P. O. Box 893909 Temecula, CA 92589
COG-21 BULLETIN
April 5, 2006
Dear Brethren in Christ,
Greetings once again! I am enclosing a new eight page article which contains valuable material for the brethren of God’s Church. Sadly, many have become careless in the way they handle God’s Word, and lax in diligently applying it (2 Cor. 4:2; Isa. 66:2)!
Many have either forgotten, or are ignoring important doctrines of the “Church of God”—doctrines which were faithfully taught by God’s chosen apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. Jude urges God’s people to “earnestly contend for the FAITH [true doctrines] which was once delivered unto the saints. For...certain men crept in unawares...ungodly men, turning the GRACE of God into lasciviousness [lawlessness]” (Jude 3-4).
I want to make one point very clear: God’s true servants are commanded to teach and uphold the true teachings of the Bible, and must not look upon the writings or statements of any man (whether a minister or otherwise), as the “Word of God." Having said that, I want to quickly add that, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong’s fruits for over fifty years prove he was a faithful servant of Almighty God and taught God’s Word in truth to countless millions for over five decades. Jesus said, “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:15-20). His books, booklets, etc. are now posted on our website (COG 21.org)
Unfortunately, many of the ministers and brethren of the “Churches of God,” who came out of the WCG, glibly paid mere lip service to what Mr. Armstrong believed and taught, claiming to support and honor him while he was yet living; but after his decease, many did a complete about-face and now ridicule and oppose much of his works and teachings. Mr. Armstrong taught the true Gospel to millions, and we honor and support him!
Many Brethren Fail to Claim God’s Promises!
As the enclosed article reveals, many brethren have either forgotten or are blatantly ignoring God’s Word. Are you missing out when it comes to claiming the many promises which God has given to His true worshippers (John 4:24)? But what has God promised? We must realize that God imposes certain conditions which must be met before we can expect Him to carry out His part of the bargain.
We serve a “Faithful Creator.” God always keeps His promises—if and when we comply with the conditions which He attaches to those promises. Many are missing out on receiving the divine blessings they would otherwise receive if only they understood God’s true nature. We must “keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” if we are to expect Him to hear our prayers in the time of our need (1 John 3:22; 5:14). And every true child of God will need His intervention often.
Is “Prophecy” Important?
About one third of the Bible is prophecy and much of those prophecies focus on the “time of the end.” But in the past, many have gone “bananas” over prophecy, focusing far more on prophesied events than focusing on “how to live God-like lives”! We need to have “balance” when it comes to our study of the Bible, especially avoiding inventing our own “interpretation” of it and its prophecies. We must beware of what some call “prediction addiction.” God’s Word says, “We have also a more sure word of PROPHECY, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a LIGHT that shineth in a dark place.... Knowing this first, that NO PROPHECY of the Scripture is of any private interpretation (2 Pet. 1:19-20). Most of the problems re prophecy have arisen because men put their own private interpretations on what God’s prophecies really say or mean! We must all exercise extreme caution when studying the biblical prophecies, and must always let the Bible interpret itself!
God’s Word commands, “Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1Thes. 5:19-20). Since about 25-30 percent of the Bible is prophecy, and since God inspired it all, then God knows that prophecy is very important.
Unfortunately, most of the world’s clergymen tend to shy away from prophecy. Why do they shun prophecy? Is it because they do not possess some of the vital keys needed to understand Bible prophecy? As an example, how can we understand the truth about the end-time prophecies of the Bible pertaining to “Israel” unless we understand that the “Jews” comprise only a small fraction of the modern-day descendants of the “Tribes of Israel”? When we come to realize that the peoples of Northwest Europe (Britain, Scandinavia, the Benelux countries, France, Switzerland, etc.) and their descendants—who now occupy N.W. Europe as well as North America, Australia, New Zealand, etc.—then we can begin to use that major “key” to Bible prophecy to really understand what the end-time prophecies say will occur to the nations of “modern Israel.”
