How
Must God’s Ministers
be Ordained?
In the Good News, January 1960, Herbert Armstrong penned
an article entitled “Must God’s Ministers Be Ordained By the
` Hand of Man?” In this article Herbert Armstrong set forth the
principles of ordination, as he saw them, and went on to claim
that his own church was the “only true church” of God on
planet earth! He claimed that God’s authority is always from
the “top down,” and therefore all other churches were a fraud,
and deceived, and not of God! He warned readers either his
church “is the ONE AND ONLY true Body of Christ . . . or
else it is deceived, or it is a fraud.” He declared, “You MUST
FACE IT, and DECIDE WHICH ALTERNATIVE IS TRUE.”
Well, what is the truth about this matter? Is Christ divided?
Is there only ONE church on earth that belongs to Christ?
William F. Dankenbring
Years ago, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote an article on “Must God’s Ministers Be Ordained by the Hand of Man?” In it he strongly averred that every true minister of God MUST have ereen “ordained” by the hands being laid on his head by another TRUE minister of God – on down in succession from generation to generation. He declared that any other “ordination” was false, fraudulent, and not of God, and any minister ordained in any other way was also a fraud, a false minister, and not even a member of God’s TRUE Church or the Body of Christ!
Does that really make sense to you? What about ministers during the Middle Ages? What about those whom God raised up seemingly out of nowhere? Did they have to be “ordained” by another man who was likewise a true minister of God?
Doesn’t such a belief and concept limit God and prevent Him from raising up a man with no previous religious experience, and call them to His ministry and Work? What about ancient prophets of God, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and all the so-called “minor” prophets – Hosea, Nahum, Joel, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jonah, Haggai, and Malachi?
Of course, when we read their books, we find that God Almighty directly called them personally to His service and work!
So what about this thing of “ordination by the hand of man”? What did Herbert Armstrong mean, and above all – was he right?
It has been many, many years since I first read that article, by Herbert Armstrong, w ritten back in 1960 or so. How time flies. I personally think that this article was very, very sad, very biased and one-sided, and was written at a time when Mr. Armstrong was worried about other ministers and brethren leading people off and out of the church, thus posing an extreme danger to his ministry.
This was the time when certain Sacred Names brethren who wanted to install the sacred names theology into the church came upon the scene, and HWA, to counteract their influence, appointed Herman Hoeh to write a rebuttal to the Sacred Names position in the Good News magazine, and a whole ministerial conference focused on this issue, and to finally put the icing on the cake, HWA came up with a series of articles on church government, who God’s ministers were, the “one true church” doctrine, how ministers were “chosen,” etc., etc. He also claimed “divine authority” to make “church decisions” regarding make up for women about this time (since there was no clear Bible evidence, he claimed “authority to bind and loose” in this matter).
Yet in 1939 HWA
had written a wonderful article showing the exact opposite of his “Must God’s
Ministers Be Ordained By the Hand of Man?”
It was on Church Government, and showed that there could be many
different churches, at the same time, preaching the gospel, and not all under
one “man” or “boss.” At that time he was
appealing to people to recognize his new ministry, so he could wean them away
from the
Anyway, this article someone sent to me is sadly very, very wrong, and HWA never proves his main points, although he pounds and pounds them into the concrete as hard as he possibly could, with emphasis, thunder, verbal intimidation, and threats, causing people to fear and tremble if they don’t accept HIS authority and his alone.
Of course, the various splinter groups which came out of Worldwide, which he founded, have ALL recanted the “one true church” philosophy and none claim anymore to be the “one true church” simply because there are so many independent “off-shoots” all teaching virtually the same thing! Oh, they are all envious and jealous of each other, and put each other down whenever they feel the need, and none of them want their “members” straying to other flocks or services of competing church groups – but they know they can no longer claim to be the “only true church” and get away with it. So they all vie with each other to be the “best,” the most “loyal,” and all uphold HWA as their icon or idol.
Let’s analyze HWA’s article and theory on “ordination” of ministers.
There are many underlying assumptions in what Herbert wrote. He wrote:
“Is God’s order in His Church to ordain men INDEPENDENTLY of each other, secretly, directly?” (page 2).
The ANSWER: to
that question is – Yes, God can do as He chooses! Many ministries have been started
independently. The only true way to “judge them” is “by their fruits”
(Matt.7:21). Jesus Himself said to His
disciples, “And other sheep I have, which are NOT of this fold” (John
Jesus declared,
“I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7) – not any other man is the “door.” We come to Christ and He puts us into His
church. He called Paul supernaturally –
Christ chose him – he told Ananias, “he is a chosen vessel unto me” (Acts
If as Herbert tries to say, laying on of hands for human ordination was necessary, then why didn’t Peter and the other apostles do it when Paul was with them, in Jerusalem? God Himself had made it plain that Paul was chosen to be an apostle! What “man” would have the right to say he was not an apostle after GOD had spoken? How could his apostleship be delayed, until fallible MEN decided to “approve” of him and “ordain” him, when GOD had already done so? (See Acts 9:1-6, 15).
