Dear Brethren and Friends,

Christ's Work continues to grow in every way, including income, which is still edging up through your prayers and financial support. Thank you all for your love and loyalty. As I write, many of our "separated brethren" are beginning to take a closer look at Global. In fact, dozens have started attending with us in recent weeks. We are grateful for this, but we all need to do even more to be a light to those who might join our ranks and to let them know that Global is not "harsh" or "legalistic." And we need to extend a warm, welcoming hand of friendship to these people when they start attending with us.

Before I go any further, let me personally urge ALL of you to do one more thing. Please begin making your Feast of Tabernacles reservations NOW. Some of our listed hotels and resorts may be wondering if some of us are even coming to the Feast. We, of course, know that we must, for our Creator COMMANDS all of us to come to the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:4). He also clearly shows us that "ALL the nations" will be required to keep the Feast in the soon-coming Kingdom (Zech. 14:16-19). So please send in your Feast reservations SOON! Get in line with the Living Jesus Christ and prepare for a wonderful Feast, excellent sermons, great fellowship and God's richest BLESSINGS for all of those who obey Him enthusiastically!

As we think about how far we have come in the Global Church in our 4 1/2 years of existence, and especially why we're here, I hope all of us can remember in a positive, humble way the four "key" characteristics that distinguish us as a group—things that are truly our "reason for being":

First, we do practice the correct form of Church government. Not perfectly of course. But we do not have politics or voting in selecting our ministers, determining our doctrines, deciding whether we are going to do a Work, etc. Frankly, even though some outside observers claim otherwise, we do follow the general pattern of Church government that Christ led Mr. Armstrong to practice in the Church for decades. We do have a viable Council of Elders, which meets regularly, gives sound advice—which I listen to!—and has power to call me to account for illegal, immoral or unbiblical conduct.

We deeply respect the Work that Jesus Christ did through Mr. Herbert Armstrong for 52 years. We feel that Christ was powerfully active during these years and that He guided Mr. Armstrong in the overall approach to the Work, the doctrines and the general direction of the Church—of which Christ is the LIVING HEAD. Exercising the biblical form of Church government enables us to move forward expeditiously in doing the Work, in dealing with Church doctrines and in avoiding the massive expenditure of time and money, and the emotional drain of long, acrimonious meetings. We aren't trying to "reinvent the wheel" and decide all over again what we want to believe and whether we want to do a real Work!

Second, we are willing to follow and teach the full Truth of God as Christ led Mr. Armstrong and many other faithful ministers to teach for so many decades. After all, men like Raymond McNair, Dibar Apartian, George Meeker, Sidney Hegvold, Lynn Torrance, Floyd Lochner and others were all around in the 50s and worked closely with Mr. Armstrong and the leaders at that time. As longtime ministers, we all know what the Church taught and practiced and why We have—for many decades—proved that we are dedicated to follow the Apostle Jude's instruction to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).

Third, we have clearly demonstrated during the entire history of the Global Church of God that we have the "fire in our belly" to do the Work. We believe in Jesus' command: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20).

We believe that Jesus' statement in Matthew 24:14 does apply to us and is our responsibility: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Therefore, we began preaching to the world on radio about seven weeks after the Global Church began in 1993—even though we had only several dozen members at the time! Then, we went on television in May 1995, and have expanded our coverage as fast as we could (sometimes too fast!) considering the fact that we are still small in number. Why? Because we are dedicated to be a veritable "Gideon's army," to reach and SHAKE the nations of the world to the fullest extent that God makes possible.

So the powerful World Ahead television program is regularly broadcast throughout the United States and Canada. Through Mr. Jean Carion, the same message is beamed across Europe over Radio Luxembourg in the French language. We are also preaching—through Mr. Syd Hull—in the Afrikaans language over a number of radio stations in South Africa. Mr. Mario Hernandez preaches in Spanish on a number of television stations reaching parts of the United States and Mexico. The audio portion of my television program is broadcast over radio stations in Australia, the West Indies and the United Kingdom. In his turn, Mr. Apartian broadcasts to the French-speaking brethren in Martinique. And hundreds of thousands of our magazines and booklets have by now been distributed all over this earth!

The fourth characteristic that I believe distinguishes Global is that we are willing and able to really feed the flock. We do not specialize in one or two "pet" doctrines, gripes or complaints. We do not spend our television or radio time attacking other branches of the Church. In fact, someone could listen to ALL the radio and television programs that I have made—now totaling in the hundreds—and yet still have no idea about our former association or any of those who have split off from it, one way or the other. Why? Because I simply preach the POSITIVE message about Christ, His way of life and His coming Kingdom—as do our other media speakers.

In the Global Church of God, we emphasize the importance of overcoming and of Christian growth in order to prepare for awesome positions of responsibility in Christ's Kingdom. We know that our calling now is not to just sit around and "play church," creating for ourselves a pleasant Sabbath "social club.” Rather, we are now in training to become literal kings and priests in the world Government soon to be set up on this earth by Jesus Christ. We need to learn and LIVE God's laws and practice His form of government so that we will be able to ADMINISTER these laws and this government over the entire earth in a few years.

The Apostle Paul was inspired to write, "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?" (1 Cor. 6:1-3).

We in the Global Church take these statements literally So we do try to follow the form of government that Christ and the original apostles clearly practiced. We make it our goal to "feed" our brethren with the "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). And we heartfeltly desire that all of our brethren overcome and grow spiritually "to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).

We believe this is why Jesus Christ established the Global Church of God. This is why He called so many of the older ministers into it. They are dedicated ministers who go all the way back to the 40s and 50s in their service—men who respect what Jesus Christ did through Mr. and Mrs. Herbert W. Armstrong for so many years. And this is undoubtedly why the Living Christ has also called into this Church such outstanding "younger" men—some still in their late 40s or 50s!—such as Larry Salyer, Colin Adair, Carl McNair, John Ogwyn, Charles Bryce, Lambert Greer and Edwin Pope to help lead this Work and its ministry.

So when things seem to go wrong—when you are concerned perhaps about a local Church problem or a crisis in your personal life—learn to step back and see the BIG PICTURE! You will see that, while we are far from perfect and still need to grow in EVERY way, the Living Christ has, in fact, "revived" the Work of His Church through quite a number of "pioneer" ministers and administrators—faithful ministers who served under Mr. Armstrong in building the Philadelphia era of the Church for decades. These are ministers who—now even in their 60s and 70s—are willing to "lay down their lives" in order to preserve the TRUTH, to do the Work and to spiritually feed all of you faithful brethren.