Most ministers, priests, rabbis, etc. who read the prophecies about “Israel” wrongly think this means only the “Jews,” therefore, they can’t possibly understand many of those important end-time prophecies. Many of the end-time prophecies speak of the peoples of the Middle East, but they often use the “ancient Bible names” of those peoples, rather than the modern names of those countries. Fortunately, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Arabia, Ethiopia, Italy, Spain, Crete, etc. still retain their ancient Bible names. How many clergymen know who are the ancestors of the modern-day Iranians, Iraqis, Palestinians, etc.? Recently, Syria has boldly proclaimed that she is developing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), as well as developing the missiles to deliver those weapons to their targets, as they hope to be able to destroy the cities of American, Western Europe, Australia, etc. This boasting and “saber rattling” has many of the people of America and Western Europe deeply worried.
Why can’t the world keep “rogue nations” from developing such terrifying weapons? No nation, nor world leader, is powerful enough, or wise enough, to know how to keep nations like Iran, N. Korea or other “rogue nations” from developing such WMDs, thereby threatening the peace and stability of the world. These terrifying end-times were clearly predicted by Jesus and His Apostles (Matt. 24:21-22; 2 Tim. 3:1).
Does Bible prophecy say whether or not America will go to war with Iran? Did biblical prophecy say whether or not we would conquer Iraq? For that matter, where in the Bible did it specifically predict such wars as the U.S. Civil War, World War I and II, etc.? God’s Word specifically says that when it comes to prophecy, “we see through a glass darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12). “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part” (v. 9).
Is God Really a “FAMILY”?
Thousands of brethren are being confused regarding whether or not “GOD IS A FAMILY”! Now, some contend that God is not a FAMILY; but they freely acknowledge that God “has a Divine Family”! You need to know the Truth!
It is well-known that Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong faithfully taught that “God” (the “Godhead” or “Deity”) is a Divine Family! He boldly taught that each and every true Christian, as a “child of God,” becomes a member of that DIVINE FAMILY, once they repent of their sins, are baptized and receive the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13).
Yet there are some that were taught by Mr. Armstrong who deny that “God” (the Godhead) comprises a DIVINE FAMILY. A recent article by a former member of the WCG contends that “The Godhead Is Not a Family.” I have known the author of this article for over forty years, and do not look upon him with disdain or contempt, but I heartily disagree with such a statement! Why? Simply because the Bible plainly teaches, that the Hebrew and Greek words for “GOD” proves that “GOD” not only “has a Family,” but in truth “GOD is the Divine Universe-ruling Family.”
There are those who say that Genesis 1:26 does not indicate a “plurality” of Divine Beings in the God Family: “And God said, ‘Let US make man in our image, after OUR likeness....”’ They believe the “us” in this verse means that God was talking to His angels, apparently meaning that He (God) and the “angels” were to make man in their image. Clearly, the context of verse 26 means that “God” (Heb. Elohim, plural) is not just “one” Person or Being, but includes more than one Person. Where in the Bible does it say that God ever said His angels were the “Creator” of anything? It is God’s prerogative to create, and He has not given that power to either men or angels!
The Apostle Paul was inspired to write the following: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ [who is God’s ‘SON’], of whom the WHOLE FAMILY in heaven and earth is named...” (Eph. 3:14-15). In fact, we humans ought to be able to comprehend the meaning of that DIVINE FAMILY, by considering that when God created mankind, and established the FAMILY PATTERN, He modeled it after the Divine Family of God. Who comprises that Divine Family? God’s Family has a FATHER, and many children are in that Family. The N.T. reveals who is the MOTHER in that family. God says, “But JERUSALEM, which is above is free, which is the MOTHER of us ALL” (Gal. 4:26). God here uses the word “Jerusalem” to refer to His TRUE CHURCH, the Body of Jesus Christ.
The Scriptures even speak of the “angels” of God as members of God’s Family (Job 1:6; 2:1). Job says that God created the earth (Job 37:6), when there was complete harmony in God’s Family—a time “when the MORNING STARS [“angels”] sang together, and all the SONS OF GOD shouted for joy” (v. 7; cf. Rev. 1:20).
“What Manner of Love...”!
