Pentecost

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Songs and Teachings of the Bible

Pentecost

"When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. . . . And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. . . ."

(Acts 2:1-4)

"Paul . . . was hurrying to be at Jerusalem . . . on the Day of Pentecost."

(Acts 20:16)

"Daniel prophesied of our time: 'Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand' (Daniel 12:10). Truly this has been a time of trying and testing. We are the firstfruits called to be students that we may become kings and priests and rule with Christ (Revelation 5:10). We in the Church are students, and we are in the time of final exams."

-- Recent History of the Philadelphia Era of the Worldwide Church of God

On the Last Great Day we ask the question, "What will happen to the vast majority of people whom God never called during this age -- those who will not be in the first resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ?" On the day of Pentecost we focus on those who have been and are now being called by God during this age.

"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?"

(I Peter 4:17)

The second part of the verse quoted above is the question we answer on the Last Great Day. The first part pertains to the day of Pentecost. Pentecost pictures what God is doing right now in this age to prepare those whom He has called for salvation.

"NEARLY 5,000,000,000 human beings are alive today. Of this incredibly large number, God has called and put into His Church in the last 50 years little more than 100,000. For every person God has put into His Church, there are 50,000 people He has not!

"Why?

"There is an astounding reason!

"This vast majority, your Bible reveals, will be called later -- most not until after Christ's return. These thousands of millions cannot come to Christ and become part of God's Church now -- even if they try! Jesus said so, plainly, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). Comparatively speaking, God has been drawing only a few in this age, but for a great purpose.

"Why has God called the few He has? For what purpose has God drawn and put into His Church His firstfruits? Has God drawn these few and put them into His Church, as some think, just so they can get salvation and enjoy the fellowship and social life of the local congregations? . . . [page 1]

"Adam had mortal life. The tree of life represented eternal life, which can come only from God's Spirit. If Adam had eaten of that tree, he would have received God's Spirit, been begotten as a son of God. Adam, conditionally, would have received the earnest or down payment of eternal life. God's Spirit would have enabled Adam and Eve to overcome temptation, grow in righteous character and become perfect, eventually ready to be given spirit-composed eternal life unconditionally. Even Jesus had to grow, learn, overcome and become perfect (Luke 2:40; Heb. 5:8; Rev. 3:21; Heb. 2:10).

"After Adam disobeyed, God cut off all humanity from access to His Spirit and thus cut them off from salvation! Until a son of Adam -- the Son of Man -- could qualify where Adam failed, could conquer Satan, pay the penalty of human sin and ransom the world from its kidnapper, no one could restore God's government on earth, and no one could be given salvation.

"The Messiah, and He alone, could do all this. Of necessity, then, God's plan required that mankind in general be not yet judged. God has therefore not permitted them to have access to His Spirit, nor access to salvation. They will have their opportunity for salvation in a special resurrection to judgment, which will be after God's government has been restored over the entire earth.

"The one great purpose now uppermost in God's mind is the restoration of His government on earth. God set apart a period of 7,000 years in which to accomplish His purpose. The first 6,000 years He sentenced mankind to be cut off from salvation.

"For His supreme purpose, God has called a few. Hebrews 11 mentions Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and others. Apparently each was called for a special mission preparatory to the salvation of humanity. In order for them to perform their mission, it was necessary that an exception be made and they be empowered by God's Spirit.

"The work done by the patriarchs and prophets became the foundation on which the Church was built (Eph. 2:20), and the Church, in turn, is the instrument God is using to eventually bring about His Kingdom and the restoration of His government over the entire earth.

"Even ancient Israel, as a whole, was never offered God's Spirit. They were given God's laws, but, as a nation, they were purposely denied access to God's Spirit. God gave proof, through Israel, that without His Spirit, humanity is helpless. The ancient nation of Israel knew about God and could appeal to Him, but without His Spirit in them, the Israelites could not have the love of God in them and they consequently could not be spiritually righteous.

"Nevertheless, after the nation of Israel became two people, the separate nations of Israel and Judah were used by God to further His plan. God caused the nation of Judah to preserve the knowledge of His law and His Word even though they did not have a spiritual understanding of it. Into this nation Jesus Christ was born.

"When Jesus Christ came to earth nearly 2,000 years ago, it was not to set up His Kingdom (John 18:36). Christ did not, at that time, come to restrain Satan from deceiving the world. Let's understand why." [pages 5-6]

"In this age before Christ begins to rule over the whole earth, each person is specially chosen. Like the prophets before them, these firstfruits are called for a special mission -- a purpose preparatory to the establishment of God's Kingdom on earth and the salvation of the majority! Otherwise, no exceptions can be made -- the world as a whole must remain cut off from access to salvation until Christ returns.

"That is why God's Church does not try to convert anyone. Only God can do that. God's ministers do not beg or plead with anyone to repent or be baptized or support God's Church. But they do make God's way easy to understand for those whom God is calling.

"If God wanted everyone to understand, everyone would. Instead, hardly anyone does. God's 'hands off' policy that began in the Garden of Eden will continue until just before Christ's return." [page 6]

"The number of Christians continued to grow and may have increased to about 100,000. But then persecution began, just as Jesus had prophesied (John 15:20). Persecution first came from the Jews, then later the Romans and false brethren (Acts 20:29-30; III John 9-10). It was some decades later that these false brethren outnumbered the true.

"Most congregations were eventually taken over by men who attempted to combine Christ's teachings with traditional customs, compromising the truth by attaching Christian-sounding names to pagan ideas. Satan, the god of this world, was deceiving many with a counterfeit, falsely labeled Christianity.