If Paul was indeed made an apostle by CHRIST, then why would his supposed “ordination” have to wait until years later, when he had gone up to Antioch? And why would he be “ordained” by lesser ranked individuals, since Paul himself was an “apostle”? Ridiculous!
Paul declared, many times, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God” – not the will of MEN! (I Cor.1:1). “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God” (II Cor.1:1). Paul made it VERY clear, when he declared, “Paul, an apostle (NOT OF MEN, NEITHER BY MAN, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father” (Gal.1:1). “Paul, and apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God” (Gal.1:1, Col.1:1).
The truth is, Jesus Christ ordained Paul, and no other human ordination was needed – the proof was in his calling and in his fruits!
In Titus 1:5 we read Paul's
words to Titus, an evangelist: “For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou
shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in
every city, as I had appointed thee.”
The New King James Bible makes this more clear: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that
you should set in order the things that are lacking, and APPOINT ELDERS
in every city as I commanded you.”
Notice! These men were made elders – that is
appointed to be elders – in the Church.
There is no mention whatsoever of “laying on of hands” in this
passage!
In the book of Acts, we also
read: “So when they [Paul and Barnabas]
had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they
commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 13:23). Notice that this selection of elders was
accompanied with fasting and prayer. But
there is no mention at all of any “laying on of hands”!
The Greek word for “ordained” or
“appointed” in these verses is the word kathistemi, and means “to place
down (permanently), i.e., designate, constitute, convoy -- appoint, be,
conduct, make, ordain, set.” It simply
means to appoint, select, or choose -- to designate or set in office. There is no evidence whatsoever that it
involved “laying on of hands”!
The central focus, if there is one, in Herbert Armstrong’s article is Acts 13:1-2 – this is the ONLY passage in the New Testament which might seem to imply, on the surface, that laying on of hands was connected with being “ordained.” But is that what it REALLY says?
Notice! We read that Paul and Barnabas were separated for a special work, and certain prophets and teachers of the Antioch church were there, and as they all ministered, God’s Spirit told them all to separate Paul and Barnabas for a unique new work – so they “fasted, and prayed, and laid their hands on them, (and) they sent them away.” They then, being sent forth, departed to Cyprus, and Asia Minor, and on to Europe.
Herbert Armstrong quotes this passage and claims: “At this time there were, at the Antioch Church, PROPHETS and TEACHERS (no apostles). But God’s authority was vested in the Church at Jerusalem, and authority there was vested in the APOSTLES, who undoubtedly [MY emphasis here!], in process of GOD’S GOVERNMENT, HAD SENT the prophets to Antioch.” Notice the ASSUMPTIONS here! He says, “undoubtedly,” which is merely his opinion! It is rank NONSENSE! The passage says NOTHING about prophets and teachers being SENT from anywhere! What a colossal misinterpretation of the Scriptures, and reading into them one’s OWN premise or conclusion, to fit one’s own theory of events and what transpired!
The episode in Acts 13 at Antioch says nothing about prophets and teachers being sent from Jerusalem to ordain Paul and Barnabas. What it REALLY says, is, “Now there were IN THE CHURCH that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers. . .” (v.1). These INCLUDED “Barnabas . . . and Saul” (Paul!). These were all chosen, ordained men of God. The Holy Spirit said to them to separate Paul and Barnabas “for the work whereunto I have called them” (a special task or endeavor). They fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, and sent them away – that’s all. No mention here of any “ordination” to an office in the ministry!
Herbert goes on, quoting verse 2, and says – notice it: “While they were worshiping and fasting, GOD, through the Holy Spirit, gave order: ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for THE WORK TO WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM.’ THAT IS, ORDAIN THEM!” (page 4 of article).
What? Nowhere in this PASSAGE does the word “ORDAIN” appear! It is pure, unadulterated ASSUMPTION! Oh what mischief we weave, when others we attempt to deceive!!
This was not an “ordination.” If Paul was to be ordained an APOSTLE by HUMAN hands, when Christ had already MADE him an apostle, then one would conclude naturally that the APOSTLES would have done it AT JERUSALEM, when Paul met with them much earlier (Gal.1:18-19). But they didn’t. Why? Because he was ALREADY ORDAINED by Jesus Christ! They could neither add to it nor subtract from it!
What was this “laying on of hands” all about? Notice! NOTHING HERE is said of “ordination” WHATSOEVER! Herbert Armstrong completely jumps the track in reasoning when he claims, with no evidence whatsoever, that this was an “ORDINATION”! He just ASSUMES IT – he takes it for granted – and then CLAIMS it is so! What kind of Biblical research, honesty, integrity, and careful, cautious analysis of the Scriptures, is that? We ought to TREMBLE before the Word of God, and not be so quick to read our OWN ideas into the Scriptures! We should just let them speak for themselves, and not add to them in any way!
