TheShiningLight is an outreach tool of the True Church of God, founded some 6,000 years ago by Jesus Christ with the
calling of righteous Abel, shortly after creation. Please see the
PENTECOST page and the
transcription of our Pentecost audio, for an explanation of the beginnings of the church. The Holy Bible is a record of the teachings of Almighty God and
the exploits of His people, His church. In this later day, many of His saints have drifted into a laxness and complacency
which urgently requires correction. If we do not correct ourselves then our God will be forced to correct us Himself.
The purpose of TheShiningLight is to assist God's people to regain their FOCUS and to turn their hearts back toward their
Heavenly Father, by revealing the truth of God's Word and provoking His people to serious study and righteous behaviour.
The Church of God consists of all those who have responded to the Father's call in repentance and been given His spirit.
Repentance means to turn away from sin, which is the transgression of the law 1 Joh 3:4 and to obey all God's commandments.
For God's spirit is given ONLY to those who OBEY Him Acts 5:32. Collectively they are like a body, a body of believers
1 Cor 12. While we are all different we are all part of the same body, much as a hand or foot is a part of the same
body. We are all at different levels of intelligence, ability and understanding. God's spirit leads us into
all understanding Joh 16:13. Unity is achieved as we follow His spirit into the Truth. Unity CANNOT be legislated,
it MUST come through knowledge of the truth of God. Our part is to obey God in all things and to willingly FOLLOW where His
spirit leads us. We are to pray Thy will be done Mat 6:10. Our prayer should reflect our honest desire and intentions,
therefore we should always be ready to do His will ourselves, doing whatever we are sure He wants done as expressed in His
word.
There is ONE BODY and ONE CHURCH OF GOD, but there are many parts. Today there are many corporate
organizations calling themselves the Church of God. While there are probably some repentant followers of Christ and
the Father in these organizations, no corporation constitutes the True Church of God. The True Church of God consists
ONLY of those repentant persons who follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth Rev 14:4.
Sadly there are many groups
who claim to be the one True Church, resisting each other. Their leaders and many of their followers have become infected
with the rotting cancer of self-importance, or to use a more biblical phrase; the leaven of self righteousness. These
men have forgotten that we ought to follow God and not men Acts 5:29. They expend their energies competing with one
another for followers, so wrapped up in themselves that they can no longer hear God's spirit, trying to lead them.
Like little children fighting each other inside a burning house, they cannot discern the danger of the times.
Why is there no unity? Because we have allowed satan to distract us into a certain selfish concern for OUR work, OUR
church, OUR flock, OUR leader, OUR doctrine and we have lost sight of OUR GOD. We are very comfortable resting on past
teachings and are no longer willing to make the effort to seek God's truth. We are no longer willing
to follow the spirit of God, as it tries to lead us into ALL TRUTH. Yes, there is a certain appearance of Godliness.
We appeal to God and we claim to worship and obey Him, but our actions speak much louder than our words to HIM. Truly
we draw close to Him with our words, but our hearts are far from Him Is 29:13-14.
Why has God
allowed us to fall into such a state? Almighty God is a GREAT KING ruling over an awesome kingdom! He is the ALMIGHTY
ONE WHO INHABITS ETERNITY Isa 57:15. He has power to give abilities and talents, so our weaknesses in that area are
of no concern to Him. In His kingdom are many offices and responsibilities which He is waiting to confer upon His people.
He has already had to deal with a destructive rebellion and He doesn't want to have another. God's PRINCIPLE
CONCERN is to develop in His people the virtue of LOYALTY! Loyalty to Him! The events happening amongst His people
are taking place to build LOYALTY and to test His people to discern WHO is LOYAL to Him and who is not. Which of His
people are just going through the motions out of a hope for reward or a fear of punishment. Who is following Him and
who is following human leaders? This is WHY He allowed a human leader to say that His commandments were no longer of
any effect. TO TEST HIS PEOPLE. Who then, said; great, I don't have to do that anymore and who was faithful
to GOD? This was the reason for recent events in the WCG.
Now comes the second step. Who is just being
loyal to the teachings of a man and who is willing to follow Almighty God? The question remains the same, but at a different
level. Before it was a clear question; will you keep the commandments or not? This was like a High School exam.
Now comes the University level test. All these leaders CLAIM to obey God but in reality they regard the teachings of
a man as having greater authority than the Word of God. The question is; Will we be willing to stand on the Word of
God, the Holy Scripture written by the original apostles and prophets sent by Jesus Christ Eph 2:20 or are we just standing
on the words of some man? We MUST NOT stand on the words of some man, any man, even a good man. It is our LOYALTY
to the GREAT KING that is being questioned. When we stand before Him and He asks us why we did not obey Him in some
point, will we answer, we obeyed the one we thought was your minister instead? That is the answer that ALL religious
people will give. Brethren, they ALL think they are obeying God by obeying those they think are His servants.
I am certain that the angels in obeying their minister Lucifer thought that they were doing well even as they were led astray.
Herbert Armstrong said "don't believe me, believe the bible." That is perhaps the one saying of his that
people do NOT keep! For they believe his words as if they were the bible and will not accept anything contrary to his
thoughts, even if it is found in the bible. Brethren we MUST be LOYAL TO GOD in spite of what ANY man says, especially
including myself. GOD'S WORD IS THE STANDARD BY WHICH WE SHALL BE JUDGED, Not my words and not brother Herbert's
words.
TheShiningLight is a collection of study papers on biblical subjects. It is our intention to
add new studies on a regular basis. Our primary purpose is to turn the hearts of all persons toward our Father in heaven by
providing simple, straight forward biblical study papers. We shall try to avoid flowery language or endless words signifying
nothing. These studies are NOT intended to present the sum of all knowledge on a particular subject, but rather, to
provide the basics. Much of our material will be new and some things may surprise or even shock some readers.
It is our hope that such offenses will only serve to provoke to serious study. Please, prove all things by the holy scripture
rather than simply rejecting something new on an emotional basis. For the most part, our studies will be short and to the
point. While, all are welcome, this site is designed for those who have some background in the Church of God, therefore
the author may assume that the reader has some basic knowledge of God's word.
