With an upcoming move to Charlotte, North Carolina, and other areas of growth and change in the offing, it is vital for all of our people to come to a deeper faith and trust in Jesus Christ. It is easy to forget that Jesus Christ is alive and very active! That He is the living Head of the Church. That He is aware of the smallest detail. That, indeed, “the very hairs on your head are all numbered!” (Matthew 10:30).
God’s “Instruction Manual”—the Holy Bible—speaks of the resurrected Jesus Christ in this way: “And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). And in Ephesians 1:22–23, Paul speaks of how God “put all things under His [Christ’s] feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Do we truly believe that Christ is the “Head over all things” to the Church?
Thousands of God’s people became disillusioned by some of the upsets and trials of the 1970s. Then, by the late 1980s and early 1990s, many of us were deeply concerned about the introduction of major heresies in our former association—and in the absolute “trashing” of Mr. Herbert Armstrong and all that he represented and had taught us. “Where was Jesus Christ in all of this?” many wondered.
But now, in retrospect, it should be fairly easy for a Spirit-led Christian to see that this time of trial was truly needed. For tens of thousands in our former association were not converted. They were simply “going along for the ride.” They had just “grown up in the church” without ever coming to a profound, heartfelt repentance and full conversion. Or, as an adult, some had become excited by Mr. Armstrong’s understanding of prophecy and/or had proved to themselves the truth about the seventh day Sabbath or similar topics. But, again, thousands of these people had not genuinely surrendered their lives to God through Jesus Christ. And Christ was not living in them—as shown by the “fruits” in their lives back then, and certainly indicated by their confused response as the massive heresies became apparent. The evident carnality and self-will of many has been displayed by the fact that they seem to be “running around like chickens with their heads cut off” following this man or that man into virtually every strange and perverted teaching imaginable! That is sad to say, but very true.
Also, as one evangelist said years ago: “It was time for the Laodicean church era to begin.” So God allowed a major spiritual “test” to come on His people during those years. It appears that most of those weak and confused individuals failed this major test. They very quickly gave up the major truths of genuine Apostolic Christianity and slid back into the “mainstream” of American Protestantism!
Could such people have really been converted? I doubt it, and for their own sakes I hope that they were not! Because if they were converted, they have perhaps knowingly and deliberately rebelled against the Holy Spirit of God.
However, most of you dear brethren in the Living Church of God have come with us one person or one family at a time. You did not wait until it was “convenient” to come out with a large group in order to have a “good social life” or any other such reason. As many of you have said: “It was almost like a ‘second calling’ from God” when you had to sometimes “stand alone” after re-proving the Truth and stepping out of our former association. You had to prove to yourself where Christ was now working, where the full Truth was now being preached, and who was doing the Work of God. I am sure that you have been—and will continue to be—truly blessed for that!
Even so, it is easy to forget that Jesus Christ really is in charge. We may tend to see the “human element” in decisions within the Church. We may even see real or imagined “mistakes” from time to time. Does that mean Christ is not really in charge? Of course not! For Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father allow us, as human beings, to make mistakes—even in serving God. But, as Mr. Herbert Armstrong used to say: “Brethren, Jesus Christ allowed me to make dozens of mistakes over the years. But Christ has never allowed me to make the kind of major mistake that would seriously cripple or destroy the Church!”
Yes, God allows all of us—including His human leadership—to make mistakes and learn the lessons of life (cf. Galatians 2:11–13). And even Jesus Christ, who neither sinned nor made mistakes, learned from His human experience: Your Bible says: “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).
As the Living Church of God moves its earthly Headquarters to Charlotte, I fully expect that we will soon begin to do a more powerful work. It is evident to me through many circumstances that Christ is now “positioning” us to enlarge our efforts and finally have a major impact on this sinful world. Truly, brethren, this world needs what we have to give! As we grow and expand, mistakes will be made. Changes will occur—and they will sometimes be misunderstood or disliked by some. As the Church grows, exact jobs and responsibilities of many will change because of different needs in the Work.
Overall, however, Christ will certainly be “in charge.” He will be guiding, directing and inspiring us all along the way.
For our part, we must draw ever closer to Him. We must walk and truly “fellowship” with Christ and with our heavenly Father. We must believe in God and trust in Him. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). And again: “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).
Since Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, today and forever” (v. 8), we must have confidence that our Head and Savior will directly lead and guide us as He did the early church soon after His death and resurrection. Notice Mark 16:19–20: “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.”
Brethren, please meditate on these basic biblical principles. We will need to understand them in the months and years that lie ahead of us. May God help all of us to build an even greater degree of faith and confidence in the leadership of Jesus Christ in His Church today. In the trials and tests that are sure to come, we need to look “beyond” man and see what God is doing in His Church and in His Work today!