Armstrongism

The Worldwide Church of God (WCG) was founded in 1934 by Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986). It grew rapidly. At its peak, Armstrong's radio/television broadcast, The World Tomorrow, aired on more than 380 television and radio stations. His grossly misnamed magazine, The Plain Truth, peaked at a monthly distribution of more than 20 million. The WCG's membership peaked at about 100,000.

Herbert W. Armstrong denied many of the sound doctrines of the Word of God and founded what we believe should be described as a non-Christian cult. He rejected and reinterpreted many of the Bible's doctrines, including eternal Hell, the Trinity, and justification by grace alone without works. He subscribed to British-Israelism, claiming that Britain is Ephraim and America is Manasseh. He taught baptismal regeneration. He claimed that death is cessation of existence. He taught that the sabbath and certain Old Testament festivals are binding upon New Testament Christians. Armstrong promoted a three tier tithing system which required twenty percent of the member's earnings annually and an additional ten percent every third year. He boldly claimed that all existing churches, except his, are apostate. He claimed that he was a fulfillment of prophecy and that he and his "church" alone were preaching the truth today:

"There is only one work that is preaching the true gospel of the kingdom of God--the rule and the reign of God--to the nations. This is that work. Then those who have their part in this work and are converted must constitute the Church of God! ... Every other work rejects the message of Jesus Christ or else rejects His rule through His laws. There is no exception. Yes, this work is the work of the true church of God. All others are satanic counterfeits! It is time we come out from among them and become separate" (Herbert Armstrong, Plain Truth, February 1958).

In a letter to Robert Sumner, November 27, 1958, Armstrong stated: "You have a right to know all about this great work of God--and about me. First, let me say--this may sound incredible, but it's true--Jesus Christ foretold this very work--it is, itself, the fulfillment of his prophecy (Matt. 24:14 and Mark 13:10)! ... NO OTHER WORK ON EARTH IS PROCLAIMING THIS TRUE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO THE WHOLE WORLD..."

The following is what Armstrong taught about salvation:

"People have been taught, falsely, that Christ completed the plan of salvation on the cross--when actually it was only begun there. The popular denominations have taught 'just believe, that's all there is to it; believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you are that instant saved'--That teaching is false! And because of deception, because the true gospel of Jesus Christ has been blotted out, lo these 1900 years by the teaching of a false gospel about the person of Christ--and often a false Christ at that--millions today worship Christ--and all in vain!" (Herbert Armstrong, All about Water Baptism, p. 1).

"God commands water baptism; and for one who is able to either defy the command and refuse, or neglect ... certainly would be an act of disobedience which would impose the PENALTY of sin, and cause loss of salvation" (Armstrong, Ibid., p. 19).

"Thus did God reveal which day in HIS SABBATH, and also that it DOES MAKE LIFE-AND-DEATH DIFFERENCE--for to break God's Holy Sabbath is SIN, and the penalty of sin, and cause loss of salvation" (Armstrong, Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?, p. 35).

In 1957 Herbert's son, Garner Ted Armstrong, took over the broadcasting duties of his father. In 1972 Garner Ted was accused by six WCG ministers of being involved in a sex scandal, and in 1978 he was disfellowshiped by his father. That same year Garner Ted founded the Church of God International in Tyler, Texas, and founded his own radio and television broadcasts.

In 1977 the 85-year-old Herbert W. Armstrong married for the second time, to 39-year-old divorcee Ramona Martin. Armstrong's last years are described by the Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult as follows: "From here on [1981], it was a downhill and somewhat sordid panorama of events for Herbert, who turned eighty-nine on July 31, 1981. [Stanley] Rader [Armstrong's former financial advisor] and Armstrong's wife, Ramona, allegedly conspired to have Herbert removed and declared mentally incompetent. He, in turn, announced his plans to divorce Ramona. Furthermore, attorney Jack Kessler, who had been a member of WCG but was now disfellowshiped, publicly declared Herbert financially corrupt and morally destitute in that he had lived in incest with his own daughter for over a decade."

