-by Brod Andy-

Never before has the day of Christ’s visible and glorious return been as near as it is in today’s generation. Many significant events, especially involving God’s church, were already fulfilled indicating that the kingdom of God is very near even at the doors (Matt. 24:32-33). The preaching of the gospel in all the world (Matt. 24:14) was finished in 1986 and the church that supported God’s servant preached the gospel has already fallen away as prophesied (2Thess. 2;1-4). And there is now standing in the holy place (God’s church), the spiritual abomination of desolation (Matt. 24:15). Furthermore, the men that had sat on the mysterious white horse and the red horse (Rev. 6:1-4) are already dead and we have seen the deadly result of their violent and ghastly rides.

On top of these is the rise from nowhere of a mercurial president that turned the United States of America as a black horse in the eyes of the world for unsettling almost everything his predecessors had established with other countries. And then comes the China virus pandemic that shakes all nations on earth with millions of death to date and still counting. Is USA the black horse and China the pale horse (Rev. 6:5-8) that will usher the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21)? Just asking and speculating. Thus with urgency and great concern we want to ask: Is the church ready for the imminent coming of Christ? Are individual members prepared to meet Christ face to face?

In the article “Should Any Church of God Preach the Gospel Again in All the World?” it was concluded that it is not in God’s plan to preach the gospel again in all the world (for a witness to all nations) after that work had been fulfilled successfully. Preaching the gospel again for the purpose of fulfilling Matthew 24:14 in fact no longer serves any significant purpose, resists the will of God and denies the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who led and inspired HWA and the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) to do and finish that work. Given this knowledge, what then shall be the work of God’s church in the very end-time we are now in? And what must God’s elect do? Before we tackle these questions let us first examine what is the condition of God’s church today.  

A Broken and Divided Church

Developments in the last thirty four (34) years since the death of HWA show us that God’s church has been broken and very much divided today just like the churches of this world. Membership of the church are split and splintered into various churches most of which have claimed to be the true church of God. A few of them though, perhaps due to their size, are content with being called simply as a remnant of God’s church. True to prophecy, every lively stone of the church, that used to be where Jesus Christ was as he led it to fulfill Matt. 24:14, has been thrown down as the WCG ceased to exist and in its place came backsliding, disagreeing and competing churches of God. Only a few and small-size churches of God appear to hold fast to the fundamental truths that HWA established as revealed to him from the scriptures. But many of these competing churches failed one way or another in form of government, proper recognition of HWA’s role and work, observance of Passover and the feasts, growing in grace and knowledge, openness to correcting doctrinal errors, etc. Despite the crowded competition these churches survived. But scriptures and logic would tell us that Jesus Christ is not in all of them because he is not divided (1Cor. 1:10-13) and he has but only one church, or at most. two (2) overlapping ones at any given time. He just wouldn’t lead a church here one way and another church there another way. That would make Jesus Christ discordant and self-contradicting. That couldn’t simply happen.

The seven (7) churches named in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation are not many disagreeing, divided and competing churches. They are the churches Jesus Christ raised one after another at certain point when the ministry of the previous one ceased doing its work or has become unfaithful to him.  A look back at what happened a few years after the death of HWA and a close reading of scriptures would tell us that Jesus Christ was no longer in the church prior to its break up. He couldn’t countenance the wickedness that was taking place as the new leadership changed the fundamental truths in favor of this world’s false Christianity. So he went out and departed (Matt. 24:1-2) from the church and then soon afterward it began to break up until it ceased to exist. But before leaving, he raised another man to lead the 7^th candlestick church of the Laodiceans to warn the church membership of the falling away that was then taking place and to tell them to “hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take your crown.” What was happening was a test to determine who truly loved and were faithful to the truth. It wasn’t clear then that the church that warned about the falling away was to become the church of the Laodiceans.

Like Jesus Christ, most of the brethren couldn’t also countenance what was going on in the church and left individually or in groups. But instead of joining the first group they formed their own new churches. Some groups chose their church leaders. Others simply have self-appointed leaders. When the man Christ raised to lead the 7^th candlestick church went out of the 6^th candlestick (WCG) that was already falling away he accused it of becoming Laodicean and called its new group the Philadelphia Church of God (PCG). Later on he also called all splinter groups of the WCG as Laodiceans.