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Forty-five years ago this spring, I graduated from Ambassador College. Having been sent out on a nationwide baptizing tour with Raymond F. McNair the previous summer, I was now—during the summer of 1952—the leader of a tour that covered much of the United States and even included a brief visit or two in western Canada.

We were sent out by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong to visit people who had written requesting baptism.

Since the "Work"—as we called it—had no local Churches east of the Rocky Mountains, many of the people requesting baptism had waited for years for someone representing Mr. Armstrong to visit them. They felt that he was used by God to teach them the real Truth about Christianity. And now they wanted to be baptized. Of course, there were among them the "religious hobbyists," who simply enjoyed discussing and debating all kinds of religious ideas—never really intending to do anything about them. And there were all kinds of personal problems among those we counseled as well.

As very young but dedicated men, we had to try to discern which of these folks were really "ready" for baptism—which ones had truly "counted the cost," were genuinely repentant of their sins and had real faith in Christ as their Savior and High Priest. That summer marked the beginning of my life's work of full-time service in the Work of the Living God. Since then, I have had plenty of opportunities to observe people in the United States, Canada, Britain and elsewhere in God's Church and see how their conversion and their "walk with God" progressed. It has been a fascinating, sometimes-inspiring and yet often disillusioning experience. For sad to say, far too many people who have come to God's Church have had an "ax to grind.”

The Prophet Jeremiah was inspired by God to plainly describe human nature: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jer. 17:9-10).

How well I remember a number of the "leading men" in God's Work in decades past. They were usually intelligent and capable. But all too often they were "proud" men—men who had confidence in the self. And, as you might expect, some of them were self-willed. Because of their human pride and vanity, they wanted to act "important"—they wanted attention and even adulation. And when they didn't get their way, they would often get their "feelings" hurt and viciously turn against Mr. Armstrong—the very man who had taught them the Truth, who had encouraged them to develop their skills and who had given them the fine positions they had in the Work.

Over the last 45 years and more, I noticed that these leading men—and other men and women right down the line—would often play psychological and political games, work the angles and try to gain advantage for the self. Very few seemed to consistently negate the self and genuinely try to SERVE others. And few seemed to really understand Jesus' statement that "it is more blessed to GIVE than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

In his day, the Apostle Paul observed the same phenomenon. He wrote in his letter to the Philippians that he had "no one" except Timothy who would sincerely care for them: "For all seek their own, NOT the things which are of Christ Jesus" (2:20-21).

As the end of this age approaches, God has allowed His people to be scattered into several major branches and literally dozens of smaller "twigs"—little groups of perhaps two or three families or individuals who meet together and try, in their own way, to worship God. The key question these people and each of us should ask ourselves—no matter where we meet—is this: WHY are we here? Are we in this or that group in order to learn the full Truth? Are we here in order to learn to SUBMIT ourselves to God and to one another and to learn and practice the kind of government and teamwork that we will need as kings and priests in Christ's soon-coming Kingdom? Are we here to do a really powerful Work, so our nations and peoples finally come to KNOW there is a real God working out an awesome PURPOSE here on earth?

O—-and let's be honest—will many have to admit to the following? "I came to the particular group I attend so I could still go to Church with all my friends.” Or perhaps, "I don't think I have to attend Church with some organized group. I don't need other people telling me how to live. I'll just stay at home and study the Bible by myself or with a few others!"

Truly, God is "testing" His people at this time in what is undoubtedly the most comprehensive exam the Church has gone through in hundreds of years! God grant that, eventually, ALL of us in the Global Church of God will learn to be here for the right reasons: to GIVE ourselves to God and to our fellow man in really doing the Work; to humbly learn and practice godly teamwork, organization and government (preparing for our upcoming roles in the Kingdom); to learn and to LIVE the real Truth of the Bible, allowing Jesus Christ to fully live His life within us (Gal. 2:20 KJV) and so prepare us for eternal life in the Family of God.

Brethren, let us all examine ourselves and be absolutely sure that we are seeking God's will, and not our own. And let us be sure that, in everything we think, say and do, we are striving to be "GIVERS.” Let's be sure we're truly laying down our lives for others and not just trying to please ourselves or make ourselves comfortable. Deep down, what is your real attitude as you strive to seek and serve the Living God?

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In July of 1814 Napoleon Bonaparte surrendered to the English. For two decades he had been the master of Europe and one of the greatest military tacticians of all time. Virtually everyone in the known world had heard of the obscure Corsican youth who rose to become the most successful general in the French Revolution. His exploits in Egypt stunned the world, as did his dozens of battlefield victories against the combined armies of the crowned heads of Europe.

During his rule, Napoleon laid new social foundations for France—the Napoleonic Code of law, a new education system and new administrative methods that gave the French greater prosperity than any other European people. No man in history had ever been so widely known in Europe or wielded such great influence on that continent.

But after his defeat at Waterloo, he had to surrender both his crown and his freedom. Only 45 years old and in perfect health, Napoleon was exiled to the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic. He was young enough to have ruled Europe for another two decades. If given the chance, he might have carried out his dream of a united continent. Speaking of that dream, he said, "My destiny is not yet accomplished. I want to complete... a European Code, a European Court of Appeals, the same currency, the same weights and measures, the same laws. I must make all the nations of Europe one nation.” And if he had succeeded, Europe might well have been spared the horrible wars of the 20th century.

A Murder Mystery

As it turned out, within six years of his final surrender to the British at Waterloo in 1815, this man among men lay on his deathbed. Reports reaching Europe blamed the island’s climate for the emperor’s failing health. After his death in May of 1821 the official reports cited “cancer of the stomach.” However, the autopsy reported that there was no cancer. For the next 140 years the real cause of his death remained a mystery!