CHANGES IN THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD SINCE ARMSTRONG'S DEATH

Armstrong died in 1986 and his position of Pastor General was filled by Joseph W. Tkach. Under Tkach's leadership, the Worldwide Church of God began to make significant changes. Formal meetings to discuss and reformulate doctrine were held at the Pasadena, California, headquarters of the WCG in June 1993. Following these meetings Tkach wrote a series of articles for the Worldwide News (a WCG publication) which explained the new position on the Trinity. The top WCG leaders claim that they no longer believe many of the things which Armstrong taught. In fact, the leadership of the WCG has issued a new statement of faith which, for the most part, accepts traditional Bible doctrine. This new Statement of Beliefs acknowledges the Trinity, justification by grace alone without works, and the eternal security of the believer. Of the sabbath, it says, "Though physical Sabbath keeping is not required for Christians, it is the tradition and practice of the Worldwide Church of God to hold its weekly worship service on the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday)." The WCG continues to hold annual festivals based on the Old Testament feasts, but they no longer claim that these are binding upon Christians: "These festivals serve as memorials of God's great acts of salvation in history and as annual celebrations of God's power, love and saving grace in Jesus Christ."

Due to the doctrinal and practical changes brought in by the new leadership, a number of breakaway groups have left the WCG to form separate entities. Though we have been unable to obtain exact figures of how many people have left the WCG, it would appear to be in the tens of thousands. In an article in The Worldwide News earlier this year, Joseph Tkach, Jr., stated, "About three years ago, our worldwide membership peaked at about 100,000. Now, our statistics show 85,000, but our real membership is probably a bit less. Three years ago, our average weekly attendance was about 125,000; now it's about 75,000." In a letter to this Editor dated March 25, 1996, David Hunsberger, who represents the WCG, told me that "A LARGE PERCENTAGE of our members have left our church and joined dissident groups made up of ministers and lay members who do fervently believe in requirements such as keeping the Sabbath for salvation." In an article in the Plain Truth in July 1995, Joseph Tkach described the effect of the doctrinal changes in these words: "Through this process, we have lost members and A SIGNIFICANT PORTION of our financial support." Attendance at annual Feast of Tabernacles services are down by 30,000 (past events brought together about 85,000). Breakaway groups include The Church of God, International; Triumph Prophetic Ministries (Church of God); and Christian Churches of God. To various degrees, these continue to promote Armstrongism.

In a message delivered in Big Sandy, Texas, in December 1994, Joseph Tkach affirmed and plainly stated the doctrinal changes pertaining to the law. Armstrong taught that the Old Testament law was binding upon Christians. Tkach said, "We are not saved by grace through faith in Christ plus the Sabbath, or plus circumcision, or plus the sacrifices, or plus anything. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, period. ... To come to Christ in faith is to enter 'the Sabbath rest that remains for the people of God.' Faith in Christ brings freedom from sin and therefore fulfills what the Sabbath symbolized. ... there is no scriptural requirement for Christians to abstain from unclean meat" (Sermon, Dec. 24, 1994, transcribed by The Watchman Fellowship).

All WCG ministers were required to show the video of the Big Sandy sermon to their congregations, though we have no way to know how widely this was actually done.

Joseph Tkach died on September 23, 1995, and his son, Joseph Tkach, Jr., succeeded him as Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God.

THE NEW WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD IS TENTATIVELY ACCEPTED BY EVANGELICALS AND CULT WATCHERS

Many well-known Evangelical leaders and cult watch organizations have accepted the leadership of the new Worldwide Church of God as brothers in Christ and have called for acceptance of the organization. Hank Hanegraaff, President of the Christian Research Institute, has been glowing in his praise of the changes which have occurred in the WCG. He was quoted as saying, "The recent changes in the WCG are without historic precedent and were made at great cost. I have met their leaders. I like them. We should encourage the WCG as they come closer to the pale of Christian orthodoxy. The WCG is a church with guts, prepared to let the Word of God rather than their tradition be the final court of arbitration" (Worldwide News, Nov. 14, 1995).