Little did he know that his new church was going to be the church of the Laodiceans. Of the churches that split and splintered from the WCG only one group represents the 7^th candlestick church of the Laodiceans. All the rest are simply the broken or fragmented parts of the 6^th candlestick church WCG. None of these broken parts could claim solely as God’s church and it remains to be seen when and how Jesus Christ will bring them together as the “woman” that will flee to the place of her protection just before the great tribulation begins (Rev. 3:110; 12:14).

The Causes of Division

At the core of the disagreements and divisions among the churches of God today are the leaders themselves. They are the high ranking ministers and pastors (Jer. 23:1-2; Acts 20:29-31) who think that God is using them to rebuild or restore God’s church and continue its unfinished work of preaching the gospel and/or preparing their respective flocks for the coming kingdom of God. To most of them, defending or upholding old established truth and examining or accepting new truths are not that much important. Neither are resolving issues that divide and unifying the church. That is why we have many splits and splinter groups claiming as God’s church. They don’t know how to come together and be of one accord. They are obviously not having the lowliness of Christ’s mind (Phil. 2:1-5). Instead, most of them are overcome by their pride (1 Tim. 3:6). The issues though that divide these churches are real but they are not insurmountable. With the mind of Christ, our leaders could have easily conquered these issues. Here are some of them:  

1. Preaching the Gospel 

The churches of God today are divided between those that preach the gospel again in all the world for a witness unto all nations and those that don’t. Has Matthew 24:14 been fulfilled already? Did HWA finish that work? Some smaller groups say yes and has focused their work on feeding the flock. Other smaller groups say it’s not the most important, teaching their disciples all things is. But bigger groups say it has not been finished and so they are doing it again.

2. The Day of the Lord

Are we now in the day of the Lord? Did it come already as a “thief in the night”? At least one group says yes it has already come. But most of the churches don’t believe it and say that this day comes only after the heavenly signs are fulfilled (Matt. 24:29; Rev. 6:12-17).

3. New Truths vs. Holding That Fast

Some churches are wary of new truths because of what happened to the WCG when Joseph Tkach succeeded HWA. Most of these churches are just holding fast to what they already had learned from HWA and refuse to correct errors. They accuse others of using 2Peter 3:18 to justify their falling away from the truth established by HWA. Others who believe growing in Christ’s grace and knowledge believe that Jesus Christ still reveals new truths to his servants;

4. End-time Elijah Restoring all things

Many churches of God believe that HWA was the end-time Elijah that restored all things in the church (Matt. 17:11). They also think that no more new truths shall be revealed to the church. But others don’t agree. They argue that Jesus Christ will restitute all things (Acts 3:20-21). 

5. Church Government

Some churches, for lack of inspired leadership, has adopted a democratic system of choosing their leaders. They conduct elections from time to time to determine who would be the next leader. Others have self-appointed leaders that serve for a lifetime. 

6. The Hebrew Calendar 

The churches of God and those without CoG affiliations are now divided in the keeping of the annual feasts enumerated in chapter 23 of the book of Leviticus. Some groups keep these feasts earlier than the others. At the center of this problem is the validity of the Hebrew calendar which many no longer recognize for the purpose of setting the dates for these feasts.

7. Which one is God’s church today?

Which of the churches of God is God’s church is without question the most divisive underlying issue confronting God’s people today. Every church of God claims that it is God’s church. But none would own up as the church of the Laodiceans, the 7^th and last candlestick church of Revelation 3. Makes us wonder if this last era, end-time church of God ever existed at all. Definitely, all of them couldn’t be God’s church because Christ established only one church. 

The issues presented above are just the obvious ones that have kept these churches divided. We can be sure that every church of God has an issue against the others because otherwise they should be together as a church.  

Two End-time Churches of God

When Jesus Christ set the foundation and built the church he said that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). Since death couldn’t prevail against God’s church, this church must be existing today despite the falling away that happened just a few years after the death of HWA. But which church? The churches of God that are now existing can be classified into three groups, namely: 1) the church of the Laodiceans, 2) the breakaway groups of the church of the Laodiceans and 3) the wreckage of the 6^th candlestick WCG which have not affiliated with the Laodicean church. The group that led the falling away of the WCG has been so totally conquered by Satan that it loses any semblance of being God’s church. Its members have forfeited all opportunity to become part of the kingdom of God.