Many N. T. scriptures speak of true Christians as the “SONS OF GOD”—meaning we are members of God’s DIVINE FAMILY: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that WE should be called the SONS OF GOD.... Beloved, now are we the SONS OF GOD...” (1 John 3:1-2). Each and every member of the spiritual Body of Jesus Christ is joined to the Divine Family when he is given God’s Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13). Why, then, do some contend that “God has a Family,” but “God is not a Family”? If God “has a family,” He is also the “FATHER” of that Family; it is ludicrous to say that God the Father is not a member of that Divine Family.
Don’t let anyone tell you that “The Godhead Is Not a Family.” The term “GODHEAD” is clearly a reference to the heavenly members of that Divine Family. The Apostle Paul tells us that the “GODHEAD is [not] like unto gold or silver” (Acts 17:29). Furthermore, Paul says: “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and GODHEAD” (Rom. 1:20). Speaking of “Christ” Paul says, “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the GODHEAD bodily” (Col. 2:8-9). Jesus Christ is the “Son of God”!
The GODHEAD (DEITY) is not comprised of just “one Person,” but includes the FATHER, the SON, and many other “sons” who are now being added to His Divine Family. In fact, Jesus had to “taste of death for every man” (Heb. 2:9), “For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing MANY SONS unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering” (v. 10).
God’s people need to know that “God” not only “has a family”—God owns and “Heads up” that Family—but “GOD IS A FAMILY” of Divine beings: FATHER, SON, and countless others whom the Father calls “My SONS and DAUGHTERS” (2 Cor. 6:18)! Remember, God‘s supreme, ultimate purpose is to bring “many SONS unto glory” as the enclosed article reveals (Heb. 2:10). God will eventually bring many billions of “sons” and “daughters” into His ever-expanding Divine Family, and will share the entire “Universe” with them. “He that overcometh shall INHERIT ALL THINGS, and I will be His God, and he shall be MY SON” (Rev. 21:7)! What a wonderful, generous and loving heavenly FATHER we have!
COG 21.org Website Bears Rich Fruit!
Be sure and check our website from time to time, as we are continually adding important material. I recently received the following message from my Webmaster: “The Church of God-21st Century continues to bear much fruit. Again setting records for the month of March, 2006. The website averages 6,871 hits per day. When the month is totaled I expect the number of hits for March, 2006 to be at or near the 220,000 mark. 162,955 files were downloaded from the website for the month of March. In the past twelve months 1,781,079 HITS have been recorded. Before the year 2006 ends, the website should average 2 MILLION hits during a twelve month period! It seems only a short time ago we were projecting 1 MILLION hits per year.” Brethren, this exciting news reveals that millions are able to access our material as God continues to bless His Work in the COG-21.
Here are a few comments regarding the impact our Website is having: “I think your INTERNET SITE is the best on the net by far as regards the TRUTH. The amount of material you have on there is fantastic. ” Another person says, “I appreciate...and am also impressed with your website. You appear to have more material than any other I know of. This material certainly helps when I prepare sermonettes....”
One person comments: “I wanted to thank you and tell you how I enjoy your website and the wonderful material that you have provided. There are not too many resources where you can obtain the information that you have given. Your site has given me and my family many hours of great Bible study and enjoyment.”
Someone recently sent me a copy of a letter a man had written re our booklet America and Britain in Prophecy: “Raymond McNair is one of the early pioneers of God’s work.... His work on the United States and Britain in Prophecy is by far, the best piece on this subject in the church. No group at any time has captured this very important subject with the skill Mr. McNair demonstrated in this endeavor.... Personally, I think every COG group should help finance it and assist in taking its message to the nations.”
Brethren, let us always be quick to give God Almighty praise for any good fruits borne in our lives. I am not competing with any “man” or any “Church.” Instead, I greatly rejoice to see anyone or any Church doing a good work (producing good magazines, booklets, articles, etc.); and I thank God for blessing all of His faithful ministers, whom I consider to be fellow co-workers in God’s Work (1 Cor. 13:6)! We should never look upon any true servants of God as competitors, but as fellow co-workers in the Work of Almighty God!
May Almighty God richly bless all who faithfully serve Him. Let us all learn to rejoice together when we see good fruit being borne by any of God’s true servants!
Have a very meaningful Passover and a joyous Feast of Unleavened Bread!
Sincerely in Jesus Christ’s name,
Raymond F. McNair
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