Focus on the Family vice president of Ministry Outreach, H.B. London, Jr., spoke to the headquarters personnel and area ministers of the WCG on October 27, 1995. The report in the Worldwide News noted that "Mr. Tkach met Mr. London last summer when Mr. London addressed a Church of God (Seventh Day) conference in Colorado Springs."

Pat Boone had a luncheon meeting on Nov. 27, 1995, with WCG leaders at their headquarters, and the WCG is offering Boone's gospel video on Israel.

Timothy Oliver, Publications Editor of The Watchman Fellowship (a cult monitoring organization), made the following statement to me in a letter dated March 25, 1996: "We would agree that the WCOG is not yet a truly healthy, fully functional New Testament church. We would no longer exclude it from membership in the Christian community, but we could not, at this point, recommend it as a church to, say, a new Christian. Perhaps more mature Christians could attend there and through their contacts with other WCOG members have a leavening effect, but WFI has no official policy recommending that course, either. However, we would want to encourage the WCOG leadership to continue their reforms, forgetting those things which are past, looking forward to what lies ahead, and pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. We hope that other Christians will offer them similar encouragement."

An article in Christianity Today, in October 1995, was very positive toward the "post-Armstrong Worldwide Church of God." According to this article, "Christianity Today met a representative leadership group several years ago and was convinced of their commitment, both to Christ and to authentic biblical truth" (David Neff, "The Road to Orthodoxy," Christianity Today, October 2, 1995). The article noted that the reformed WCG has been accepted by faculty from Regent College, Fuller Seminary, and Azusa Pacific University. Neff, an editor of Christianity Today, bewailed the fact that many Christians have been slow to receive the WCG with open arms. "Sadly, Christians outside the WCG have been suspicious and slow to extend the right hand of fellowship."

HOW MANY WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD MEMBERS STILL HOLD HERESIES?

Though the leadership of the WCG has officially restated their doctrine in a more biblical fashion, it is impossible to know how many of its members still cling to Armstrongism. A 1995 report by Phillip Arnn in The Watchman Expositor noted that Tkach's call for WCG ministers to preach the new doctrinal position on the Trinity has been met by hostility:

"One of those changes was a bombshell dropped in July of 1993 with the adoption of 'a form of the Trinity' as the official statement on the nature of God. Although the change has been in effect for over a year, many field ministers have failed to explain the new position to their church members. In the Pastor General's Report (PGR) to the ministers, 21 June 1994, Tkach encouraged the ministers to start giving sermons on the subject. He gave them a number of points that they could use for sermon material. Armstrong taught that the Trinity doctrine was false, and God was a family. Ministers and members were taught that God was reproducing Himself and they had the potential to become Gods themselves. THE CHANGE HAS BEEN MET WITH HOSTILITY FROM MINISTERS AND MEMBERS ALIKE. ... Watchman Fellowship has already heard of strong resistance in Texas, long a bastion of conservative Armstrongism, to Tkach's message. Many are unwilling to give up the 'Truth' they received from Armstrong. Watchman has received numerous reports from members and ministers who are saying that they can not understand the New Covenant being preached by Tkach."

This fact must be taken into consideration when determining what position to take toward the reformed Worldwide Church of God. While at least some of the leaders today have rejected Armstrongism, many within its rank and file have not. It is a mixed multitude in every sense of the term.

WHAT ABOUT SALVATION?

Many things about the reformation occurring in the Worldwide Church of God are confusing. The first area of concern, in my estimation, pertains to salvation. When were the members of the Worldwide Church of God born again? In early March 1996 I wrote to the Worldwide Church of God and asked them this question. The reply by David Hunsberger on March 5 stated:

"You wanted to know when members of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) were born again. The same time that members of any Christian fellowship are born again--when the Holy Spirit brings them to that inner conviction and belief in Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. This happens individually through the work of the Holy Spirit, not by joining our fellowship or some other fellowship nor by any human work or effort. ... The New Testament shows that saved people can misunderstand doctrine. The Holy Spirit had to correct the apostles on major doctrine such as circumcision and the place of gentiles in the Church, for example. Most of our members already believed in salvation by grace, but many needed to grow in understanding the fulness of grace and its implications regarding the law. We publicly thank God and Christ for opening our eyes to the deeper understanding and experience of grace."