It wasn’t until the 1960s that some locks of Napoleon’s hair were examined in a modern forensic laboratory. This investigation, aided by the daily accounts of everything Napoleon ate during his years on St. Helena, is detailed in The Murder of Napoleon by author Ben Weider. The forensic tests proved conclusively that Napoleon was poisoned over a period of time with arsenic:

In the centuries before Napoleon, arsenic was widely used in Europe as a poison. In fact, it came to be known as "inheritance powder," since it was often used to hasten the passing of wealthy relatives. Odorless and tasteless, arsenic is easily disguised in food or drink. Given in very small amounts, it kills slowly. And in Napoleon's day, it left almost no visible trace.

Napoleon Bonaparte, in many ways the greatest man of his century, died a slow, painful death—by being fed small amounts of poison over a four-year span. Perhaps he even knew, for in his will he wrote, "I have been murdered by the English oligarchy and its hired assassin.”

It Could Happen to Us

A question that has bothered me for the past 25 years is this: How can converted people come to believe heresy? In recent times we have all witnessed the great

tragedy of men and women who had displayed the fruit of God's Spirit—and gave every indication of understanding the Truth of His Word—falling for false teachings that a few years ago would have been rejected out of hand. How did this happen?

The obvious answer is by being slowly poisoned. False teachings and heresy can be much like arsenic—easily disguised and blended with real spiritual food, then fed in incremental amounts over time into the minds of God's people. The result is spiritual sickness or death. But we are admonished in God's Word to be discerners—to carefully guard the doors of our minds so we are not ingesting this spiritual poison. Many are doing this, but sadly, others are not. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but TEST THE SPIRITS, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" ( 1 John 4:1 ). Just as there were hundreds of false teachers in the first century, they abound today as well.

In 1 Corinthians 12:10, the Apostle Paul lists spiritual discernment as a gift from God that we should pray for. But we mustn't stop with prayer. The Word of God gives us other steps to follow to help discern the truth or error of what we are being taught.

A Key to Discernment

Members of the Church of God today are virtually being bombarded by an innumerable host of "teachers" and "Bible authorities" spreading their various opinions and messages. Modern-day communication—especially by way of the Internet—has made dissemination of their doctrine faster and easier than ever! But as we all know, you can't believe everything you hear. So an important key to keep in mind is to look at who the teaching is coming from.

When you hear a message, consider the source. Is the teacher credible? Is he using the Scriptures as his authority? It should come as no surprise that the Apostles Paul, Peter and John all admonished Christians to follow only those ministers who had proven themselves true and faithful to God's Word.

Paul, writing to a Church divided by several false teachers, referred to "the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you" ( 1 Cor. 15:1-2).

Peter admonished Christians of all ages to heed what he and the other apostles taught because they had been there from the beginning and had not departed from the Truth they had been taught by Jesus Christ. "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables... but were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). Speaking of himself and other ministers who had stood the test of time, Peter continued, "We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place" (v. 19). In the next verse, he warns us against teachers who feel that they have a "private interpretation" or understanding of the Scriptures. Modern examples of such thinking are commonplace. David Koresh led his followers by teaching that he was personally, specifically prophesied in the book of Revelation. So did Marshall Applewhite—of the infamous Heaven's Gate tragedy—who publicly affirmed that he and his wife, known as Bo and Peep respectively, were the two witnesses of Revelation 11.

When the Apostle John penned his first epistle, the Churches he wrote to were beset by false teachers who advocated gnostic ideas. These included the lies holding that the commandments of God were no longer to be kept and what amounted to the denial of Jesus Christ—the claim that He had only come as a phantom, not a real, flesh-and-blood human being.

John's reaction to their heresy was to remind the brethren to listen to the teachers who had been there from the beginning. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes... that which we have seen and heard we declare to you" (1:1, 3). There are some striking parallels and lessons in this for us today.

True ministers of God have a responsibility to adhere to and carefully follow true doctrine. Paul taught Timothy, "If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of good doctrine which you have carefully followed" (1 Tim. 4:6). This was so important that Paul admonished Timothy three times in just this one chapter to focus on true doctrine! "Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine" (v. 13). "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them" (v. 16). How much different might the body of Christ be today if more ministers would have obeyed these instructions over the past decade!

Beware the Private Agenda

False teachers normally begin their reasoning with statements that all of us can agree with. These are designed to gain favor and trap the reader. But at some point, the teaching will depart from the truth of God's Word. And the farther the reader goes along the path of heresy, the more he comes to accept the real point of some private agenda. A discerner needs to look for key ideas and conclusions. He can't let down his guard halfway through the message—because the errors may not appear until the end, when false conclusions may be drawn. Here are some common private agendas that are now circulating among God's people:

The further scattering of the flock. Never forget that Jesus Christ wants His people to be one in agreement, even as He and God the Father are one (John 17:11). He also wants us to come to the "unity of the faith" (Eph. 4:13) and to have "no divisions" among us ( 1 Cor. 1:10). Those who scatter and confuse God's Church are called WOLVES by Jesus Christ (John 10:12) and also by the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:29). We must recognize that those who teach that organized religion is not needed—i.e. it's just "me and God"!—are fulfilling this role. And we must avoid them if we are to escape being snared by their crafty words.

Men wanting a following after themselves. This is not a new phenomenon—people have tried to exalt themselves since the time of Adam and Eve. Men like Theudas (Acts 5:36) and Diotrephes (3 John 9) also trouble the Church of God today—and will do so until Christ returns. Our responsibility, once again, is to avoid them. Notice how Paul addressed this situation when it occurred in Rome: "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them" (Rom. 16:17). No question here as to what we should do when faced with this situation!

Now, of course, this is not to say that there is never a time to separate yourself from a Church organization. Most of us had to do that very thing to avoid supporting heresy. But notice what Paul said. There were those in the first-century Church—as there are in the Church today—who caused division "contrary to the doctrine” they had learned. This is what God condemns. Yet what if, for the sake of conscience, it is necessary to separate yourself to HOLD ON to true doctrine? That decision will be supported by God. In fact, it's the responsibility of true Christians to reject heresy, even to the point of leaving an organization that teaches it.

One additional footnote on this subject: Avoid those who have ordained themselves as authorities and teachers. The "laying on of hands" is a foundational teaching of the Bible (Heb. 6:1-2) and shows that true ministers of God will be ordained through the true Church of God. Mr. Herbert Armstrong did not appoint himself, but was ordained by an earlier era of God's Church. He felt strongly that this line of ministerial ordination authority had been passed on from generation to generation since the time of the early Church, much the same as the offices of the priesthood were after the time of Moses (cf. Titus 1:5; 1 Tim. 4:14).