Of the churches of God, only the PCG could rightly claim as the church of the Laodiceans, but it didn’t for obvious reasons; and no group has claimed as such. Of the breakaways, only one group could rightly claim to have been used by Christ to knock or have knocked at the door of the Laodiceans (Rev. 3:20). Sadly this group also swerves from truth for: 1) continuing to believe and teach that there are only two future resurrections, not three; and 2) rejecting the truth that the rider of the white horse of Revelation 6 was the man who succeeded HWA. The rest of the breakaways are simply disillusioned groups that couldn’t accept that they have become Laodiceans, and left their mother church. Meanwhile the wreckage of the 6^th candlestick WCG remain fragmented and divided as no group has succeeded in bringing them together as one body of Christ. Thus the 6^th candlestick church remains a wreckage to this day. The prophet Haggai described this church accurately.

“Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,  (4)  Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?” (Hag 1:3-4)  

“And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.  (2)  And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” (Mat 24:1-2)  

This is the condition of God’s church today. On one hand there is the 6^th candlestick church of the defunct WCG. It has become many churches and in a state of “waste”, as prophesied and described in the book of Haggai and by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord God who became Christ looks at these many divided churches chiding them for being contented while neglecting to do a reunification work. On the other hand there is the 7^th candlestick church of the Laodiceans, the PCG and its breakaway groups. Jesus Christ is figuratively and spiritually outside of their doors knocking (Rev. 3:20) and desiring of them to repent and be zealous for the truth.  

Not Ready for Christ’s coming

It must be clear at this point that collectively, the church of God is not ready at all for the visible and glorious return of Christ. Although individually, there might be a few that have already grown into the full measure of the stature of Christ, but sadly, collectively the same can’t be said. The church falls short terribly of fulfilling the joy of the apostle Paul for their failure to “be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Phil. 2:2). Instead of being fitly joined together as one body of Christ (Eph. 4:16) members are scattered into various competing churches that are not interested in rebuilding God’s broken church. Instead of being lowly and esteem their counterparts better than themselves (Phil. 2:3), the selves esteem better than the others; instead of attaining unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Christ, unto a perfect man, unto Christ’s full measure of stature (Eph. 4:13), competition and divisiveness (1Cor. 1:10-13). They have forgotten that God is not divided as much as Christ is not. God’s church in its present state is simply not ready for the coming of Christ. 

End-time Work: Church Rebuilding 

High in the priority for our Lord Jesus Christ is the gathering of God’s elect together unto him just before he comes (2Thess. 2:1). This was his desire as prophesied in the book of Haggai. This is why he is not pleased with the present state of the church and is chiding us today. 

Hag 1:4-8  Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?  (5)  Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.  (6)  Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.  (7)  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.  (8)  Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.

This is consistent with the prophecy in Jeremiah 23.

Jer 23:3-4  And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.  (4)  And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.

Jesus Christ, through the above scriptures is instructing the various churches of God today to rebuild that one church that has been in a state of waste and desolate for a long time now due to neglect. This implies a gathering of the leaders and elders of the churches of God for the purpose of conducting a merger convention that will reunify God’s church and organize the ministry as deemed appropriate to the present situation. This should involve a process that invokes God’s intervention (Acts 1:20-26; Jos. 18:10; 1Sam. 14:40-42) in choosing the man who will lead the church rebuilding, unification and perfection. Members of the churches of God should give their support to whoever comes out as the leader of the merged and unified church. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who talked to Haggai before he became flesh, says that he will take pleasure and be glorified if we rebuild the church. And he is going to fill it with glory and make it of greater glory than it was of the former times. 

Hag 2:2-9  Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,  (3)  Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?  (4)  Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:  (5)  According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.  (6)  For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;  (7)  And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.  (8)  The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.  (9)  The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

However, if we continue to ignore his instructions and don’t rebuild his church and prolong its desolation, our divided churches will not be blessed and go on with a dismal and famished religious work (Hag. 1:5-7) i.e., no growth in spiritual knowledge and understanding and lacking in new truths. It is therefore imperative and greatly in our favor if we take heed of God’s instruction to rebuild the church. Rebuilding and unifying the church should therefore be the most important work that the leaders and elders of the divided churches of God should work out now. The problem is how to get the process started. 