Following is a portion of my second letter to the Worldwide Church of God in March 1996:

"I am happy for your doctrinal changes because they more perfectly represent biblical doctrine. But I am confused about a number of things that I would like to clarify in my own mind. One is salvation. You said, 'Most of our members already believed in salvation by grace.' I don't understand how this could be the case, though. That is not what Herbert Armstrong taught. He plainly denied that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. He plainly taught that works are a necessary part of salvation. He did not mean that salvation is evidenced by works; he meant that salvation is attained by works. As a new Christian in 1973, I listened regularly to his radio ministry and studied many of his books. Certainly you know Armstrong's teachings on salvation better than I. How, then, could it be that most of the members of the WCG believed in salvation by grace? The term 'grace' must be defined biblically, and this was not done under Armstrong.

"While it is true, as you said, that a true Christian can misunderstand doctrine, it is not true that a person can be saved through a false doctrine of salvation. The Apostle taught that a false gospel which adds anything to the grace of Christ is cursed of God (Galatians 1). The Apostle also taught that deliverance is through receiving sound Gospel doctrine: 'But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart THAT FORM OF DOCTRINE WHICH WAS DELIVERED YOU" (Romans 6:17).

"I must repeat my original question: When did the members of the WCG get saved? They could not have been saved under Herbert Armstrong's ministry because he taught a false gospel."

Hunsberger's reply dated March 25, 1996, was disturbing. Note the following excerpts:

"You ask again when it was that members of the WCG got saved. It happened to each one at the time they personally accepted Christ as their Savior believing in him as he said. ... Interestingly, even HWA [Herbert W. Armstrong] would have told you that salvation is God's free gift which cannot be earned by any human works and that is comes entirely by faith in Christ. But, you can also obviously find places in his writings where he clearly taught the necessity of works. His explanation for that was that salvation is a free gift, but that Christ in you causes you to keep the Sabbath, etc. . . .

"It will be interesting when scholars have the opportunity to go over all of HWA's writings and papers. He was a complex man in many ways and we can take quotations from his writings that prove several sides to some issues."

This is a gross whitewash of Armstrongism. In fact, it is a deception. Armstrong's writings can prove many sides of various doctrines precisely because he was a heretic, and that is the nature of heretical writings. False teachers are deceivers. They twist the Scripture. That is what Armstrong did. He DID NOT claim that salvation was a free gift in any biblical sense whatsoever. He used the term "grace," but he reinterpreted the meaning of grace so that it did not mean what the Bible says it means. According to the Bible, grace and works are mutually exclusive. "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" (Romans 11:6). Every false Christian group is characterized by redefining grace to mean grace plus some form of works or sacraments. Armstrong claimed that salvation WAS NOT a free gift, and he characterized those who preached such a free salvation as false teachers. We do not have to wait for the "scholars" to research Armstrong's writings. Praise the Lord that He has not left us to the mercy of the scholars! "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him" (1 John 2:27).

If Worldwide Church of God members claim that they have always been saved, I do not believe them. That judgment is not mine. It is based on the testimony of the Word of God. It is true that the Holy Spirit had to correct the Apostles and early churches in certain matters. That was a transitional time. Since then the New Testament Scripture has been the church's authority, and the Holy Spirit has been the church's teacher. Those who openly deny the testimony of scripture, as Armstrong and his followers have done, prove that they are not taught of the Spirit. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" (1 John 2:19,20). Now some Worldwide Church of God leaders are attempting to follow Bible doctrine. That is wonderful, but we still ask when they were saved. The Bible says they could not have been saved under Armstrongism.