As Paul wrote, “For we are not as MANY, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ” (I Cor.2:17). We ought to be VERY CAREFUL we don’t just read our own ideas and pet theories INTO the Scriptures, but just let them speak to us, with open minds and a teachable, humble attitude!
So, what was this “laying on of hands” all about? What do the SCRIPTURES say in this matter?
The first account in the Bible
of “laying on of hands” is found in Genesis 48.
Notice! In this passage we read
that Joseph brings his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh before his father, Israel
(Jacob), when he is old, and soon to die.
“Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, ‘Who are these?’ And Joseph said to his father, ‘They are my
sons, whom God has given me in this place.’
And he said, ‘Please bring them to me, and I will BLESS them’” Gen.48:8-9).
How did Jacob “bless” the two
youngsters?
“Then Israel stretched out his right
hand, and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left
hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the
firstborn. And he blessed Joseph,
and said: ‘God, before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, BLESS THE LADS; Let my name
be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them
grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth’” (Gen.48:14-16).
Did you get that? They had “hands” laid on them, and this was a
sign of BLESSING – not an “ordination” of any sort whatsoever! To “ordain” is one thing – to “bless” is
another!
In
verse 20 we read, “So he blessed them that day, saying, ‘By you Israel will
bless, saying, “May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!”’ And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.”
Notice, this was an account of a
BLESSING placed upon CHILDREN! Israel,
or Jacob, laid his hands on the heads of the lads, and then blessed them in
the name of the Lord. In no way was this
an “ordination” to the ministry! Why,
they were yet CHILDREN! NOWHERE IN THE
BIBLE IS “ORDINATION” CONNECTED TO “LAYING ON OF HANDS”!
In the case of the apostle Paul, ask yourself this question: Since Paul was an apostle, how could lower ranked ministers ordain a man to an OFFICE higher than theirs, anyway? How could a mere “prophets and teachers” ordain another man to be an “APOSTLE”?
GOD calls and chooses apostles – not MEN! “And HE [Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers” (Eph.4:11) – CHRIST does this – and notice – “apostles” are above “prophets” and come first in rank. So how could a mere “prophet,” by comparison, ordain a man to a higher rank than he himself possesses? The very idea is absurd!
Paul wrote, “And GOD hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers . . .” (I Cor.12:28).
Whether Herbert himself was really a true apostle is very dubious. There is no “proof” that he was – in my opinion, the “fruits” of his ministry are very lacking. When I look at all the evidence, in retrospect, I see broken homes, failed marriages, shattered lives, because of his dogmatic doctrine and teaching on divorce and remarriage, as well as incest, adultery, in his personal life, and many people sick and others who died or became blind by adhering to his doctrine concerning doctors, drugs and healing.
But, on the
other hand, he was the head of a large and successful religious “work,” which
took in hundreds of millions of dollars in its heyday, each year. And to be candid, he lived like a king, with
a multimillion dollar home, and furnishings, a private jet aircraft, and a
chauffer-driven limousine (in Pasadena, Big Sandy, and Bricket Wood,
England). He lived like royalty. But when I look in the Scriptures, I see none
of God’s true apostles ever lived that way!
Notice the truth! Paul, a true apostle if there ever was one, wrote to the Corinthian church: “Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Quite apart from us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we might be kings with you! For I think that God has exhibited us apostles LAST OF ALL, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world,to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become LIKE THE RUBBISH OF THE WORLD, the DREGS of all things, to this very day” (I Cor.4:8-13, NRSV).
Compared to that example of a true apostle of Christ, how does Herbert W. Armstrong REALLY measure up? Be fair.
The truth is, the teachings and doctrines of Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God, under his direction and control, brought truckloads of suffering and grief over the years to thousands of people, due to his errors in doctrine and understanding and serious mismanagement and covering up of high-level sin over the years. His actions smacked of outright hypocrisy and wickedness at times, as when he deliberately covered up his son’s lifestyle of adultery and sexual looseness over decades. He even threatened the Church members, booming and bellowing from the pulpit, “on the authority of Jesus Christ!”, not to delve into Ted’s “moral” lapses and transgressions, and not to seek to find out the full story, which he covered up and hid from public view.
Were those the true “works” of an apostle of Jesus Christ and of God?
On page 9, Herbert says Christ carried on affairs in His Church according to “HIS GOVERNMENT” (bottom of page). Well, of course He did. He put offices into His church (Eph.4:13-14). HWA flatly states that “prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.” He gives no proof at all, but brassly states it AS IF IT were a fact. Yet we saw in Acts 13:1-2, these were men IN THE ANTIOCH CHURCH – not men who came up from Jerusalem!!!
