in Acts 5: "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost.... Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." vv. 3, 4. Beware lest you who dabble with this false cult bring on you the "sin against the Holy Ghost," for it is dangerous ground.
Perhaps another quotation or two should be added here so that anyone will see that we have quoted Mr. Armstrong correctly and fairly: "GOD IS A FAMILY, NOT A TRINITY OF PERSONS. GOD IS A FAMILY COMPOSED OF TWO BEINGS WITH A COMMON SPIRIT.... The pagans... made a Trinity. SATAN WAS CONFUSING MANKIND." 32 And: "The false doctrine of the 'Trinity,'... at present only two persons-Father and Son, comprise this Family. But we can become members of that Family!" 33 Are we not reading about those of whom Paul wrote by inspiration, "deceiving, and being deceived"? (2 Tim. 3:13).
And now with the vital parts of Christianity removed or damaged beyond recognition, is it any wonder that such an outward thing as water baptism is made an essential to salvation (this is also true of Mormonism)? Mr. Armstrong says, "Water baptism, then, is a required part of the way of salvation!... He commanded baptism as an obligatory ordinance for this Gospel dispensation." 34 What a strange Gospel! and one not found in Holy Scripture, surely. But after all their mumbo jumbo of character development and law-keeping, it is not strange that when all this is set forth, the Christian's heavenly portion is emphatically denied and rejected-all this doctrine of Armstrongism is to fit a man for earth-are not these those who are spoken of in Revelation as "those that dwell on the earth," or rather, "earth dwellers"; those whose hopes are here? A strange concoction is produced in this baptism essential of Armstrongism; with them, "a new life, a life that is begotten AT BAPTISM [is] to grow for the remainder of our time of trial and testing-a life that will be born AT THE RESURRECTION." 35 Is there any wonder that the true gospel of God concerning His Son has been set aside?-room had to be made for all the frills conjured up by this new sect.
Another strange thing about their false doctrine on baptism is that it is not for young people, for it is said, "It is almost impossible to be ABSOLUTELY SURE about young people under 21 or 25-and especially under 18." 36 Poor young people who want to be saved! If baptism is essential and they cannot have it, they are shut out; but if they had this baptism it would not benefit them anyway. At this point Mr. Armstrong lets his readers and hearers know that being baptized in the accepted sense of orthodox Christianity will not do; it is all in vain, and only those ordained preachers that believe as he does should do the job; so he has baptizing teams roving the country to bring converts into his fold.
Reference Index to Armstrong's Writings
17 All About Water Baptism p. 2
18A11 About Water Baptism P. 3
19 The Plain Truth, January, 1960 p. 19
20 Why Were You Born? p. 11
21 The Plain Truth, July, 1959 p. 11
22 Why Were you Born? p. 15
23 Why Were You Born? p. 14
24 The Plain Truth, January, 1960 p. 15
25 The Plain Truth, January, 1960 p. 32
26 Ending Your Financial Worries P. 8
27 Ending Your Financial Worries p. 12
28 The Plain Truth, September, 1959 p. 15
29 Why Were You Born? pp. 21, 22
30 The Plain Truth, February, 1960 p. 25
31 A True History of the True Church p. 23
32 The Plain Truth, February, 1960 p. 26
33 The Plain Truth, February, 1960 p. 26
34 A11 About Water Baptism pp. 4, 5
35 The Plain Truth, December, 1959 p. 14
36 A11 About Water Baptism p. 10
Armstrong Heresy
This is the final part of our review of the false religion propagated widely today under such names as "The World Tomorrow," "The Plain Truth," "Ambassador College," and under the name of its promoter, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.