Hunsberger told me that he has been a member of the WCG for more than 35 years, that he grew up as a Presbyterian and attended Presbyterian services until he was 21 years old. Though he implied perhaps that he was saved when he was young, in neither of his letters did Mr. Hunsberger tell me precisely when he was saved. He only spoke in generalities. He told me that many of the members of the WCG never did believe all of Armstrong's teachings. The fact is that Armstrong and the WCG were rabidly outspoken against churches which preached sound biblical doctrines of justification, hell, etc., claiming that such churches were a part of the end-time apostate Babylon. Doubtless some members did not accept all of the tenants of Armstrongism, but it is also doubtless that most of the members did accept Armstrong's doctrines OR THEY WOULD NOT HAVE JOINED SUCH AN UNSCRIPTURAL MOVEMENT. I am sorry, but I do not accept Mr. Hunsberger's explanation of these things. He did not tell me when he himself was saved, and he has tried to deceive me about what Armstrong really taught.

WHEN DID THIS STRANGE ENTITY, WITH ITS BLASPHEMOUS HERETICAL HISTORY, BECOME A TRUE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH?

A second area of concern I have pertains to the Worldwide Church of God as a church. I am wondering--when did this strange entity, with its blasphemous heretical history, become a true New Testament church? The fact is that it was not a true church under Armstrong, and it is not a true church today. It is a religious organization, but it is not a New Testament church. We can understand how denominational structures can tentatively accept the WCG as a church, because the denominations themselves are unscriptural. The Apostles started churches and ordained pastors over each church under its one Head Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains no instructions for the formation of a denominational or para-church structure which is outside of the authority of or which spans or interlinks the churches. When the Lord Jesus Christ wrote to the churches in Asia, He wrote to each individual church. There was no intra-church headquarters. Denominationalism is man-made, and it has wrought havoc for the churches. Denominationalism is the first step toward popery. Men are not content with the simple structure that Christ established through His Apostles. They sense the need for something beyond the church, something which yokes the churches together. They create and staff extra-church headquarters which drain resources from the churches. They create ecclesiastical positions which are outside of the church and which interfere with the church's business. Gradually these extra-church offices gather to themselves more and more power and prestige. The result of this process 1,500 years ago was the Roman Catholic Church. The root of the problem is to yoke churches together in some sort of intra-church organization. It is unscriptural.

It does not surprise me that denominationally-minded men can accept the Worldwide Church of God as a "church," but I cannot. It is not a New Testament church. If the leaders of the WCG want to obey the Word of God, let them disband their unscriptural organization and exhort their members to get saved and to join sound churches. By attempting to reform an unscriptural organization which has such a wretched and apostate history the leaders of the WCG are creating tremendous confusion.

MORE ECUMENICAL CONFUSION

It has been interesting to note the connection between the changes happening in the WCG and the "reconciliation" movement which is happening in ecumenical circles. Christianity Today editor David Neff concluded his article on the WCG with the following words: "Can we now welcome their people into this transdenominational fellowship we call evangelicalism?" (Neff, "The Road to Orthodoxy," Christianity Today, Oct. 2, 1995).

This is an interesting statement. Neff described evangelicalism as "this transdenominational fellowship." That is precisely what evangelicalism is, and it is an utterly unscriptural concept. Modern evangelicalism claims that certain doctrines are "essential" and others are "non-essential," and that Christian unity revolves strictly around the essentials. The non-essentials have no meaning in regard to fellowship. But the Bible nowhere says that doctrine can be so divided. "The faith once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3) describes that body of truth delivered to us by the Lord's Apostles through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The entire body of truth is to be contended for. Timothy was to allow NO OTHER DOCTRINE to be taught (1 Timothy 1:3). There is no hint here that some Bible doctrine is essential and other doctrine is not. According to modern evangelicalism, doctrines such as ecclesiology and eschatology are secondary or non-essential or tertiary and are not important enough to make an issue of in regard to fellowship among Christians. Not so according to the Bible. The book of 1 Timothy was written primarily to impart truth pertaining to the church--ecclesiology (1 Timothy 3:15). It contains things such as standards for church leaders, caring for widows, and the place of a woman in church ministry. Paul closed that epistle with these words: "That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Tim. 6:14). Timothy was to keep these things in detail as a solemn charge from God. What things? Church things. Things about pastors and deacons and widows and women preachers. It doesn't sound as if ecclesiology is a secondary doctrine in God's eyes.

I am saying that the modern evangelicalism represented by Christianity Today and its sister publications and institutions is not following the Bible. It is following a philosophy called "New Evangelicalism" which was formulated 50 years ago by men who had rejected biblical Christianity for a worldly-minded, positive-emphasis Christianity. Modern Evangelicalism is proud of its intellectual accomplishments but is spiritually blind. This same Christianity Today examined the teachings of Robert Schuller a few years ago and declared that he is not a heretic. This same Christianity Today has argued that the Roman Catholic Church should not be called a cult and that there is such a thing today as an "evangelical Catholic." This is an incredible lack of spiritual discernment.

Modern evangelicalism will accept the reformed Worldwide Church of God as a genuine church, but that is not surprising.

The Worldwide Church of God has itself noted the connection between their changes and the "reconciliation" movement in ecumenism. The Plain Truth, March/April 1996, contained an article entitled "Healing the Wounds." It reported that "Christians worldwide are seeking forgiveness for historical sins, errors, and offenses." Examples given included Pope John Paul II supposedly repenting for the historical transgressions of the Roman Catholic Church and European Christians expressing remorse for the slaying of Muslims and Jews by European knights. The article noted that a number of well-known Evangelical leaders are promoting reconciliation as God's call for these days. John Dawson has written a book on the subject entitled Healing America's Wounds (Regal Books, 1994). Robert Coleman says the same thing in The Coming World Revival (Crossway Books, 1995). These and many other men are calling for reconciliation along racial and denominational lines. The Plain Truth joins in with this theme by saying that God "can break down all barriers that exist between peoples--racial, cultural, social, sexual, national and religious. ... We must not resist the healing work of the Holy Spirit."

Another article in the March/April 1996 issue of The Plain Truth is entitled "Dueling Over Doctrine." Consider an excerpt: "One pastor in my community lamented that the devil hardly had to worry about losing ground since we Christians are so busy fighting each other. ... If instead of looking to Christ for our identity, we look to our understanding of doctrine, we'll forever be doomed to division. ... division between believers is not something we should accept. Jesus intended for his followers to be united in his name." This sounds like something right out of the pages of Christianity Today or Charisma magazine or any other ecumenical publication today. It sounds like an excerpt from a Promise Keepers conference. "Love unites; doctrine divides; God is love, therefore, God is for unity." If this ecumenical philosophy is true, why did God make such a BIG ISSUE about doctrine in the Bible? Those who teach any other doctrine are to be marked and avoided (Romans 16:17). Jesus Christ does not want His followers to be united in His name unless they are united in sound doctrine. Today's Christian world is filled with false christs, false spirits, and false gospels. If today's Christian world is united, that ecumenical union will contain those false christs, false spirits, and false gospels. Can someone really tell me with a straight face that this is the will of Jesus Christ? Not so.

It appears that the reformed Worldwide Church of God is going to fit right into the ecumenical movement of these last hours. The ecumenists will receive them and not be overly concerned about when or if they were born again, and the WCG will add just a little more confusion to an already confused ecumenical stew.

CONCLUSION

We conclude by repeating our earlier statement: If the leaders of the Worldwide Church of God want to obey the Word of God, let them disband their unscriptural organization and exhort their members to get saved by trusting the finished atonement of Jesus Christ and to join sound New Testament churches. By attempting to reform an unscriptural organization which has such a wretched and apostate history the leaders of the WCG are creating tremendous confusion.

David Cloud dcloud@wayoflife.org
http://www.wayoflife.org/

12/07/06