Be on guard for repeat heresies! There truly is "nothing new under the sun.” Satan and his demons don't seem to be "creative thinkers.” Rather, they continue to use the same tactics on people today that worked for them in earlier times. There were a number of false religious ideas circulating in the first century. Some denied that Jesus was the Messiah. Others twisted the teachings of Paul (2 Peter 3:15-17), accepted Greek philosophy (Col. 2:8), despised government (2 Peter 2:10) or embraced "special knowledge," which Paul labels as "profane and vain babblings and contradictions" (1 Tim. 6:20). It should be no surprise that these same falsehoods are being spread around today as "new, revealed Christian truth"!

By having recorded these things for us, God has warned us ahead of time what to expect—helping us to discern the spirits.

Doing Our Part

God's people should come to have a natural love for His Word. Even so, we sometimes have to be reminder to study to show ourselves approved—workmen that need not be ashamed (2 Tim. 2:15). The Bible also tells us to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3) and to "hold fast what is good" (1 Thess. 5:21).

The time is now urgent for all Christians to be studying as never before! This is why God's ministry today is following the example of Peter: "Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth” (2 Peter 1:12). We must be firmly grounded in the basic truths of God's Word—the trunk of the tree—if we are to weather the spiritual storms ahead.

Consider another command from God: "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do no receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds" (2 John 10-11; While personal contact has not been fully replaced, false teachers today can reach God's people more easily than ever—regular mail, the Internet, advertisement and the telephone are just some of their tools. And while there's nothing wrong with modern communication in and of itself, it can do tremendous damage when used to promote heresy. We must be careful to obey God' instructions not to receive false teachers no matter how they come at us. We are to slam the door on false doctrine—not invite it in and entertain it!

The Apostle Paul obviously felt strongly about this matter when he wrote the book of Galatians. He says, "There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached, let him be accursed" ( 1:7-8). Pretty strong words, wouldn't you agree? If Paul were alive today, how do you think he would react to heretic and false teachers?

Nevertheless, some Christians today invite false teaching into their homes in one form or another, then pray for God to help them understand it. Let's not miss the irony here—we cannot directly disobey God and then ask Him to help us as we do it! We receive answers to our prayers because we obey God and do those things that are pleasing in His sight (1 John 3:22)—not by disobeying His plain instructions. Don't commit this potentially fatal error! The next time someone approaches you with false doctrine, think of the above scriptures and you'll know what to do.

Our adversary Satan the Devil knows that he has but a short time left as ruler of this world (cf. John 12:31 ). Therefore, he is going about as a lion seeking to devour! (1 Peter 5:8). He wants to destroy you by injecting small amounts of spiritual poison into your mind so that you will follow his example of growing bitter and falling away. But the Great God who called you into His Truth and wants you to be part of His Family for all eternity promises to be with you and enable you to overcome Satan and his deceptive tactics (1 Cor. 10:13).

So consider these things: Follow God's ministers who have been ordained by His Church, have held fast to the Truth, have proven themselves over many years and have joined hands to rebuild God's Work. Shun profane babblings and false knowledge. Shut the door of your mind on those who try to teach you a different gospel.

Don't forget what happened to Napoleon Bonaparte—one of history's greatest generals and perhaps the most influential man of his time. He did not discern that his food was mixed with small amounts of poison. And he died a slow, painful, premature death as a result. Realize that the same thing could happen to any of us if we don't discern the spirits as God instructs.

Study God's Word daily and pray for the gift of discernment. Your eternal life

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Why does the Old Testament record so much fighting and violence? There's no question that some of the greatest heroes of faith—such as Joshua and King David—were also men of great military prowess. But how does this fit with the New Testament teaching that Christians are to love their enemies and shun violence?

And what about the death penalty as a punishment for heinous crimes? Not only do we read of warfare being carried out by God's chosen people, but we also see the death penalty included in the law that God gave through Moses. Was there a difference between what God wanted His people in Old Testament times to do and what He wants us to do today?

To understand what the Bible teaches about warfare and violence, we need to look not merely at the instructions of the New Testament, but also at the examples in the Old. How do the teachings of the two testaments fit together?

Warfare in Ancient Israel

Israel was God's nation. The people were descended from Abraham, the friend of God. To Abraham, and later to Isaac and Jacob (Israel), God had made promises of great blessings for their descendants. In the days of Moses, 430 years after He had first made these promises to Abraham, God delivered the enslaved Israelites from Egypt. He brought them to Mount Sinai where they entered into a covenant with Him. Forty years later, under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and entered Canaan—the Promised Land.

The book of Joshua tells the story of Israel's conquest of the land of Canaan. Judges continues the story by telling of the wars and civil strife that Israel was engaged in for the next 350 years. The books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles record that warfare continued under the kings of both Israel and Judah—from Saul, the first king, all the way to the Babylonian captivity. Now the question is this: Were all of these wars—all of this killing—really the will of God?

To properly understand the warfare depicted in the Old Testament, let's examine Christ's teaching on another, similar topic. The religious leaders of Jesus' day sought to entangle Him in their arguments about divorce and remarriage. In explaining to them that "what God has joined together, let not man separate" (Matt. 19:6), Christ shocked the Pharisees. Their response was, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce"? (v. 7). Christ explained that "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so" (v. 8).

The story of the human race has been the story of sin, lack of faith and hardness of heart. So many times mankind, including ancient Israel, has taken the hard way because lack of trust in God has kept it from taking a better way. There have been things that God has allowed—but never intended for—mankind because of a collective hardness of heart.

When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He didn't instruct them to wage their own wars. In fact, He specifically told them, "The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace" (Ex. 14:14). But despite God's almost constant intervention on their behalf, the Israelites lacked real faith and constantly doubted His promises. Exodus 17 records that not only did they murmur against and complain about Moses, but they actually came to the point of threatening to kill him!

At this juncture, the Amalekites—a warlike people of that region—attacked in force. Knowing that the people were utterly lacking in the faith to trust God and fearing that they would be slaughtered, Moses ordered Joshua to organize an armed force and go out to fight (v. 9). Even at this point, God made it plain that He gave Israel the victory. The Israelites didn't prevail simply because of their own strength or cunning (Ex. 17:11-12).