After claiming special prophets were sent to Antioch, to support his theory, Herbert adds, “There is no doubt, therefore, that THESE PROPHETS WERE SENT from Jerusalem BY AUTHORITY OF THE APOSTLES” (p.3-4).
Nonsense! Ridiculous! That is a bold-faced STRETCH of imagination without any proof whatsoever!!!
He restates this same conclusion later on page 4, but never offers any PROOF of his assertion – apparently, he thinks that his saying it should be enough “proof” for you and me, and of course, all his church membership. If he says it, it must be so – because “he is an apostle”!
Thus “circular reasoning” becomes standard issue in his attempts to bolster and set forth his case for human ordination at the hands of men!
If Herbert says it, and since he calls himself an “apostle,” then so it must be – for wasn’t he the new “apostle” of the 20th century, and wasn’t he God’s appointed leader over His “only one true Church” in the end times? So isn’t his word and every utterance the LAW of the Church?
If you really believe that, then why not follow the Pope? He claims authority direct from Christ, through a long succession of popes, back to Peter – or so he says. Should we take HIS word for it?
Why should we take ANY man’s word for anything? “Search the Scriptures,” Christ said (John 5:39). “Prove all things,” the apostle Paul warned (I Thess.5:21). Herbert lays on the mud thickly, and layer by layer builds his case unto he is shouting with huge capital letters – but he offers no proof, just repetition of the same conclusion as if that is supposed to be “proof”!
Balderdash! Hogwash!
False ministers always EXAGGERATE in order to prove their own importance! By talking as IF they had authority, they bullwhip and bamboozle and strike fear into people that “they must be right, or why would they shout and thunder with bombast from the pulpit so much”! Adolf Hitler, whom HWA used to quote in this regard, said “Tell a lie big enough and often enough and everyone will believe it!” Or as a lawyer once said to another young lawyer, when in court before the judge, “Argue your case with the facts, if you have the facts, with the evidence if you have the evidence, otherwise just POUND THE TABLE!” even that might impress an impressionable jury, when all else fails, including proof, logic, or facts aren’t on your side!
One page 6 HWA argues that “The word of God clearly teaches us that there is but the ONE Spirit and the ONE Body (I Cor.12:12-13). He then argues, “God cannot [whoops!!!] and does not [????] carry on HIS WORK thru ONE BODY, with headquarters at Pasadena, California, and also thru some one man, or different Body, working independently and out of harmony with the Pasadena Body.”
Well, here we go again! Get ready for a thrilling E-ride in flamboyant circumlocution and circuitous reasonings! All around the backside to get to the middle – all around Cape Horn to get to the North Pole!
He says it, as if it really makes sense – but he doesn’t offer one word of Biblical proof. Yet Christ said, “I have sheep NOT OF THIS FOLD.” The fact is, Herbert himself was lying, or stretching the truth enormously, here, because in other literature, he admitted that side by side with his own church was the Church of God Seventh Day, with which he used to work and he even worked with ministers in that church, long AFTER he had started up his own church and work!!! He admitted at times that they were the “Sardis church” – a true church of God (Rev.3:1-4). And there are other Sabbath keeping, holy day keeping churches today on the earth. Who is to say that they are ALL PAGAN – all of the DEVIL – all DECEIVED? Just because they don’t follow Herbert? Or didn’t even know of him? Or didn’t trust some of his teachings (which were false, by the way!)?
Remember, Jesus
said: “I have OTHER SHEEP not of THIS
FOLD” – sheep which even the very apostles didn’t know about!
The truth is, God can carry on His government however He wishes, or however He allows men to do so. The Church of God Seventh Day is more democratic and collegial in government. So was Herbert in the early years of his independent work. But gradually, to protect his own “FLOCK” from other churches, ministries, and teachers, who did not follow him in all things, he developed his theory that he was God’s chosen agent in the earth and all else were false! He became proud, conceited, lifted up, arrogant, and fired people at will whoever dared to question him or disagree with him on any point, or displeased him in any fashion. Floyd Lochner, one time principle of the church’s ‘Imperial Schools,’ knew this by bitter experience. He had the fame to have been “FIRED” by Herbert numerous times, but was always rehired!!
In a section titled “God ALWAYS Ordains by Hand of Man,” Herbert keeps on arguing his case for one body, one church, one line of authority, saying “There must be no competition, or division.” Well, the problem is that what is DESIRABLE is not always workable with human beings! Sure, we should all be “united in Christ.” But is unity in “error” a viable substitute? Some would sacrifice TRUTH for the semblance of “unity.” Such people may indeed be united together, BUT NOT WITH CHRIST! He IS the “way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Paul told the Corinthians that although they were a true congregation or church of God, “I beseech you . . . that ye all speak the same thing, and that there BE NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU” (I Cor.1:10). There were divisions among them – and they were God’s Church! So it is false to say there can be no divisions among God’s people – there frequently ARE! Not everyone sees everything exactly alike! We must make allowances for our brethren who see some things differently, and love them just the same – not treat them cavalierly, and snobbishly, and with rejection and opprobrium and shamefully!
