Herbert Armstrong made the following comment about the greatest need church members must have. If there is any proof that the church knows not the man they claim to follow it is this. If you are a Christian, you heart is geared to one person and one person only, not some human man or his organization parked in Pasadena, Arroyo Grande, Edmond, Cincinnati or Wadsworth. Everyone of these places have been cesspools of degeneracy, abuse and spiritual malfeasance.
“In my over fifty years’ intensive, rich, active experience, since God changed MY direction into HIS WAY, I have observed that the very first need of every Christian, who is to GROW and develop…spiritual character, is to have his heart completely in THE WORK OF GOD, which the living Christ has called His servants to do.”The focus in the all of the Church of God's has always been upon human leaders, not on that most inconvenient dude who always remains unnamed.
“The very Work which is THE REASON God has called you NOW—before He undertakes to SAVE THE WHOLE WORLD!”Dave Pack is using Herb's comments to prove to his members that the focus should always be upon HQ. It is government, after all.
In 1980…
“We must sacrifice now as never before for this Work that we may FINISH the Work.”
Another time in 74…“Unless we fulfill God’s SPECIAL PURPOSE for our calling now, [we’ll] never go into [the] Kingdom. THIS FACT MUST NOT BE TAKEN CARELESSLY!”“You are…admonished to ‘make your calling and election SURE!’”
And that includes…
“…how much we have CONTRIBUTED to His Work – the PURPOSE for which He put us in His Church NOW!”
That is a tiny smattering of what Mr. Armstrong said. Whenever I want to feel zeal, I just go read what Mr. Armstrong said. Pretty energetic fellow, but still you understand. So, Point 7: Do vast numbers really enter the kingdom of God having never done God’s Work, or not for decades? Absolutely not. It would repudiate everything Mr. Armstrong believed for all the years and decades he did the Work.It is hard to imagine that we once believed that one's salvation was dependent upon how much money, labor or obedience one had to headquarters. The lies we swallowed are appalling. Sadly, thousands of COG members still believe this malarky. Herbert Armstrong (or Dave Pack) is your key to the kingdom. Utter bullshit.