The people should have learned from this experience. A short time later, at Mount Sinai, God gave them a chance to forever avoid carnal warfare by trusting in Him as their sole Deliverer (Ex. 23:22-23). But the record of Scripture shows that the Israelites lacked faith to wait on God and wanted to depend on the weapons and craft of warfare as did the nations around them. They found it far easier to have confidence in what they could see rather than to trust the invisible God. Swords and shields somehow seemed more real than the Almighty and His angelic hosts.

At the time God made the Sinai Covenant with ancient Israel, He included special promises of His intervention on its behalf. However, the fulfillment of these specific promises was based upon the Israelites' faith and obedience. Let's examine the passage in Exodus 23 cited in the last paragraph: "But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and Hittites and Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off....

'"I will send My fear before you , I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you" (vv. 22-23, 27-28). Notice that God proposed to drive out the enemies of His people. The Israelites were not asked at Mount Sinai to raise and equip an army.

But the people of Israel did not put their trust in God. So, though it was clearly not what He had originally intended, God instituted laws of military service and directly ordered them to go to war. Therefore, they spent years fighting to subdue the Promised Land. Yet even as they stood on the brink of entering the land, God offered them a preferable alternative if they would really trust and obey Him: "The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes" (Deut. 1:30). Israel had not been required to use military might to gain its freedom from Egypt. Rather, Almighty God had directly intervened and literally forced Pharaoh to let His people go. That same God now indicated a willingness to give them the Promised Land in like manner.

Life Belongs to God

Was the destruction of the Canaanites "right," even if carried out by God Himself or under His direct instructions? Though our contemporary world is a violent place, there are some in today's society who advocate pacifism as a way of life. Many of these people not only are conscientious objectors to war, but are also opposed to capital punishment. Some even go so far as to condemn the taking of any life whatsoever and encourage vegetarianism as an alternative to eating animal flesh. Many Buddhists and Hindus support this view, and their influence has spread to increasing numbers of Western young people via the New Age movement. But are they right? Is it true that NO ONE, under any circumstances, has the right to take another life?

From the beginning, God gave mankind dominion over animal life (Gen. 1:26-28). At the same time, He emphasized that human life is unique, because man is made in God's image. It was because of the special sanctity of human life that God instructed Noah after the Flood that the death penalty was to be exacted for the murder of one's fellow man (9:5-6). New Age vegetarianism is labeled a doctrine of demons in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 because, among other reasons, it exalts the place of animals in God's creation—obscuring the vast gulf between the value of human life and that of animal life. Human life has such great value because only man was modeled by God after Himself and has the potential of being part of God's Family forever (Gen. 1:26; Rev. 21:7).

Almighty God is the Giver of life. He created our first parents out of inert matter—the "dust of the ground"—and breathed life into them. Not only did life originate with God, but He also has the power to restore it to anyone or anything that has ceased to live. Coupled with this supreme power, God also possesses supreme wisdom. Because life originated with Him and is intrinsic to Him alone, He has the right to give it or to take it as He deems appropriate. From the very beginning, our Creator has made plain to man that the penalty for sin would be death, which is the cessation of life (Gen. 3:3).

The point is that God alone has the right to take human life—or to command someone else to do so. He bestowed life as a gift, but told mankind from the beginning that retaining that life was conditional upon the choices each human would make. For God to choose to wipe out either individuals, cities or nations is certainly His prerogative. This may sound harsh. But we must keep in mind that He is the only One with the perfect love and wisdom to make that choice and to make it correctly every time.

When we read in the Old Testament of God sending plagues, or using Israel as His instrument to wipe out rebellious and sinful nations, we can trust these decisions. God saw the whole picture and made choices as to what was best for all concerned according to His overall plan. It wasn't initially God's desire to use human beings as His instruments to kill their fellow man. But because of the hardness of their hearts, He decided on that very course of action. Nevertheless, as Christ said of divorce and remarriage, "from the beginning it was not so."

God Fought the Battles

Men such as Joshua, Gideon and David lived in the midst of a carnal and largely faithless nation. Nonetheless, it was God's purpose to give that nation the inheritance He had promised to its forefathers. Because of Israel's lack of real faith in Him, God used human champions who were responsive to His will. Even in these cases, He often directed circumstances to make it clear to any rational Israelite that it was God, not human strength, that gained the victory. From the collapsed walls of Jericho to the astounding miracle of the sun and moon "standing still," God demonstrated to the faithless Israelites that they hadn't achieved victory through force of arms but, rather, that He had given it. Whether it was Gideon's tiny army or David's slingshot, the Almighty used incredible circumstances to help His people learn lessons of faith, even in the depths of their disbelief.

In fact, there were times when the forces against them were so overwhelming that Israel's leaders laid aside any hope of being delivered by their own hand. They simply made a heartfelt appeal to God. In times such as these, God showed Himself valiant on behalf of those who trusted Him.

In 2 Chronicles 14, for example, we read of King Asa being threatened with a massive invasion from the south. "Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men.... And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, `LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those that have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You...' So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled" (vv. 9-12).

Later, in the days of Asa's son , King Jehoshaphat, Judah faced another crisis. "Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, `A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea...' And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah" (2 Chron. 20:2-3).

He confessed the utter powerlessness of his people and besought God's intervention. In response, he was told by God's prophet, "You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you" (v. 17).

Jehoshaphat appointed singers to lead the way as his people moved toward the enemy! Notice what happened when they responded to the faithful king's lead. "Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated" ,(v. 22). The result? "And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around" (vv. 29-30).

A number of years later, in the days of faithful King Hezekiah, a vast Assyrian army under King Sennacherib laid siege to Jerusalem. Hezekiah went to God in heartfelt prayer and fasting. The result was similar. The Eternal sent an angel that wiped out the entire Assyrian army of 185,000 men in one night! (2 Kings 19).

Time and again, God has shown Himself to be the only real security for His people. Even so, humans tend to trust what they can see. And although the evidence of His greatness and power is all around us (Rom. 1:20), somehow the invisible God can still seem remote and far away.

Israel was a carnal nation that continually limited God through its unbelief (Ps. 78:41). He did use the Israelites to accomplish His purpose and to fulfill His plan, but oftentimes in spite of themselves. Had they really trusted God completely, He would have delivered them without the need for warfare on their part, just as He had promised at Mount Sinai. But due to their lack of faith, God allowed and even directed them to use weapons of war to accomplish His purpose on the enemies of His people. Yet we must never forget: from the beginning it was not so!