Begin with a Changed Perspective and Attitude 

Given that each church seems set, hardened and contented in its respective place, unifying these churches will be daunting. Without a changed perspective and attitude it would be impossible even to begin it. Presently, each church of God views their respective group speial and distinct; and believes that God approves their association and work. This is contrary to God’s words in Haggai 1:4 and  to the fact that their fundamental beliefs are mostly a reflection of each other. Their idea of unity is for others to be of one mind with them because theirs is God’s church. This is a self-righteous perspective and attitude that would not promote unity and rebuilding but fragmentation.

This must change because it is contrary to God’s desire concerning his house – its rebuilding in the end time and the gathering unity of his people. Haggai 1:4 clearly describes that God’s church is in a state waste presently while these divided churches are feeling contented in their respective places. This perspective of being the church of God and this attitude of being approved by God should change so that rebuilding of God’s church can begin. The change that is needed is a recognition that none of the churches of God today stands alone as the church of God because each one of them is just a fragment of God’s church that is presently in a state of waste. 

Have the Mind of Christ: Key to Unity and Perfection 

After recognizing that not a single church of God stands alone as God’s church today, all of God’s people from the top, down to the lowest person, should next understand that it is only by having the mind of Christ in every one of us can there be unity and perfection in the church. It is important to note at this point that growing into the full measure of the stature of Christ simply means having Christ’s mind in us such that we are completely in agreement with him in everything. Rebuilding the church as prophesied in the book of Haggai cannot proceed successfully without this mindset. Anyone who does not believe that this condition is necessary for church unity and perfection does not deserve a place in our Father’s house (John 14:2-3) and faces the risk of being disqualified. It is therefore crucial to recognize what the mind of Christ concerning the present state of the church. And that is for its broken parts to come together and be reunited as one body in perfect unity and harmony, even as he and our Father in heaven (John 17:6-23).It must be ready, as the Bride, to be presented before the throne of our Almighty Father in a marriage ceremony (Rev. 14:1-4; 19:6-9) with our Lord Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom.

This gathering and rebuilding of the church must take place before Christ’s visible and glorious return (2Thes. 2:1-4) at the blowing of the last trumpet (1Thes. 4:13-18) on a future Pentecost day, feast of firstfruits. Having the mind of Christ fully stamped in everyone who will be part of the bride cannot be compromised because in this union with Christ perfect harmony is required. Just as Jesus Christ was and is always in complete harmony with our heavenly Father, we must also, as the bride of Christ (John 17:19-23). Therefore, Christ’s desire for his church to gather together and be ready for his return should also be our desire too in the remaining last days before his coming. Anyone with a different mind than this risks forfeiture of his place in the Bride of Christ. 

Basic Requirement for Unity    

Having the mind of Christ will help us understand that presently the churches of God are divided on many issues. These issues need to be resolved or otherwise set aside so that coming together as one body of Christ can take place. These issues should not stand in the way for rebuilding the church. In due time Jesus Christ will resolve these things anyway (Acts 3:20-21). However, a minimum agreement on certain issues might be necessary as a basic requirement for unity and rebuilding process to get started. The following agreements are just a suggestion:

1. The preaching of the gospel, of the coming kingdom, “in all the world for a witness unto all nations” (Matt. 24:14) and as end-time sign (verse 3) has been completed already. HWA with the support of the WCG did it and therefore the preaching of the coming kingdom should now be limited in the confines of God’s church. Anyway, the world will be warned of the coming kingdom when the two witnesses begins their prophetic ministry (Rev. 11:3). Preaching the gospel in all the world once again will only expose the church for marking and persecution by the beast. After all When Christ returns and reigns, the gospel will be preached again throughout the world (Rev. 14:6; Micah 4:1-3).   
2. HWA was an end-time Elijah that God sent before the dreadful day of the wrath of the lamb (Mal. 3:1; 4:5; Rev. 6:15-17) to restore all things that were previously taught in the church but were lost. However, he was not given understanding of certain details in prophecy that would be revealed only after his death. A case in point was the man of sin who would sit in the temple (church, WCG) of God that orchestrated the falling away from the truth (2Thes. 2:1-4). 
3. HWA was an end time apostle but he was not infallible. Like the first century apostles he was also human and bound to commit certain errors in decisions and in understanding God’s words. Paul and Peter were not infallible they both had committed errors (1Cor. 15:51-52; Gal. 2:11-14) and so did. Mr. Armstrong. A case in point was his teaching that angels can’t die because they are spirits. This is an error.  Satan and the angels who rebelled against God will die in the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 20:10) because they committed sin (Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 28:14-19) and have left their first estate (Jude 1:6). They will be destroyed completely (turned to ashes) after serving prison time (for ever and ever) in the lake of fire. Jesus Christ’s death did not only make possible man’s forgiveness of sin and reconciliation to God, it also made possible the death of Satan and the fallen angels (Heb. 2:14).
4. Jesus Christ still reveals understanding of scriptures not fully understood during the time of HWA. Such was the understanding that the resurrection of the firstfruits will take place on Pentecost day contrary to the WCG speculation that it will be on feast of trumpets. 
5. Openness to correcting errors. The church may still find errors in its teachings and beliefs. It must be open to correcting errors when discovered and grow in grace and knowledge of Christ instead of perpetuating it. Correcting errors should not be taken to diminish but rather to strengthen its credibility as God’s church.
6. God’s system of government is and shall be followed in the church. Leadership of the church and positions in the ministry shall be determined in accordance with the precedents found in scriptures. Election as a way to choose a leader is not God’s way and shall not be adopted. Normally Jesus Christ, not the membership, determines who will lead the church in a particular period of time (era) as when he used HWA during the Philadelphia era. Given the present situation of the church, we can still let Christ choose the man he likes to work with in leading the reunified church by casting lots on the current leaders of the presently divided churches of God. 
7. The Hebrew Calendar that was used since the days of HWA until now remains valid unless a strong and compelling contrary evidence is presented. The Hebrew calendar determines the dates for the observance of the annual feasts of the Lord commanded in chapter 23 of the book of Leviticus.                  

On top of and in addition to the above agreements is a presumption that everyone believes in the fundamental truths that HWA restored and became the foundation of the end-time 6^th candlestick church of God.

Be Ye Therefore Perfect 

The next few years will be crucial as everyone’s faith is going to be tried by unpleasant events, (to say the least), that will come upon the whole world (Rev. 6:5-8). Very soon there will be great tribulation with the potential of wiping out all living souls on the whole earth (Matt. 24:21; Rev. 3:10,18).There is little time left and it is urgent now upon everyone in the church to be found perfect, holy and righteous, ready to meet our Lord Jesus Christ when he comes lest he would tell us “Verily I say unto you, I know you not” (Matt. 25:12). Our Lord Jesus Christ admonishes us today to become perfect.  He said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Mat 5:48).

This is a tall order but with the mind of Christ in us, is not impossible. The perfection that is required of us is not only individually as members but also collectively as a church, being one spiritual body of Christ who is our head. This means that for the sake of the perfect unity of the church, the ministry must endeavor to seek the truth on unresolved issues that are set aside and every issue thereafter that may arise going forward. Issues should not be taken negatively but as an opportunity to bring the church to perfection. Errors will have to be corrected if discovered so that there will be no wrong doctrines in the church. This will be the responsibility of the leadership and the elders in the ministry.

Individually every member of the church must be responsible in growing into the full measure of the stature of Christ in knowledge and understanding of God’s words, and most importantly, in character so that our mind shall be as the mind of our Lord Jesus Christ (2Pet. 3:14,18). This will entail overcoming the self, the society around us and Satan and continuing diligence in the study of God’s words (2Tim. 2:15). Collectively as a church and individually as disciple of Christ our goal is to become perfect as described in the following scriptures: 

Eph 2:20-22  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;  (21)  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  (22)  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Eph 4:11-16  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  (12)  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  (13)  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  (14)  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  (15)  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  (16)  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

In this life we may never reach the level of perfection our Father in heaven expected of us. But let us not be troubled nor dismayed. We have our Lord Jesus Christ who is able to remove every spot and wrinkle and blemish in us (Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 1:5) so that when we are presented to him and to our Father in heaven we are thoroughly cleansed, purified, perfect, righteous and holy in the eyes of God (Rev. 14:4-5)●