Let us further note that the Christian's heavenly calling and hope are thrown into the rubbish by this false system. Here is the proof: "But did Jesus promise 'heaven' to the poor in spirit? NO! nowhere in all the Bible is HEAVEN promised as the reward of the saved. Here is another GREAT OPPOSITE that is the very BASIS of 'Christian' doctrine today-and did not come out of the Bible!" 37 Reader, are you willing to settle for earth, even the millennial earth? That is all Armstrongism offers, and those who come on its basis shall miss earth as well as heaven. In denying heaven to the saints of this period, Mr. Armstrong deviates in part from the Seventh-day Adventists, whose doctrine would take people to heaven for 1000 years while the earth remains the ruin of a great holocaust, and then bring them back to earth, so that in the end they all land back on earth. We remember having our attention called to a remark by one Adventist writer to the effect that it would be wonderful to have an eternity to develop a country estate. Both this and Armstrongism remind us of the elder brother of Luke 15 who claimed to have kept his father's law perfectly, and yet desired a kid to make merry with his friends-not with the father. But Scripture reveals to us our portion in heaven as being with Christ and enjoying Himself forever. An earthly country estate is a repugnant thought to one whose affections center on the One who will be all the glory of that heavenly scene, and the portion of our hearts for eternity.
When Mr. Armstrong comes to John 14:1-3, he boldly affirms that Jesus refers to the earth when He says, "I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." He says that the Lord will be on earth, so that will be where He will take us. This is nonsense. The Lord had said, "In My Father's house are many mansions [or, abodes]"; there are abodes for Seraphim and Cherubim, the Archangel, and we know not how many families in heaven (Eph. 3:15 should read, "Every family in heaven and earth"), but there was no place for men, not even redeemed men, until our blessed Redeemer went back to heaven as a man. Thus He has prepared a place for us in His Father's house above. How could His Father's house be on earth? And when Mr. Armstrong comes to the Lord's words, "Great is your reward in heaven," he dodges that by saying that the reward will come down to earth.
We are all more or less familiar with that precious portion in 1 Thess. 4, where we are told that the risen and changed saints are going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so be forever with the Lord. Of this, this false teaching says: "Notice there is not one single word about Saints going to heaven!" 33 Well, so they read it, and evidently the wish for earth rather than for heaven is the father of the thought. This false doctrine teaches that the saints will rise to meet the Lord in the air and immediately descend with Him to the Mount of Olives. All those scenes of the redeemed in heaven in Revelation are cast aside. In one article, G. T. Armstrong scoffs at our going to heaven by saying that, in a new jet liner, "We actually flew in a man-made airplane MUCH HIGHER than your Bible says the Saints will rise when Christ returns!" 39
Mr. Armstrong says that our blessed hope came "from Antichrist-that man of Sin who claims to be God!" 40 Then he adds: "It is time you opened your eyes to this HERESY that has stemmed from 'BABYLON THE GREAT, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.'... Unless you recognize this vile doctrine for what it is, YOU AND MILLIONS WITH YOU ARE PLUNGING STRAIGHT FOR THE MOST FIENDISH, DIABOLICAL TIME OF TORTURE EVER INSTITUTED BY MAN!" 41 There can be no mistake about what this cult teaches against our heavenly hope and the coming of the Lord for His saints, calling it a "vile doctrine." To send your money to help propagate this wicked doctrine is to have a part in undermining the truth of God. And even to listen to it, is
to have fellowship with the works of darkness. "Take heed what ye hear."
We have not even touched upon that egregious folly of British-Israelism, or, Anglo-Israelism. It all fits with an earthly scheme of things. In this Mr. Armstrong is in company with the "Destiny of America" group. By their speculations and foolish traditions they have assumed that the "ten lost tribes of Israel" are the British, Irish, Canadians, Americans of the U.S.A., and the Australians. It is neither scripturally nor historically sound; it is a most absurd teaching. Must we accept it just because someone says it is so? Cannot we ask questions? For instance, how the English were Ephraimites in England and, by crossing the ocean, they became Manassites.
British-Israelism is largely based on the silly assumption that wherever one finds a few letters of a name that resemble something else, then it must be that; for instance, din, den, dan, dun, dunn, are in any names evidence of its having been derived from the tribe of Dan, as with Lon-don, Danube, Dub-lin, etc. Then "British" is supposed to be derived from b'rith, meaning, "covenant" in Hebrew, and "ish" meaning "sons" in the same, so the British must be the sons of the covenant. And the name "Saxons" is supposed to have been "Isaac's sons." This will not hold water, and a little imagination could think up the most ridiculous connections. The Edomites, now mixed with the Arabs, would be Saxons too then, for they were sons of Isaac through Esau. One author suggested that because a fox and a hare each have bushy tails, they must be the same thing. But H. W. Armstrong says, "Yes, we are God's chosen ISRAEL!" 42 It is simply not true. He gives statistics to prove that the British and the Americans have the most of everything, supposedly proving that is a sign they are sons of Joseph; but his tables are out-of-date now that Russia has advanced.
The dispensational chapters of Romans-9 through 11- would upset all the schemes of Armstrong's Israelism if they were intelligently read. For all this, however, Armstrong's flights of fancy and vagaries of British-Israelism, while they are thoroughly unrealistic and untrue, are not such deadly poison as his blatant heresies which undermine every essential doctrine of vital Christianity. Our sober and considered judgment is that his whole scheme is corrupted Judaism rather than real Christianity. It is Galatianism in a deadly form, linked with other equally gross heterodox views. Flee from it!
In closing this review, we call attention to another violation of Scripture truth; for when Mr. Armstrong speaks of a murderer he says: "He has no hope unless and until in the general resurrection after the millennium he repents of his sin." 43 Here is the false doctrine of a second chance. In many of these doctrines, Mr. Armstrong is in the company of Jehovah's Witnesses-so-called.
We feel a great relief to have finished reviewing this false system of religion which now is being palmed off as "the last message" of Christianity. It has been an odious task, and a barren one. There was not one thing in all this review to satisfy "the longing soul." Israel did not trek through as barren a wilderness for the body as the doctrines of Armstrongism are for the soul and spirit. Israel had "that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ," from which the water flowed; but there is no refreshment in the burning sands of false doctrine. We would rather have spent our time on that which nourishes the soul, but we have need to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." There are those who would steal it from us. We trust that through our review we have brought into some relief the truth of God with which Armstrongism stands at variance. May God graciously use this review, not only to help saints withstand the onslaughts of error, but to more firmly establish them in "the truth."
We take this opportunity to suggest to the Lord's dear people -a people for heavenly glory-that they close their eyes and ears to anything that does not come from a sound source. Water cannot be pure if it comes from a polluted source. The Apostle Paul gave his credentials to Timothy-"Thou host fully known my doctrine, manner of life," etc. May we check the credentials of any who would attempt to teach us. "Take heed what ye hear," and "Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." Pro. 19:27.
If one who does not possess "peace with God" through the finished work and the resurrection of Christ should read these lines, we beseech you to put your whole trust in Him. When
Paul Went to Corinth, he preached the basic facts which underlie true Christianity, as he said: "I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." 1 Cor. 15:1-4. A mere mental assent is insufficient; what is needed is to acknowledge one's need and to lay hold of the blessed facts concerning Him for one's individual soul. You need to see Him taking your place, bearing your judgment, and then going down into death, and coming forth the mighty Victor. You probably are aware that Mr. Armstrong contradicts this and says that the common teaching of the day is to put before sinners the "mere belief in the FACTS of Christ's existence, His sacrifice, and His saving work. Just accept these FACTS, and accept HIM -without any obedience to God's Laws!" 44 He dares to condemn acceptance of Him and His saving death and resurrection, and to quote a verse out of its connection, and say, "If thou wilt enter into LIFE, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS! "M> THIS IS UTTERLY FALSE, and if you follow that way you will end in hell.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31. This is God's truth in simple and precise language.
