Letter
June 17, 2020

June 17th, 2020

Gerald E. Weston

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ,

All of us, no matter our age, are getting older—that is the way life works. Many of us are at the place where we know time is running out. At an earlier time, we couldn’t wait until our next birthday and the next milestone: becoming a teenager, being old enough to drive, or reaching adulthood. But at some point, we began to realize that life was not as long as we once thought. Sooner than we could imagine, we reached the top of the hill and began descending on the other side, and with each passing year the finish line comes into clearer focus. Yes, at some point we realize that growing old is not easy.

Under the best of times life can be difficult—all of us understand that. But it is still easy to become discouraged by what we currently see around us. We wonder what is happening to our countries. We see protests and riots in the streets of the United States and elsewhere. No matter where we live, our economies are severely damaged, and no one knows for sure what that means for our future. COVID-19 is frightening for many who are older or have preexisting conditions that can exacerbate the effects of the virus—and for those who love them. And we may feel vulnerable to a host of other concerns.

However, as our world grows crazier by the day and the specter of the end draws nearer, our confidence in God, His purpose for us, and the hope He gives us should bring great comfort. As Paul reminded us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Paul also wrote one of the most encouraging passages of scripture in Romans 8:35-39. Please take time to read it, for we as the people of God have something the world does not have!

We hear a great deal about fake news these days and there is no lack of it coming from all quarters, as objectivity is sorely lacking in politics, academia, media, and popular culture. However, there is also much misinformation regarding God’s plan and how He is working it out. The doctrines of Jesus and first-century Christianity have been drastically altered, watered down, and infused with pagan philosophy and religion. You likely understand this, being readers of Tomorrow’s World and viewers of our television program. Our booklets point out biblical truths that you never hear in most churches, where greater emphasis is placed on “feel good” gospels rather than straight-talk messages from the Bible about the need to change and become conformed to the Jesus Christ of the Bible.

Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthians is as relevant today as it was in the first century: “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it” (2 Corinthians 11:4). Paul explained later in this same chapter about those preachers who bring a different Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into minister of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (vv. 13-15).

No, the problem was not for that day alone. The Bible prophesied this would be an issue for our day as well. Paul instructed the young evangelist Timothy, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

And the prophet Isaiah was instructed to take God’s warning and to “write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord; who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us’” (Isaiah 30:8-11). If you have not read the late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith’s booklets Restoring Original Christianity and Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity, be sure to order free copies. Dr. Meredith documents eye-opening truths in these two resources.

It has never been popular to teach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and to warn this world of what is to come if we do not turn around and go a different direction, but it is shocking how rapidly censorship of non-politically correct ideas is descending on our Western world. Truth is suppressed, while every kind of sexual filth and violence is promoted. You would be surprised how often one of our television programs is rejected by a station or governing authority because it does not fit the politically correct narrative.

Paul instructed Timothy regarding “the last days” and how they would be marked by danger, as “men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control. . .” (2 Timothy 3:2-5). Danger may come in many different forms and include physical injury or death, but what about the danger we see today of someone losing a job for tweeting a comment that does not fit the agenda of today’s “social engineers”?

This is the world in which we are to preach the truth unapologetically, and God tells us through the prophet Ezekiel that we will be held accountable if we fail to do so (Ezekiel 33:1-7). Even the Proverbs warn us that we will have to answer to God if we hold back from warning the world of where it is heading: “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” (Proverbs 24:11-12).

Dear brethren and co-workers, we have a job to do. We are faithfully doing it and your prayers make a difference. When we receive an unexpected tithe from someone who is not even a subscriber, or an inheritance from someone we don’t even know, we recognize that God is blessing us and answering the prayers of His faithful people. Frankly, those of us here in Charlotte and in our offices around the world have been humbled at how our Creator has blessed us during this difficult economic time. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and for your heartfelt prayers. Please remember to give thanks for the way God is blessing His Work, and for the blessings He pours out on each of us individually.

Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston