|
| You are here: Home > Literature > Online Literature > Coming Out Of The Churches Of God |
|
Coming Out Of The Churches Of God By Malcolm B Heap, Midnight Ministries Copyright © Midnight Ministries Copyright of Midnight Ministries may be waived and this publication duplicated without asking permission, if full credit is given to the source (with the address) and if the contents are not altered. Likewise, publications of Midnight Ministries may be translated into any other language without asking permission, provided that the translation is as accurate as possible to the meaning of the original text, and full credit is given to the source (with the address). The distribution of God's truth should not be restricted by copyright.. |
|
|
|
When you understand that Churches of God are lacking essential truth to enable you to survive what is coming, you will know that it is time to get out. Such a suggestion, however, is met with derision from minds cloned in the dogma of CoG superiority or élitism. But it's what Jesus instructs:
Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins... (Rev 18:4, NKJV).
Jesus was not just addressing His people in the system of Catholicism, or Protestantism. His command is to all who are held in hierarchic bondage where you are subservient to men instead of to Him. This transfer of loyalties is subtle in churches.
You "share in her sins" of pride, arrogance, blasphemy, denial of the power of God, quenching the gifts of the Holy Spirit, rejection of prophets, and – believe it or not – rejection of God! Through all these sins, the Spirit is shut out. Men have taken over. They blaspheme God's name every day!
Isaiah prophesied of it (Is 52:5). It's an astonishing prediction. It foretold of the spiritual captivity of God's people, subjugated by false ministers, deprived of spiritual rights and held down in spiritual mediocrity. You are commanded to rise up against this repression. Notice it:
Awake! Awake! Put on your strength, O Zion [Zion is a symbol for God's people]; put on your beautiful garments [spiritual righteousness], O Jerusalem, the holy city! [God's Church is called to be holy.] For the uncircumcised and the unclean [false ministers /unconverted oppressors] shall no longer come to you.
Shake yourself from the dust [of soiled, contaminated teaching], arise [this is a command of God to rise up against oppression] sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck [you have got to do this; you have got to take action], O captive daughter of Zion! For thus says the Lord, 'You have sold yourselves for nothing [this is what WCG and CoG folks have done; they have willingly submitted to illicit human oppression], and you shall be redeemed without money.' For thus says the Lord God: 'My people went down at first into Egypt to dwell there; then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.' [Do you see the parallel with God's people today? Egypt is a metaphor for the bondage of sin. And Assyria is a metaphor for harsh rule.] 'Now therefore, what have I here?' says the Lord, 'that My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them make them wail,' says the Lord. 'And My name is blasphemed continually every day' (Is 52:1-5, NKJV).
When a man assumes a hierarchic position of lordship over a flock, he is established in the place which only Christ should occupy. This is blasphemy, and is how the prophecy is fulfilled each day in churches throughout the world, CoGs very much included!
For this reason, just as Jesus repeats it in Revelation, you are commanded to come out:
Depart! Depart! Go out from there. Touch no unclean thing. Go out from the midst of her. Be clean! (Is 52:11, NKJV.)
You cannot be clean inside a church that is feeding you with contaminated teaching (1 Cor 15:33; 1 Cor 10:16-22). If you start to come out:
The Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard (Is 52:12).
Just as Israel was led supernaturally out of Egypt and in the wilderness, so God will lead you when you take this step. I know it's true, because after we were thrown out of 'the church', we have been led continually by His faithful guiding Hand. And so can you be. You should be!
I want to tell you how you can rely upon Him for everything you need, so that you no longer have to rely upon men – and commit idolatry by so doing!
Jesus individually leads His sheep (Jn 10:3), and you are to learn to listen to Him and follow Him (Jn 10:14), not men who claim to come in His name but who are only interested in wages (Jn 10:12,13).
The command to come out of organised churches – when they repress members, and are no longer teaching them sufficiently – is discreetly hidden in John 10:4. One spiritual office holds the key to being led by Him. Mentioned in Jn 10:3 as the watchman (NIV) or doorkeeper (NKJV), he is the true prophet – the one who speaks for God, the one who opens the door or gate for the sheep (Jn 10:3) to come in and go out.
That's why false ministers are so against prophets, and why true prophets are excluded and derided. False ministers rule the CoGs! These churches are riddled with them! Revelation calls them the synagogue of Satan (Rev 2:9; 3:9). These 'uncircumcised and unclean' want power and control for themselves. They are used by Satan to steal that power away from Jesus. And they do it mainly by excluding true prophets. All that is hidden in those allegoric words of John 10.
1. Listen To The Spirit
Isn't it amazing how God hides truth from the spiritually dull? They are dull because of hard hearts – unbelieving, self-willed, stubborn hearts. People who refuse to listen to the Spirit, who want to admire the flesh, choose a human mentor to look up to. They want to be impressed by man. They prefer to have a Nimrod-like figure to stand before them, impressive and lordly. And they are quite willing to subordinate themselves to such an abomination:
An astonishing [appalling] and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets [those who claim to speak on behalf of God – ministers] prophesy falsely [teach falsities], and the priests rule by their own power and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end? (Jer 5:30,31, NKJV.)
Human authority in churches denies the authority and power of God, which, ironically, comes through humility. And where false ministers are at the helm, the ship is totally at their mercy, guided by them, not by God. The guidance of the Spirit of God is shut out. They have taken over.
You are to come out of this apostate situation. You are called to hear the Shepherd (Jn 10:3), to listen to His voice. Do you know how to do that? No, not if you are in a CoG, because the men who lead you don't teach you that. They do not know Jesus. They don't hear His voice, because they are tuned to the wavelength of darkness.
You need to move on, accept His Spirit, hear the Spirit speak to you, and receive guidance from Him just as the prophets do. This truth is expounded in Listening To God (Lis).
2. Shun Church Hierarchy
Ministers in CoGs, like in the WCG, have usurped the prerogatives of Jesus. As I have said above, this is blasphemy! I have explained in the companion article The Church of God Debacle (£1.00) more about what is wrong. For a complete exposition on the subject, please read God's Church – Whose Authority?
3. Receive The Baptism
When the early Church was birthed on Pentecost, it was as a result of receiving a baptism IN the Holy Spirit, not merely water baptism.
Study the book of Acts, and you will see that time and time again, new believers were baptised in the Holy Spirit such that there were manifesations of spiritual power. They were taught to EXPECT to receive supernatural manifestations, and so they did. They received according to their faith. It's always that way. It's a biblical principle.
But you were not taught to receive the Spirit in that way. You were taught to receive only the portion of the Spirit that the elders allowed. And they taught you that that tiny portion of the Spirit was all you could have.
Well, I've got news for you. They're wrong! Dead wrong! You can have far more faith than they have. You can have far more Spirit than them. And you can receive supernatural power the likes of which they have never known!
I don't have space in this overview article to cover all the necessary teaching here, so you will have to read more to get the full picture. Study:
4. Accept Supernatural Gifts
When you are baptised by the Spirit, and you are committed to Jesus to the extent that you will witness for Him, He will imbue you with power. His power follows those who believe for Him to work miracles for their outreach. They receive.
Jesus is the same as He was in the first century (Heb 13:8). The first Christians received His power, and the signs and wonders followed them wherever they took Jesus to others (Mark 16:20). It's no different today. Signs and wonders and supernatural gifts of the Spirit accompany the gospel – where there is faith for them to occur.
But that faith is lacking in CoGs because men have shoved the Spirit out and taken its place in the assembly. You need to regain that faith. It needs restoring, so that you can receive spiritual gifts.
Besides the publications mentioned above, An Introduction To The Spiritual Gifts can help you also, to believe and receive.
5. Restore Equality
There is much that needs restoring in the Church. Truth has been seriously undermined by Satan.
Through élitism, Satan has elevated ministers to the level of demi-gods, while he has reduced you to the level of a worthless stooge. You were told to merely 'pray and pay', to sit quietly and listen to your overlords while they lord it over you, telling you how you are to understand the Bible, what you should believe, never questioning their spiritual superiority.