How does God view modern nations and their exercise of police powers and capital punishment? What involvement should a Christian have in such matters? In a future issue, we will look at how a Christian's relationship with the world today differs from that of the ancient Israelites. We will also examine what God expects of Christians in the face of modern conflict and violence.

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When the Apostle Paul reached the shores Greece on his second "missionary" journey, he found a country ripe for new ideas. In city of Athens, people would often gather at the Areopagus, i.e. Mars' Hill, to hear of and discuss new religious ideas.

So when word came to the Athenians that Paul, a Jew from Tarsus, was in the city preaching some strange things, they wanted to know this new doctrine. "And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, `May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.’ For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing" (Acts 17:19-21).

Some believed Paul's message, while others ridiculed the idea of a resurrection: "And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, `We will hear you again on this matter.' So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed" (vv. 32-34).

Notice that although some showed interest in what he said, Paul didn't stick around. Why? Because he realized that those who wanted to see him again were not really interested in hearing the Truth and acting on it. Instead, they just wanted to argue and debate. And Paul wasn't about to waste his time trying to convince them. This group found Paul's message titillating, just as they found all new religious ideas.

New Is Exciting

It is always exciting to hear something you haven't heard before. And of and by itself, there's nothing wrong in feeling this way. But if people, even in God's Church, are like those in Athens—whose only goal was to hear something new—then they have a problem. Many Athenians probably ended up not believing any one teaching. Rather, they came to accept a lot of confusing and conflicting ideas, thus having no real conviction about anything.

Could you be a spiritual Athenian? Are you only interested in hearing something new about prophecy or some new slant on the Truth that you've accepted for years? Some in God's Church believe that growing in grace and knowledge means we now have to reexamine every major and fundamental doctrine we've ever believed—from the time we should observe Passover to the keeping of Pentecost to everything else you could think of—because of "new" information that has come to light. Some have even accused the Church of not being willing to take a new look at its doctrines. It seems that because God's people have been affected by recent apostasy, therefore all that we ever believed and proved in the past must now be suspect. Usually, no new information is provided at all—simply old ideas that were proved wrong decades ago, long before the apostasy set in.

Perhaps some don't recognize that so much of the "new information" isn't really new at all! Convinced that the Church somehow must be wrong, some brethren have been infected with the Athenian virus. They are all too willing to listen to, imbibe and become confused by "every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14).

Others have spent hours researching Bible prophecies, ignoring the clear understanding God revealed to Mr. Armstrong years ago, which is proved by the Scriptures. The Church receives a constant stream of research papers written by members who are convinced that God is revealing to them just how the nations will come together in the end time or in what year Jesus Christ will return—all derived from complicated equations based on numbers given in the books of Daniel and Revelation. There may be some truth in a number of these papers, but more often, scriptural errors are blatant and obvious. However, when the Church points out the error, proved again by the Scriptures, some of those who write will not accept correction.

Of course, this is not to say that the Church is always right. Sometimes it is dead wrong! Keeping Pentecost on Monday for many years is an obvious case in point. Moreover, sometimes there truly is new information that we should examine. And there are times when lay members of God's Church discern truths in the Bible that the ministry has not yet recognized. Indeed, it is perfectly fine for any of our brethren to seek new revelation from the Scriptures. But we should tread carefully when our conclusions run contrary to major doctrines the Church has taught for decades. Yet for some, it seems that completely overturning Church doctrine is the goal—the expected course of events, not some rare exception!

The main "new revelation" each of us should be seeking in our study of God's Word is how to change to become more like Jesus Christ. Does this mean the Church will never examine new information? Not at all! We certainly should! The point is that if you as a Christian spend most, if not all, of your study time trying to come up with new truths founded on premises that are contrary to established and proved Church teaching, then you are almost certainly wasting your time and the time of the ministry.

The Bible is very clear that right now we do not know—and cannot know!—the exact time of Christ's return. Nor do we know the configuration of every nation in Europe at the end of this age or just how the plagues of Revelation will occur physically. The overview is vastly more important than the unknown—and perhaps unknowable—details. But some are only excited by sermons that speculate on these matters. They can only relate to a message that has something "new" in it! What about you? Do you pay attention only when a sermon speaker addresses where the place of safety might be? If so, then it is possible that you are a spiritual Athenian.

What's Really Important

Some Church members complain that they are not being properly fed. While this may in fact be true in a number of cases, some mean by this that nothing new in the way of prophecy or doctrine is being taught. Some, it seems, want to be served "exotic delicacies" all the time, shunning "meat and potatoes" as flavorless and unappetizing. Of course, all of us in the Church's leadership wish we could provide more food and especially more "cooks.” We realize the need for more pastors and elders. But God has not provided them at this time. Still, most of the cooks we do have are generally doing their best to provide nutritional "meals" that will promote good spiritual health among those who "eat" them.

But even if you rarely hear a live speaker, you still have a full "buffet" available to feed your spiritual needs. For example, do you read every single Global Church News article, every article in the World Ahead magazine, every booklet published by the Church, every member and co-worker letter? Do you listen eagerly to the Newsletter when it's read during Church services? If you have access, do you watch every telecast of The World Ahead on TV? If you miss a Sabbath service due to sickness, do you later check out the sermon tape for that day? Do you attend Bible study when it's held? Not that you must do every one of these things, of course. But they are available to you. There really is quite a lot of spiritual food on the table. But you must feast upon it to be well-fed.

And remember that what is most important is not the understanding of prophetic details or new ideas. The really important goal is to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and moderation. Building Christian character is much more vital than gaining prophetic understanding. Always keep in mind what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge [yes, even if one did figure out where the place of safety will be or the exact date of Christ's return], and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing" (vv. 1-2).

We shouldn't spend too much time asking ourselves if we know all the fine points of every Bible prophecy. Rather, we should spend most of our time considering questions like these: Can I amicably settle disputes or problems with other brethren? Do I easily forgive and forget? Is the Holy Spirit flowing freely through me, or has it been stifled because someone offended me and I cannot reach out to him in Christ with genuine love, even if he is in the wrong?