"True Christians remained a small minority probably never more than about 100,000 -- fleeing to new areas when persecution became too intense. Why does God have this small flock? What is its purpose?" [pages 6-7]

"In what way is God's Church now preparing for the end of Satan's world and the ushering in of God's Kingdom? Matt. 24:3, 14; Mark 13:10.

"COMMENT: From these verses, it is clear that the true Gospel was not preached to the world for some 1,900 years, for the end is not yet here. The true Gospel was suppressed, and, according to this prophecy of Jesus Christ, the "gospel" preached to the world was another gospel, a counterfeit!

"God's Church, by preaching Christ's Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world as a witness, is preparing millions for Christ's return. Although most people pay little attention to the message now, they will remember it when Christ and the saints begin to rule and Satan the deceiver has been restrained. Many who do not believe the message now will nevertheless have been prepared to believe when taught by Christ and His assistants.

God's Church is also preparing for God's Kingdom in another way. Those who believe Christ's Gospel now are being prepared for a special role as part of God's soon-coming Kingdom. Malachi 3:1 says the Lord will come to His Temple.

"God's Church, composed of those who have God's Spirit within them, is the spiritual Temple to which Christ will come. Paul told the Ephesians that the Church must be "fitly framed together," growing, "builded together." This united growth can be achieved only through God's government.

"The members of God's Church do not establish their own doctrines. If they did, confusion would result, for each member is at a different level of growth in knowledge and character. God's Church is organized, speaking the same thing, unified through the authority God has placed in His ministers. The doctrines of God's Church come from God through Jesus Christ through His Word and His inspiration in the men He has chosen to direct His Church. The Pastor General and his staff teach the local pastors, and they, in unity, teach the members of God's Church around the world.

"Let it be emphasized that the Church's purpose is not merely to give salvation to Church members -- the purpose is to teach and train them to become the instruments God will use to save the vast majority." [page 7]

Comment by Mr. Armstrong:

"How does God's Church receive its doctrines, beliefs and teachings? Direct from God, through the channels of Jesus Christ as HEAD of the Church, and from Him through the apostles! NEVER by any others! NEVER by a group of ministers appointing themselves as a Doctrinal Committee! So it was in the first century.

"How did the Worldwide Church of God receive its doctrines, beliefs and teachings? EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH CHRIST'S APOSTLE! True, I have practiced the biblical principle that "in multitude of counsel there is safety." On many occasions some top-level ministers have contributed certain input that has helped me in setting doctrine. BUT EVERY DOCTRINE, BELIEF AND TEACHING IN THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD HAS COME FROM CHRIST THROUGH HIS CHOSEN APOSTLE!"

-- Herbert W. Armstrong, What is a Liberal?

"Those called now have to overcome Satan and his society. That requires effort, self-denial and willpower, a price most humans are not willing to pay.

"Before Jesus could qualify to rule, He had to overcome Satan while Satan was ruling. Since the Church will rule with and under Christ, Church members must also qualify by resisting and overcoming Satan while he is still ruling (Rev. 3:21).

"That will not be required of the overwhelming majority. God will call them to salvation when the world is ruled by Christ and the saints -- when it will undoubtedly be easier to live God's way. It will be easier because of the advance work now being done by God's firstfruits.

"In order to qualify for their future jobs, those whom God has called into His Church have been freely given God's Spirit and the opportunity for salvation. The rulers and teachers of God's Kingdom are, by necessity, given opportunity for salvation before their future students can be. The Church is a necessary instrumentality preparatory to bringing salvation to all humanity!

"The only reason any person is called to salvation in this age is to qualify to help in ruling and teaching in the world tomorrow -- to help call and save those alive then." [page 10]

"The Feast of Firstfruits pictures God's firstfruits -- all who will be born into God's Family at the first resurrection -- the first group of humans to be harvested by God and given glorious, powerful immortal life.

"But one human has already been born of God more than 1,950 years before the first resurrection. He is the first of the firstfruits. . . ." [page 13]

"God's Church will be the Bride of Christ. Christ, the Messenger of the Covenant (Mal. 3:1), will come to His spiritual Temple, and make the New Covenant -- a marriage agreement. God's Law will be written in their hearts so completely that they can be perfect, righteous and able to assist Christ in ruling, teaching and administering God's law perfectly.

"The Spirit-born Church will become Christ's New Covenant wife, and that divine marriage will produce children. Christ and His Spirit-born Bride will be a ruling and teaching team. Through them God will open salvation to all, ultimately producing thousands of millions of additional Spirit-born children of God. . . .

"Notice in Revelation 19:7 that the Church will have "made herself ready." Each member of God's Church must grow in righteous character and be prepared -- ready -- to help Christ rule and teach. Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) shows that some who think they are prepared for the New Covenant marriage will be shut out.

"When the Church is ready both in numbers and in character, and the world has been sufficiently warned, Christ will return." [page 15]

More Scriptures:

"And He said to them, 'To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that

"Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them."'"

(Mark 4:11-12)

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. . . . no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."

(John 6:44, 65)

"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."

(Revelation 3:21)

Pentecost 2016 Message

This is the thrilling truth about the day of Pentecost and its tremendous meaning.

Tradition says that God gave the Ten Commandments to mankind on the day of Pentecost (Exodus 19-20). God sent the Holy Spirit into His Church on the Day of Pentecost also (Acts 2). The Ten Commandments are the "river bed" down which the "living water" of the Holy Spirit flows. That is the narrow and difficult path which leads to eternal life, which few people find in this age (Matthew 7:13-14). The Fifth Millennial Day

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