The church in these end days is especially divided up into various competing organizations. It began even before Herbert Armstrong’s death. Since his death there are an estimated 300-500 churches and ministries that have come out of and separated from the church he build – the Worldwide Church of God – and that church itself has repudiated him, all his works and writings, and rejected him totally! How embarrassing that will be for him in the day of the resurrection from the dead!
God and Christ desire that we all be united, but there is far too much human nature and selfish ambition and lack of genuine humility and grace among God’s people today, for many to admit their mistakes, their errors, and to confess their sins, and to come together in godly unity and harmony.
Herbert
Armstrong writes, near the bottom of page 6, “CHRIST IS NOT DIVIDED.” Well of course He is not – but the members
of His body, today, are deeply divided on many things, including basic
doctrines, Passover, Pentecost, and especially “church government”!
So to get back to the truth, we must realize where Herbert Armstrong went astray. The very first place he went AWOL from the truth, I believe, is in his massacring of the truth about “church government” and his fallacious teaching regarding “ordination by the hand of man,” as if there had been a uninterrupted sequence of such ordinations all the way back to Peter (which the Catholic Church teaches!!!) – and yet there IS ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that such a thing was true, or ever happened!
What? Must we deny the power of God to pick a man, to choose a man, to lift him up and begin to USE him mightily in God’s Work, through giving him the Holy Spirit of power? Must we say God MUST choose to ordain a man through the hand of some other man? Why? Why on earth? Should we thereby LIMIT God? Can’t God do as He chooses, whenever He chooses? Isn’t the ONLY way to identify God’s TRUE servants by their fruits? By their teaching the TRUTH? (Isa.8:20; Matt.7:20; Acts 17:11; I John 4:1).
What about Noah? Who “ordained” him? What about Moses? There is no evidence any “man” laid hands” on them and ordained them! Or Samuel; or Daniel; or Elijah; or Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel! GOD HIMSELF CALLED THEM, AND APPOINTED THEM! PERIOD!
Who “laid hands” on the twelve disciples? There is no such Scripture in the New Testament that says ANY of them were so ordained! Rather, they were ordained by the Word of God – the words of Christ, when He SPOKE TO THEM, saying, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ORDAINED you, that ye should bring forth much fruit” (John 15:16). The word translated “ordained” here is the Greek word tithemi and means “appoint, make, ordain, purpose, set, put.”
It’s not a magical formula. It does not require anointing with oil, or laying on of hands. That is the simple truth. All it requires is God’s intent, purpose, and choosing of a person. That is God’s prerogative.
A fallacy of “Armstrongism” (I will call it that for lack of better word) is that his whole structure of Church Government collapsed and weakened the brethren so that they were spiritually unprepared for the day when the leaders of the church, after Herbert died, led the church astray and back into the world’s mainstream churches, repudiating the very Sabbath and Holy Days in the process.
Armstrong tried to say all ordination is by the hands of man. Well, in theory his scheme worked like the Army – ranks were from top to bottom, with offices being conferred from top on down. Of course, we recognize the different levels of authority in the offices in the church from apostle down to elder. But if this was really the case, and if HWA was really an apostle, there where were the prophets, who were supposed to constitute the office right under that of apostle? There were none! He ever ‘ordained’ any! He said this office was done away after the first century church! He said we don’t “need” prophets today, because we have the written Word of God!
Oh? Is that so? Then WHY DID HE HIMSELF COMMIT SO MANY PROPHETIC BLUNDERS, MISSES, AND ERRORS? Read the article on “Herbert Armstrong’s Failed Prophecies” and “Prophetic Errors of Herbert W. Armstrong!”
Oneness, harmony, and teamwork are wonderful goals to strive to attain, so long as they never compromise the TRUTH of God. Oneness or teamwork outside of the truth is oneness or harmony in ERROR, and every error is of the Father of Errors and Lies, Satan the devil!
Christ’s body should not be divided, but what should we really expect when we are living in the Laodicean Age of the church – the age characterized most widely by the fruits of “lukewarmness” and being spiritually “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev.3:14-17).
Unfortunately, Herbert Armstrong’s EGO went to his head. He may have really thought (convinced himself) that he was the “only one” – even “the Elijah to come” – even despite his destroying homes by his terrible divorce and remarriage doctrine, causing many people to become sick and die, or blind, because he taught medical science was of the DEVIL and medicine and the like was comparable to “monkey puss”! Horror upon horrors!