What presumption! What arrogance! What a travesty!
Therefore please hear this, you afflicted, and drunk [deceived] but not with wine. Thus says your Lord, the Eternal and your God, who pleads the cause of His people: "See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of My fury; you shall no longer drink it. But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to you, 'Lie down, that we may walk over you.' And you have laid your body like the ground, and as the street, for those who walk over." (Is 51:21-23.)
But you are no longer to let yourself be a doormat. You have equality with Jesus, who is your elder Brother, and those who claimed superiority over you, have no such legitimate claim, for "you are all brethren" (Matt 23:8).
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant (Matt 20:25,26, NKJV).
The ministers who lord it over you should be rejected for reversing Jesus' command! You should reject them, because they have turned the Word of God upside down, and reverted back to the Babylonian model, doing as the Gentile rulers do.
Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave (Matt 20:27, NKJV).
CoG ministers desire to be first. They can now be your doormats and slaves.
Furthermore, women have been put down for centuries. Now it is time that true equality was restored. The basis of this equality is explained in the publication The Woman Question (W).
6. Reinstate Prophets
'Churches of God' have thrown out prophets and shut their church doors in the prophets' faces. They refuse to hear corrective words. They won't be told. They think they are masters of their own destiny. And they mock the prophets.
God says to these fools:
Woe to him who quarrels with His Maker... (Is 45:9, NIV).
Now stop your mocking or your chains will become heavier (Is 28:22, NIV).
These misguided men are chained by Satan. They exclude the prophets God sends, because false CoG ministers are the devil's advocates.
It's time for the prophets to be heard. And they will be! The booklet Prophets and Prophesying (£2) will enlighten you if you want to know the truth.
7. Meet With Jesus
There should be freedom in meetings, for the exercise of the gifts of the Spirit. Paul encouraged tongues, interpreting tongues and prophesying (1 Cor 14:1-5). He stated:
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy... So that the church may be edified (1 Cor 14:5, NIV).
People are rarely edified in CoGs! Many are bored. Many have fallen asleep. Many have apostatised! Why? Because men took control and shut out the Spirit of God!
Jesus doesn't show up in your meetings does He? There is no faith nor expectation for such an event.
Jesus has appeared in vision three times in our meetings. And He turns up invisibly in every meeting, even when He does not manifest Himself in vision. You can have Him, too, when you believe. But don't believe the tripe CoG ministers feed you. It's a sick diet!
They don't allow tongues. They argue against tongues and prophesying. They do not allow them to take place. But Paul urged the opposite:
Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues (1 Cor 14:39, NIV).
Besides the booklet An Introduction To The Spiritual Gifts, can I urge you to read Meetings With Jesus also? It will open your eyes more to what He wants in worship.
8. Cast Out Demons
CoGs don't cast out demons, because that would get the ministers ejected who control the churches!
But it's a command to test the spirits (1 Jn 4:1). It's not optional. You can learn how to do that by studying the book Testing The Spirits. There's a lot in there!
Also, every believer has the responsibility to fight demonic forces. You need to know about your enemy to be able to fight him. But CoG deceivers don't teach you such essentials. Demons are a taboo subject for them, for obvious reasons.
Besides some articles on this subject in Articles of Faith, Volume 5, we also have a booklet entitled Casting Out Demons (Dem) which can help you.
9. Reject False Ministers
CoGs are ruled by false ministers. Such men can be identified by their evil fruits, as explained in Testing The Spirits (TTS), and Apostasy In God's Church! (Apo).
You have a moral duty to get them thrown out of the assembly. Paul wrote to the brethren:
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way... Keep away from them. For such men are not serving our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people (Rom 16:17, 18, NIV).
CoG ministers have deceived a lot of gullible believers!
Paul's words above were addressed to you. They are not addressed to rulers of churches, because there were no such rulers in the early Church. There were overseers, who lovingly took care of feeding the 'sheep', watching for their spiritual wellbeing. Their duty was to feed as the Holy Spirit led. They did not take autocratic control. It was false ministers who did that later, Diotrephes being a prime example (3 Jn 9,10).