We all need to focus on what is truly important—that is, being genuinely converted Christians, producing the fruit of the Spirit and living according to Christ's teachings, which are eloquently summarized in the Sermon on the Mount. Especially important is His teaching that we should be peacemakers (Matt. 5:9).

The Athenians were not interested in changing their lives and repenting of their sins. Their only interest was "to tell or to hear some new thing.”' God's Church is, in the main, providing the really important meat to nourish us all. This food will help give us the spiritual strength needed to build the very character of God. This is much more important than some new slant on prophecy. I firmly believe that the most important sermons and articles are those showing us how to change and become more like God, because this is what truly counts with Him. We are to become perfect, just as He is. Let's hunger and thirst after His righteousness—not just "new ideas"—and avoid being spiritual Athenians.

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The Church of God has been described as an exclusive organization that claims a unique understanding of Scripture as God's one true Church. For this it has been branded by some as a cult. This categorization, however, overlooks significant information from both history and the Bible.

There have been many groups claiming some exclusive status, rights, benefits or mission. And we don't think that all of them are cults! The Jews, for example, have claimed for thousands of years to be a unique people specially chosen by God. The Roman Catholic Church also claims to be the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ and built upon the foundation of the Apostle Peter as the first pope. In fact, modern popes have actually asserted that they are the vicars or direct representatives of Christ. Muslims, in their turn, make the exclusionary assertion that there is no God but Allah and that Mohammed is his prophet and, of course, that Muslims alone are God's people.

History is actually replete with examples of people who have viewed themselves as being chosen by God for a special purpose. Arabs in the seventh century felt a divine calling to spread Islam at the expense of Christian lives and lands. Crusading Europeans claimed a divine mission to liberate the Holy Land from the Infidel. The medieval Franks and Germans believed they had a God-given responsibility to protect and spread the Christian faith via the politico-religious dominance of the Holy Roman Empire. Other examples include the British believing that God's own hand delivered them from the Spanish Armada, Hitler's perceived mandate of a German-dominated, Thousand-Year Reich and the Japanese "calling" to teach fellow Asians how to live.

Just where do exclusionary ideas come from? Are the hundreds of sects and denominations of Christianity all "brothers and sisters in Christ" or are many being misled? Are there really billions of Christians on earth today or are the numbers of true Christians much smaller? And what about other religions? Do they all just worship different faces of the same God? Are there many broad paths for man to reach God—or is the way straight and narrow?

Let's examine the concept of a "chosen people." Did God ever choose one people over another? If so, is this a case of "playing favorites"—a matter of "divine discrimination"?

A Chosen People

Contrary to what many would like to believe today, the concept of a chosen people is biblical and clearly of divine origin! In fact, it is a major theme that runs through all the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, when God made a covenant with the Israelites, He stated that if they would obey Him they would be a "special treasure to Me above all people... a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex. 19:5-6). Unfortunately, the ancient Israelites did not live up to their part of the agreement, and were given a bill of divorce (Jer 3:8).

In the New Testament the Apostle Peter, referring to the Church of true believers, states, "You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people" who have been called out of darkness (1 Peter 2:9). It is clear to see from this same passage that there is another group of people who live in darkness because they stumble over the Word of God and are disobedient to it (vv. 7-8).

But does Peter's reference to the Church as a "chosen generation" mean that everyone who professes to believe in Jesus is automatically included in that elect group? Jesus actually astonished many in His audience when He declared, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). He later explained that only those who keep the commandments of God will enter into His Kingdom (19:16-I9). In fact, Jesus warned repeatedly that many professing Christians, who preached Christ and did wonderful works, would not enter the Kingdom of God (7:22-23). But Christ also identified a group known as the "elect" for whose sake the coming tribulation would be cut short (24:21-22). The Scriptures often mention the elect—a chosen people who figure prominently in God's overall plan for mankind.

Feast of Firstfruits-a Key

The biblical Holy Days mentioned in Leviticus 23 are not observed by most professing Christians today. That's too bad, for they actually picture the plan of salvation that God is working out on earth. The annual Feasts of the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread represent the death of the Savior for the sins of mankind and the need to put sin out of our lives. Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Firstfruits, pictures the Holy Spirit poured out on God's people and the beginning of the New Testament Church (Acts 2). The fall Holy Days look to the yet-future return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His millennial reign.

These Holy Days have symbolic meaning, as we've just seen. But in our industrialized and urbanized society, it's all too easy to lose sight of the fact that they represented important physical aspects of the agricultural cycle. The sheaf of grain waved during the Days of Unleavened Bread, for example, marked the beginning of the spring harvest and pictured Christ as the very first of the firstfruits (Lev. 23:10-12; l Cor 15:20-23). The Feast of Pentecost came at the end of the spring harvest—which was small compared to the later, much larger, fall harvest.

The Bible speaks of those called to be Christians now as "a kind of firstfruits of His creatures" (James 1:18). Moreover, they are given the "firstfruits of the Spirit" (Rom. 8:22-23), which provides, among other things, an understanding of the Scriptures not yet available to the rest of mankind (1 Cor. 2:9-10). The Feast of Pentecost is an annual reminder that in God's overall plan a small group will be called first—represented by the spring harvest. And even as the spring harvest is followed by a much larger harvest in the autumn, so will the small "harvest" of God's children now be followed by a much larger calling later. In fact, that calling or "harvest"—which will take place in the Millennium and beyond—will eventually expand to include every man and woman who has ever lived!

Must Be Called

But that time is not yet here. God is still harvesting a small group of Christians. So you might ask: How does one become part of this current group of firstfruits? Again, contrary to the common notion of popular evangelism, the Bible reveals that people do not just decide to "give their heart to the Lord..” Jesus explained this clearly to a group of His countrymen who were following Him about. He stated, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him" (John 6:44).

We are then told, "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with him no more" (v. 66). The reason they stopped following Jesus was that they had not been given the spiritual capacity to understand His message. But this spiritual understanding was given to the small group of disciples Jesus was calling and training (Matt. 13:10-13). In this case, those who turned away had not been called!

Other scriptures confirm this. On the night before He was crucified, Jesus prayed, "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given me out of the world.... I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me.... The world has hated them because they are not of the world" (John 17:6-14). Here are New Testament Christians separate from those in the "world."