When will people admit that they were deceived, taken in, hoodwinked, and mesmerized by a very adroit and crafty con-man and spiritual swindler? If he had the truth at one time, it would seem he began to depart from it because of his own sins (including incest with his own daughter over ten years’ time), arrogance and pride (the very sin of Satan the devil!), and lack of true humility, love, and willingness to sacrifice and be a lowly “servant” in attitude. Instead he chose to drive around in a chauffeured limousine, fly in his own private corporate jet, criss-cross the world meeting with kings, prime ministers, and potentates of the world, but NEVER preaching to them the message of Christ, His gospel, His sacrifice, and His soon return to the planet to instill the Kingdom of God!
Woe be to those who pretend to serve God but who serve themselves and feed themselves on the flesh of God’s sheep! (Ezek.34:1-4; Jer.23:1-3; Zech.12:16-17).
HWA wrote in all capital letters, bottom of page 6: “THERE IS NOT ONE EXAMPLE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WHERE ANY MAN WAS SELF-APPOINTED, OR ORDAINED WITHOUT THE HAND OF MAN, SEPARATE FROM AND INDEPENDENT OF HIS ORDERED CHURCH! Any such claims to ordination or office are WITHOUT A SHRED OF SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY!”
Those are strong words. But what do they mean? Of course no true servant of God is “self-appointed.” People cannot “choose” the ministry for themselves. GOD and CHRIST must put them there. And THEY know whether they have done it or not. And THEY do not need the hands of man to do it!
Who ordained Peter Waldo in the Middle Ages, who started the Waldensian Church, God’s faithful church in that time, which decried Catholic error and broke away from that church, and which was viciously persecuted by the Pope and his political allies in Europe? There is no evidence that any man did.
As
I said before, all twelve apostles were ordained by Christ, by His spoken WORDS
(John 15:16) – not by laying on of the hands of MAN! When the apostles sought to find another
apostle to replace Judas Iscariot, they actually cast lots, to decide between
two candidates – and God showed His choice by the result of the lots cast!
(Acts 1:15-26). “The lot fell upon Matthias;
and he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (verse 26). Notice!
No laying on of hands, or “ordination” by the “hand of man”!
Herbert stretches the truth beyond pale when he writes that “Jesus Christ Himself ORDAINED His apostles – by His Hand in Person, direct.” John 15:16 does NOT say He used His “Hand, direct,” at all! Again, I would have to say to Herbert – BALONEY! How dare you twist the Scripture to suggest it says any more than what it actually and clearly says!
Herbert Armstrong quotes Acts 14:23 which says that Paul and Barnabas “ordained them elders in every city.” Fine. That’s what it says. It does NOT SAY that they were ordained “by the HANDS of Paul and Barnabas”!!! That is what HWA says! That is a misrepresentation of the truth. That is nothing but a pure out-and-out ASSUMPTION! The Scripture says nothing of the kind!
Again, Paul says he laid hands on Timothy for him to receive the Holy Spirit, after he was baptized (II Tim.1:6). Herbert writes, “If for receiving the Holy Spirit, then certainly also for his ordination” (p.7 of article). Certainly also? Why? Why should we ASSUME, just because Herbert says it, that it was or is “true”? As we have seen already, laying on of HANDS was NOT necessary for ordination to spiritual office! The Greek word merely means to be “chosen, selected, appointed” – this would generally be done by verbal selection and announcement to the congregation, accompanied perhaps by fasting and prayers, but not necessarily so.
Herbert quotes the apostle Paul himself who says, “I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle” (I Tim.2:7). He then says, “Was Paul actually ORDAINED, or just made an apostle by God direct without ordination?” Herbert then exclaims, “Paul here says plainly, he was ORDAINED! That settles iit!” (page 7).
But settles what? Here is it obvious that Herbert Armstrong is mixed up and confused about the meaning of the original Greek word for “ordained,” or he never bothered to look it up! It is Strongs’ #5087, tithemi, and means “appoint, set, put, make, ordain.” The verse says nothing about any MAN ordaining Paul, but as Paul says elsewhere, GOD and CHRIST chose him, called him, and ordained him – Christ ordained him just as He ordained the other apostles, by CHOOSING AND SELECTING AND APPOINTING THEM to their ministries! This verse says absolutely nothing about “ordination by the hands of MEN”!
At this point we begin to see the REAL MOTIVE behind Herbert’s article. The next section is entitled, “WHICH Is Christ’s ONE Body?”
Notice his boldness and brashness. He wrote:
“Either the Church of God
with headquarters in Pasadena is the ONE
AND
ONLY true Body of Christ, thru whom Christ carries on HIS
WORK,
or else it is deceived, or it is a fraud.
There is no other
possibility. You MUST FACE IT, and DECIDE WHICH ALTERNA-
TIVE
IS TRUE . . . .” (page 7).
What gall! What egotism! What blasphemy! What sheer nonsense! What unadulterated DOGMATISM! What arrogance!