It is the brethren's duty to see that false ministers are thrown out of the assembly and denied a platform. This is explained in God's Church – Whose Authority? But such things don't happen today, because churches have reverted to miniautocracies, where leaders are unchallengeable or are appointed from the top down, by a board.
It's time to leave such a corrupt system, for the system cannot be repaired. Satan has taken control.
10. Correct Teaching
There needs to be a restoration of truth. Error must be rejected, and 'new' truth restored.
Many errors infest CoG theology. That's why in the last dream which I recorded in the article Dreams From God For The Churches Of God, the dream contained the imagery of a rickety ladder. That's no way to approach God. He gives us sure footing by the truth in His Word. You can stand secure on it. But you aren't safe on a poorly made, humanly constructed, wobbly ladder that God says (in the dream of 13th April 2005) is that of CoG's.
You need the proper stairs that enable you to go up to be with God, to enter His presence.
CoGs have massive prejudices against other Christians. These are addressed in the series entitled Understanding The Mind of God. UMG: A Message To Worldwiders explains the basis of your salvation, and how you can be with God, both now and for eternity.
There are other doctrinal deceptions foisted upon CoG members. You should take a closer look at these aspects:
The calendar. CoG churches follow the Jews in some calendrical errors, so they are meeting for festivals on incorrect dates. Please refer to God's Calendar Revealed To Man for specific details.
Jesus' death and resurrection has been traditionally taught to have occurred between a Wednesday and a Saturday, but close inspection of some overlooked points reveal their error. Jesus was actually crucified on a Tuesday and arose on a Friday. The subject is covered in MM's booklet, The Timing of Jesus' Death and Resurrection (£1.00).
Life After Death. You will undoubtedly have been taught that consciousness ceases at death until a bodily resurrection. That's not true. The mind of man does not lose consciousness when the spirit leaves the brain. The human spirit takes consciousness with it, because, as Paul revealed (1 Cor 2:11) it is the spirit that imparts such ability to the brain.
In a dream one night, God instructed me to write the booklet Life After Death to reveal the whole truth to the Church. It is there, waiting for you to accept it and be glad.
11. Accept Revelation
Did you notice in the dream of April 13, 2005 that I felt an urgent need to get two torches? That is an important message from God! A torch represents revelation from Him. It shines light onto His Word, so that the truth of the Bible can shine forth.
CoGs are seriously lacking revelation from God. When do CoG ministers ever get revelation from Him in dreams or visions? Never! They won't, because they are in rebellion against God, despite their feigned and persuasive words that deny it. But humble, God-fearing people in touch with us, all over the world, receive dreams after they start reading and learning from MM literature.
Why? Because it's anointed by the Finger of God. It's part of the end-time restoration that was prophesied long ago – that a prophetic work (Elijah was a prophet) would arise bringing restoration.
That restoration is based upon revelation. In the many hundreds of dreams (and some visions) which we have received, there is enlightenment from God about:
I urge you to take hold of what Jesus is here offering you. It is a chance to embrace fuller truth, to be set free from false dogmas of the past, and to move on with Him in closer union, so that you can be ready and be counted worthy to be part of His Bride. God bless you! Malcolm B Heap, Aug 2005
Further Reading: God's Church – Whose Authority? (GC) Listening To God (Lis) Life After Death (LAD) An Introduction To The Spiritual Gifts (ISG) Holy Fire! (HF) Apostasy In God's Church! (Apo) Testing The Spirits (TTS) Understanding Revelation (Rev) What Is The Work? (Wrk) God's Calendar Revealed To Man (Cal) Faith: Raising Our Level of Expectation (F) The Subtlety Of Pride (Prd) Casting Out Demons (Dem) Articles of Faith, Vol 5 (F5) Meetings With Jesus (MWJ)
|
|
Copyright © 2006-2014, Midnight in America All Rights Reserved |