Co-Worker Letter – April 18, 1984
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91123
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
President and Pastor
April 18, 1984
Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ:
THANK YOU, brethren, for the fine response to my previous letter regarding the financial need at this particular season of the year. Once again, as it has been every year for the past four years, we have not had to borrow a million or more dollars at the bank in January, to be paid back in April. God has blest us, through you members and co-workers, and supplied our needs without borrowings, since the beginning of the 1980s. Far more, God’s great Work has been growing as never before.
I gave you some facts about the growth and size of the Work of God in my letter a month ago. Let me now give you more exciting news.
This Work is the direct and one and only fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 24:14 for this very time: “This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the END [of this world] come.” The Gospel of the Kingdom of God is the ONLY true Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the first 20 years of the founding of the true Church in A.D. 31, a fierce controversy arose as to whether the gospel to be preached was the Gospel OF Christ or a gospel ABOUT Christ. A false church rose up, teaching a gospel of false prophets, ABOUT Christ. See II Corinthians 11:3 and verses 13-15. Also both Jude and John, writing in the 90s A.D., warned of false prophets already changing the truth of the Gospel, and warning brethren to turn back to the true faith once delivered to the saints. Also, Paul wrote the churches in Galatia, about A.D. 53, that they already had turned to ANOTHER gospel.
From that time on, a false gospel ABOUT Christ was preached in the name of traditional Christianity, by which (Rev. 12:9) Satan deceived the whole world.
The true Gospel OF Christ – the same Gospel Jesus taught the first apostles and the original true Church, was not proclaimed to the world until the living Christ, through me, began proclaiming it worldwide the first week in l953 – 100 time cycles of 19 years each, after Paul wrote they had turned to another gospel.
Now here’s the additional GOOD NEWS! The PLAIN TRUTH magazine carrying the true original Gospel OF Christ, the Gospel of the KINGDOM OF GOD, is now going into EVERY NATION ON EARTH, except three-Laos, Cambodia (where the Gospel is prohibited by Communist domination since the Vietnam war), and one other small country, Cape Verde, with an entire population of only some 300,000 people.
I have taken the true Gospel personally, myself, into many countries and in all continents. It has never been done before. No one else has done it or is doing it.
Now this glorious Work is expanding as never before. And that does require the expenditure of more and more funds, to preach and to publish the true Gospel to more and more people.
The END of this world is drawing near. NOTHING else is really important now.
We have been having a very fine increase in new donors (voluntary), new co-workers, and new members. In addition to whatever financial sacrifice YOU are able to continue making, I ask you solemnly to please PRAY earnestly that God will increase still further the addition of many more new voluntary donors and regular co-workers. Please join me in praying for this.
With deep love, in Jesus’ name,
Herbert W. Armstrong
P.S. Since writing the above, the trial date for the forthcoming divorce suit has been definitely set by the court to begin on Wednesday, April 25. I feel I should warn you that Satan is going to use this trial as a means not only to attack but DESTROY God’s Work, as well as to destroy me personally.
That threat has been unofficially and indirectly made to my chief attorney by one not directly involved but associated with those who are, and in total hostility.
Jesus Christ said that just as they persecuted him, they would persecute us. They brought every conceivable false accusation against Jesus himself. The mind of Satan can conceive of almost impossible and unbelievable false accusations and monstrous lies.
Satan similarly inspired others to falsely accuse the apostles Paul and Peter. Those apostles were thrown in prison. Stephen was stoned to death. Most original apostles were put to death for the true Gospel’s sake.
We are warned indirectly that every effort will be made to bring the public press and TV news media into this trial – to make it a sensational trial lasting four or more weeks. We anticipate their attempt to now republicize every false and foul rumor and filthy accusation to destroy me – character assassination.
When John the Baptist was in prison and such scurrilous accusations were being made against the character of even the very Son of God, John sent his disciples to inquire of Jesus if he really was the Messiah. Jesus merely said go and tell John what you see being done. He did not need to refute their false, slanderous accusations. Jesus said, “By their fruits you shall KNOW” the truth. In this case now, God is looking at the FRUITS, not Satan-inspired false accusations – and I know of course that is where you brethren look.
But God’s Church does need now your earnest and prevailing prayers – even fasting and prayers – and I personally also need them, and I know how you brethren are unitedly praying constantly for me – and from the bottom of my heart I thank you.
Satan will never let up trying to DESTROY the Work of the living God. It’s all recorded in the Bible – in prophecy. I have looked into God’s Book to see how it all comes out at the end – and I find that WE (in God) WIN!