Think about it. He leaves a person with little choice. If a person studied his literature, and found it was true in many respects, and found all others that he studied to be far removed from the truth, then it would appear that Herbert’s church would be the “only true body of Christ” – but wait a minute! Having ‘some’ truth or even ‘the majority of truth’ is not the real issue. Paul himself wrote that “knowledge PUFFS UP” (I Cor.8:1). But he said, “LOVE builds up” (same verse). He goes on to show that the REAL demonstration of the Spirit of God in a person is LOVE (I Cor.13:1-13). He wrote that one could have “ALL knowledge,” but without “love,” it is nothing more than “nothing” (verse 2). In other words, worthless!
The fruits of the Spirit of God, which identify a person, are listed in Galatians 5:19-21. Yes, truth is important – very much so. But we must be careful. Just because a church as some truth, and appears to be the true church, does not mean there are not “OTHER SHEEP” of other pastures!!!
It is a fact that as we go into far distant regions of the world, we often find that the gospel has been preached by others, and there are scattered independent congregations that observe the Sabbath and the Holy Days. What? Are they not of God? Are they false, just because they never heard of Herbert W. Armstrong?
Balderdash! Ham hocks! Poppycock!
In his boastful article, Herbert remarked about the so-called “Sardis” church, which he said was the Church of God, Seventh Day. He declared (page 7), “this Sardis Church died, spiritually.” Is that right? I have it on very good authority (I get one of their publications regularly) that they are still VERY MUCH ALIVE, AND KICKING! Their articles demonstrate an awareness of solid Biblical understanding on many points, but they are cursed with this blind affliction of claiming to be something they are not – the “only and only true Church”!
HWA claimed his church represented the “Philadelphia” church mentioned in Revelation 3. This church, we read in the Bible, “I have set before thee an open door . . . for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name” (Rev.3:8). Herbert pointed to the Worldwide Church of God as being that church, because “it has but few members.” He continued, “Yet this church has KEPT God’s Word – repented where it was wrong – accepted the new knowledge now revealed – lived by the Word of God – and is also called by the NAME, The CHURCH OF GOD.” He said that his church, because it “has KEPT GOD’S WORD with patient endurance, it shall be PROTECTED and PRESERVED from the hour of trial – the Great Tribulation, and Day of the Lord, soon coming on the earth!”
Now get this, and get it good! That very church, which he built, has CEASED TO EXIST, in all truth, and the Great Tribulation has not even come yet! Rather, his church, right after his death, went into wild apostasy, repudiated his name and doctrines, and even the truth which he had taught, and laughed in his face as he lay moldering in his grave!
The churches
which came out of that church are now all divided and competing among
themselves for the remnants and scraps remaining of the church, and merely
trying to ‘hold on’ to what they received from Herbert’s teaching. Sadly, they are NOT the church he described –
that is, none of them has shown itself humble and, to quote him, “repented
where it was wrong --- accepted the new knowledge now revealed – lived by the
Word of God.”
Oh yes, they call themselves “The United Church of God,” “The Living Church of God,” “Philadelphia Church of God,” “Biblical Church of God,” “Restored Church of God,” but they are all really the old “Fossilized Church of God” or “Petrified Church of God” – they are made out of stone and impervious to repentance or change or acknowledging where they have been wrong, and unwilling to accept new proven TRUTH and “new KNOWLEDGE now revealed”!
So much for their fruits! They do teach a measure of truth, which they got from Herbert Armstrong, but other than that, they are “dead in the water.” As far as the descriptions of the churches of God are concerned, found in Revelation, it would appear that they are divided between the “Sardis” church, which is virtually dead spiritually, and “Laodicea” – which is blind, miserable, poor, pitiable, wretched, and naked spiritually!
In his article, Hebert Armstrong was trying to bolster and buttress his position as the head of the “Radio Church of God,” as it was called at that time. He was trying to show that he and only he had the “truth” of God, and so he claimed to be the “one and only true church of God.” But the fruits over the years have proven him to be wrong, and his claims were invalid and erroneous. HE WAS MISTAKEN!
His church, I would dare to say, was just one more BRANCH of God’s end-time church! Remember, the book of Revelation describes SEVEN CHURCHES – not just ONE! Each of the seven was like a “branch” of the true church, because each of the branches had the same TRUNK of the tree – the basic “trunk-of-the-tree knowledge” of God, His Word, and His Purpose and Plan!
Therefore, when Herbert concluded his article (page 8), saying, “Anyone outside of God’s Church [meaning his own church!] is AGAINST God’s Church!”
He then quoted the Scripture where Yeshua said, “He that is not with me is AGAINST ME, and he that gathereth not with me SCATTERETH ABROAD” (he did not reference that Scripture, however).
The fact is, there may be a good reason he did not reference it. Because, if you read it in context, you discover something astounding. What Messiah REALLY was saying, is that AS THE MESSIAH SPEAKING, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with ME scattereth abroad” (Matt.12:30).