We get more details elsewhere, when Jesus refers to His true followers as a "little flock" (Luke 12:32). The Apostle Paul touches on the same topic when he notes that "not many wise... not many mighty, not many noble, are called" ( 1 Cor. 1:26). In the Scriptures, large numbers are not associated with Christ's true disciples of this age.

But if Christians are so few in number today, what about everybody else? According to the book of Revelation, Satan "deceives the whole world" (12:9). Jesus Christ, prophesying about the latter days, said, "For many are called, but few chosen" (Matt. 20:16). Why? Paul gives us part of the answer, explaining that the minds of those who have not been called have been blinded by the god of this world—that is, Satan (2 Cor. 4:3-4). He reveals that the devil has misled ministers to preach another Jesus and another gospel than that which is found in the Scriptures (2 Cor. 11:4, 14-15). The Bible reveals that it requires God's Holy Spirit to recognize the Truth in the tangled web of darkness and religious confusion: And that Spirit is available to those who are called, who repent and who obey the commandments of God (Acts 2:38; John 14:15-16).

Must Be Chosen

As we've already seen, the Bible reveals that the majority of those who are called and given the opportunity to be in the Kingdom of God will not be saved in this lifetime. Remember that Jesus said many would be called, but FEW chosen. A glance at history shows numerous examples of this process in action. The nation of ancient Israel was chosen by God to be a model for surrounding peoples to pattern themselves after (Deut. 4:1-8). However, the Israelites chose to disobey God's law and were rejected by Him. Saul was chosen as the first king of Israel, but decided to follow his own reasoning instead of God's instructions and lost his special status (1 Sam. 15). Jeroboam was given the opportunity to lead ten of the tribes of Israel, but his religious innovations contrary to the will of God led those tribes astray, resulting in national captivity ( 1 Kings 12:32-33).

New Testament examples tell the same story. Although the Church began on Pentecost with teeming numbers of new converts—3,000 baptisms in one day (Acts 2:41)—it appears that over the years persecution and waning enthusiasm took their toll on the faithful. Paul mentions some 30 years later that "all those in Asia have turned away from me" (2 Tim. 1:15). This fits the information; Jesus Christ gives us of the early Church. Describing the first-century Ephesian era of the New Testament Church, Christ says, "You have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand" (Rev. 2:4-5). Certain qualities of character, then, will be required of those who are called in order to be chosen.

Who Is Chosen?

Jesus said, "I know whom I have chosen" (John 13:18). He stated to the 12 apostles, "I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (15:19). We also know that those who are chosen will have to endure "to the end" to receive salvation (Matt. 10:22). Paul emphasized this same theme years later to the Corinthians. He wrote, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?... [Therefore] I discipline my body... lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Paul knew the consequences of slipping back into the ways of the world after being called out of it—he would lose out on being chosen for the final reward!

The Apostle John offers another insightful comment. He writes concerning the saints that accompany Christ at His return, "'Those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful" (Rev. 17:14). This is essentially the same commendation that the glorified Jesus Christ makes regarding the end-time Philadelphian era of the Church when He states, "You... have kept My word, and have not denied My name" (3:8). Abraham, the father of the faithful, was chosen by God because of specific character traits—his faithfulness in following God's ways and subsequently teaching those ways to his descendants (Gen. 17:9). Moses was chosen for his humility before God (Num. 12:3). David was chosen because he was a man after God's own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). And everyone who will be called and chosen must remain faithful to the end.

Why a Chosen People?

But what is behind this exclusive-sounding notion of a special people? Does God have a purpose for His chosen people, or is He merely "playing favorites," whimsically selecting some and excluding others? Let's allow the Scriptures to explain.

Jesus told His 12 apostles the night before He was crucified, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit" (John 15:16). They were to develop the character attributes of God in much the same manner as Abraham, Sarah, Moses, David and others (cf. Heb. 11). God's chosen people , while being called out of the world, are to become lights and examples to others as they live God's way of life (Matt. 5:13-16). In addition, those called now are commissioned to nurture the flock that God is assembling (John 21:15-17) and to preach the exciting news of the coming Kingdom of God (Matt. 24:14). The only real hope for mankind lies in the return of Jesus Christ to take over the reigns of this world's governments and straighten out the problems that human efforts have been unable to resolve.

One of the major challenges facing God's chosen people is, and has always been, to "stand fast and hold the traditions" that they were taught (2 Thess. 2:13-15). However, those who are called, chosen, and who grow and remain faithful to their God-given commission will have the opportunity to reign with Jesus Christ when He returns to set up His Kingdom (Dan. 7:27; 2 Tim. 2:12). This is the incredible inheritance that awaits those called to be firstfruits (cf. Heb. 2:6-7).

But is God choosing only His favorites and excluding all others? Hardly! The very fact that there are firstfruits indicates that there will be a later harvest—i.e. latter fruits. The Millennium will be the time when Jesus Christ, assisted by His called, trained and chosen saints, will actually focus His attention and energies on the conversion of the masses (Is. 2:2-4). After the Millennium will be a great resurrection. It is during that time, known as the Great White , Throne Judgment, that all who have 'ever lived will have an opportunity to learn, and to choose, God's way of life (Rev. 20:4-5, 11-12). In God's plan, everyone will ultimately have the same opportunity to become part of His Family. No one will be excluded!

To be called now in this life is largely a matter of timing. God has a plan, a purpose and a time frame. He is preparing and training a staff to assist Jesus Christ in setting up a government to rule in the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ is not going to be like many political candidates today who, once elected, then begin to search for qualified staff. God has been calling and preparing future rulers from the very beginning! Make no mistake—those called today are not any better than anyone else. They merely have their opportunity to gain, or lose out on, the Kingdom of God now.

There is a lot at stake for those who are called by God today. If your mind has been opened to see and understand the plan of God, then you have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to choose between two different ways of living your life—God's way or the way of this world.

The ancient nation of Israel had the same choice that you and I have today (Deut. 30:15-20). If you realize what you have been offered, don't treat it lightly! Jesus admonished His listeners, "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it" (Matt. 13:45-46). If you have been called, don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of God's chosen people. Strive to grow and bear fruit! Hold fast to what you have proven and been taught! Stay focused on the commission God has given so that you can be among the select group of firstfruits who will accompany Jesus Christ at His return!

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