Reference Index to Armstrong's Writings
37 The Plain Truth, September, 1959 p. 16
38 The Plain Truth, September, 1959 p. 16
39 The Plain Truth, September, 1959 p. 16
40 The Plain Truth, July, 1959 p. 20
41 The Plain Truth, July, 1959 p. 20
42 The United States and the British Commonwealth in Prophecy p. 25
43 The Plain Truth, January, 1960 p. 16
44 What Kind of Faith is Required for Salvation? P. 9
45 What Kind of Faith is Required for Salvation? P. 9
Twelve years have elapsed since Israel again became a nation; for the tiny nation, these have been dramatic and eventful years. Two wars were fought and won, and a firm polity established. Industry, commerce, finance, agriculture, education, and the revival of the Hebrew language have all been firmly founded. It is definitely the work of a dedicated people and, to a large extent, the Old Testament, the land, and the language have been the nuclei of their efforts.
Some people see in all this, which stands unprecedented in world history, a fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures; but we are persuaded that it is not so. This is not the national resuscitation of Israel as spoken of in Eze. 37 (the vision of the dry bones), nor is it that of which Daniel speaks in his last chapter as those that sleep in the dust of the earth, awakening. This is man's own effort, and it lacks the elements of repentance before God and the acknowledgment of their Messiah which will accompany God's work for their restoration.
While it does seem that there is a growing interest in their Old Testament Scriptures in Palestine, and a re-awakening as to their past glories, the New Testament and the Lord Jesus are summarily rejected. In many places, His name is not to be mentioned. A recent statement by a Jewish rabbi is indicative of the prevailing attitude. He first warns all missionary societies that "missions to the Jews are by and large doomed to failure." He then says: "The Jewish people have survived pleadings, the sword and the crematorium in their steadfast devotion to the faith of their fathers. The Jewish position has never been stated more beautifully than in Mic. 4:5: "For let all the people walk, each one in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.'" Rabbi Aaron Pearl in Time magazine for April 18, 1960. This reminds us of the Apostle Paul's saying, "I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." Acts 26:9. But Paul had his eyes opened not only to his error, but to the wonders and glories of the Person of Jesus. Henceforth He filled Paul's vision and heart, and then Paul speaks of the very condition that exists among his people at this day-"that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles he come in" (Rom. 11:25). Then they will return to Messiah their Prince. But the situation as it stands in 1960 is not their future restoration under God.
The present existence of Israel among the world powers has in it the elements that might be the means of her own destruction. She is like a tiny island, surrounded by a hostile ocean bent on the eventual dissolution of that island. The Arab world has not accepted her presence in the Middle East, and the million or more displaced Arabs loitering on her periphery is a constant irritation and provocation to Arab aggression. President Nasser of the United Arab Republic (Egypt and Syria) continues to make inflammatory speeches, and so do other Arabs. Nor is the situation what it was in 1956 when Israel pounded the Egyptian armies almost to pieces. Since then, Egypt has been rearmed with many of the latest Russian implements of war.
President Nasser continues to press that a state of war still exists between the U.A.R. and Israel. He continues to blockade the International Waterway-the Suez Canal-to all Israeli shipping, and has been confiscating any shipments found on any "neutral" ships passing through the canal. This is very embarrassing to the United Nations (whose secretary-general has sought by every means to stop the blockade, and at times thought he had assurances from President Nasser that it would he stopped), and to the United States (whose President Eisenhower made assurances to Mr. Ben Gurion of Israel that their rights would be protected if they withdrew from Egypt in 1956).
Perhaps all this is building up for an Arab war of extermination against Israel by the combined Arab forces, which may bring about the final coalition of the Western Powers-the revived Roman Empire-which will come to Israel's succor, defeat the Arabs, and place the Jews back in their land, under an alliance for seven years. This contract will provide for a new temple on the old temple site, but we know that it will be broken in the middle of those seven years, as far as allowing the Jews to continue their temple ritual is concerned. (See Dan. 9:27.)
Peace, settled world peace, is not on the horizon. Events are in the making that may easily lead up to the terrible day of the great tribulation. But, fellow-Christian, we look for the Lord Jesus to take us home before that dreadful time comes. The moment of our departure to be with Christ in the Father's house is at hand.
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