This is NOT Herbert Armstrong speaking! This is CHRIST speaking! We must all gather with HIM, and work for HIM, and put HIM first in our lives! If we don’t then we are actually “scattering” instead of “gathering,” and working contrary to the truth of God. So many churches today are SCATTERING THE SHEEP, and not gathering them to the truth of Christ; they are peeling off members to themselves. They are not preaching UNITY in the TRUTH of God, but they are adamantly – like adamantine stone – stone-walling the truth and refusing to admit entrance to new truth – with a vehemence and impenetrable surface!
During Jesus’ ministry, his disciple John came to Him, telling Him they had seen a man casting out demons in His name, who wasn’t following with them. He told Yeshua that they had forbidden the man, because he wasn’t following along with the group surrounding Yeshua. But the Master replied, “Forbid him NOT: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is NOT AGAINST US, is on our part” (Mark 9:38-40).
Here we see that it is not necessary for all God’s people to be gathered together into “one flock,” or “one church” congregation, or “one work,” or “one unity.” That is precisely the kind of thinking that Christ rebuked in this passage!
Again, in Luke, chapter 9, we read of the same episode, repeated for our instruction and benefit. Yeshua declared to John: “Forbid him not: for he that is not against us IS FOR US” (Luke 9:50).
Judging from these Scriptures, I would say to you that we should NEVER speak proudly against or evil toward any other sincere ministry which is trying to teach the people about the truth of God, as best they understand it. As I quoted earlier, knowledge is not the all-important thing, but LOVE is!!! We should LOVE our brethren in “other flocks,” and not belittle, discourage, or berate them or castigate them or accuse them falsely or look down upon them with arrogance, conceitedness, or pride, like the proud Pharisee who despised the poor publican sinner who prayed in the Temple beside him (Luke 18:10-14).
I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that we should strive for unity, in the truth, and always hold out our hand seeking reconciliation with erring, misled and straying brethren, who may at this time belong to scattered and erring flocks. We should love them, and pray for them, and the ministers who mislead them, who themselves have been misled, mistaught, and utterly deceived.
For a greater understanding of the subject of laying on it hands, itself, and what it really represents, write four our article entitled “What’s All This About ‘Anointing with Oil’ and ‘Laying on of Hands’?”
For a deeper, more penetrating analysis of the very issues and problems, that arose in the Worldwide Church of God, largely because of Herbert Armstrong’s false teaching about “ordination” by men, and the subtle, nefarious traps it created for the continuity of God’s Church, I urge you to write for our articles:
A New Look at the Government of God
The Plain Truth about Church Authority!
Where the Worldwide Church of God Went Wrong
“How Are the Mighty Fallen!”
End-Tine Apostasy!
What Are the Seven Churches of Revelation?
Where Is the “True” Church of God?
Crisis in the Worldwide Church of God!
Prophetic Errors of Herbert W. Armstrong
Back to Babylon!
What Is “Moses’ Seat”?
Which Church God’s Church and Which Work is God’s Work?
The Triumph Saga – My Own Personal Story
40 Ways We are Different from Other Churches
What Went Wrong with the Philadelphia Church of God?
Where the Vultures Gather
The Plain Truth about Joseph Tkach – Apostle or Apostate?
Let’s quit worshiping men, and following men, and follow Christ! Let’s quit putting men up on a pedestal and idolizing their every word, and follow the Word of God, the Scriptures, and “Prove All things,” before we accept something as true or not (II Thess.5:21).
What about you? Will you follow all the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong, or those who claim to be his successors, walking in his footsteps – or will YOU follow Christ?
No, Jesus Christ is NOT divided. But human beings are very much divided, in these “end times”, today!
Its high time you reconcile with CHRIST, and become ONE with Him and His TRUTH, and not follow men – any men – in error, despotism, tyranny, and become a member of an unthinking, robot-like, clever, dictatorial cult!
Its about time we learn the real lesson behind the words of the apostle Paul who wrote, “So let no one boast about human leaders” (I Cor.3:21, NRSV). “And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us NOT TO THINK OF MEN ABOVE THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another” (I Cor.4:6, KJV)l
God knows intimately the trials and tests we have all been going through. He knows the deception, errors, and false doctrines we have been taught in the past, and had to wade through in order to come, finally, to a greater understanding of the truth of God and His Plan.
Its high time we look to Christ, and to His Word, and learn to have “judicious” respect of those proven to be true ministers of God – but not to ever over-esteem any one, especially those who strut and swagger and exert their “authority” with great pomposity and proud bombast. We should not accept any “minister” at face value, but as John the apostle wrote, “Beloved, do not put faith in every spirit, but PROVE (TEST) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world” (I John 4:1, Amplified Parallel Bible).
“Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits” (Matt.7:20, APB).
What about you? Are you willing to examine your own past life, and the ministers and churches you have been or are still involved with – and search the Scriptures – and prove to yourself where the TRUTH of God is really being taught faithfully?
“He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches)” (Rev.3:22, APB).