WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91123
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG PASTOR GENERAL
October 25, 1985
Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ:
You and I are committed, as Co-Workers together with the living Christ, to the greatest and most important activity on earth today!
This Work of God was originally started by ONE man — Jesus Christ. But on the day of Pentecost, A.D. 31, the same Holy Spirit that had carried on God's Work through his individual body entered into and empowered his apostles, and the entire COLLECTIVE BODY, which on and from that day constituted God's Church. The Church of God, of which Jesus Christ was, and is, the living HEAD, was commissioned to carry on the Work of God in an organized manner — starting out with the TWELVE apostles.
What is the Work of God? First of all, it is the great commission — to proclaim the MESSAGE Christ brought for mankind from heaven and taught his disciples. Secondly, to minister to, and feed with the spiritual food of God's Word, those whom GOD converts and adds to his Church.
But, after proclaiming that gospel MESSAGE to the world of that day — after the Church had grown and multiplied in number and power, the headquarters Church at Jerusalem fled in the face of advancing Roman armies shortly before A.D. 70, became scattered, and under persecution — and because of discouragement because Christ had not yet returned in power and glory — the Church WENT TO SLEEP ON THE JOB of proclaiming Christ's true gospel message!
Satan then filled the world with his COUNTERFEIT "gospel." The world accepted it as the genuine. You'll read, in the parable of the l0 virgins, Matthew 25, how, while Christ tarried in heaven and did not return to earth as soon as they espected, THEY ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT on the job of carrying on God's Work.
But now the "midnight hour" spoken of in this parable has struck. Christ's return is drawing near. He has raised up YOU, and all our Co-Worker family, to give to the world the cry, "The Bridegroom is COMING." The KINGDOM OF GOD is at hand. The WORLD TOMORROW is about to dawn!
Christ's true gospel message is THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Jesus taught and proclaimed no other gospel. It sounds incredible — almost unbelievable, I know — but it's TRUE! THAT gospel had not been preached to the world for 18« centuries! Many have, as Jesus foretold, come in his name, claiming to represent him, SAYING that Jesus is the Christ (Matt. 24:5) — even proclaiming his shed blood — preaching about GRACE (but turning it into license) — and have DECEIVED THE MANY! God's true Church has continued to exist, through every generation, until now, as a small and persecuted Church. Yet it had not proclaimed Christ's true gospel, in organized manner to the world, until A.D. 1934.
But, Matthew 24:14, Jesus also said that, just before his coming and the END of this world, his own very GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD would be proclaimed (and published — Mark 13:10) in ALL THE WORLD as a witness to all nations.
That is what Jesus Christ has called YOU and me, as Co-Workers together with HIM, to be doing NOW! This is the VERY WORK OF GOD! That's why this is the MOST IMPORTANT Work on earth!
WE are in a spiritual WAR — on the firing line with CHRIST as our general — firing spiritual bombs of GOD'S TRUTH — the message of Christ's own GOSPEL — to make this whole world CONSCIOUS of the GOOD NEWS of Christ's soon coming and his KINGDOM, to rule the happy, peaceful WORLD TOMORROW! There can be no letting down — no slacking — no quitting in this war!
What would happen in a war if an army, by a sudden burst of effort, surged forward to win a single battle, then laid down their arms and decided to take it easy or go on furlough? They would then LOSE THE WAR! Christ said it is only he who endures to the end who shall be saved! LET US CARRY ON, more determined than ever — more dedicated and devoted to Christ's great mission than ever! We must not win a partial battle, and then lose our war. LET US NOW PLUNGE ON HARDER THAN EVER TO FINAL VICTORY!
We have to REALIZE these are the most trying and crucial days in earth's history and for this great closing WORK OF GOD since it began!
The newspapers, newscasters and government authorities are telling us bluntly that the U.S. and the entire world face a grave economic future from the burden of mounting debts. WHAT WILL THIS MEAN TO US, INDIVIDUALLY, AND TO THE WORK?
Humans cannot foretell the future! God can! This much I know! For the sake of HIS VERY WORK, God Almighty will make it possible for his Co-Workers to continue in such financial condition that THE NEEDS OF GOD'S WORK shall be continually supplied. In all probability conditions will improve through this year and into the next year, even though the methods used to stimulate the improvement may hasten the world's ultimate economic downfall.
What about us, individually? What about YOU? REMEMBER! If you are FAITHFUL — if your heart is in GOD'S WORK — HE PROMISES TO TAKE CARE OF YOU — to supply your needs! In some cases it may not appear, for a time, that God is answering and keeping that promise. But if you do your part — put forth extra effort to find employment if you are unemployed — keep praying and TRUSTING God — keep faithful in tithes and offerings for his Work, God will never fail you! He may allow a TEST OF FAITH. But if you don't fail him, he won't fail you!
Those in this world have no such assurance for the future — NO SUCH SECURITY! How grateful we should be for it! No matter what the national or world conditions — GOD ALMIGHTY WILL KEEP HIS WORK GOING FORWARD, and growing and multiplying in power and scope!
REMEMBER! You and I are servants of GOD! We are HIS INSTRUMENTS! He is using us in preparing for Christ's coming and HIS KINGDOM! The living Jesus Christ is the Head of this Work — he directs it! If we are willing to give our SELVES to him, willing to sacrifice for him, he will see that we are prospered and financially able — and spiritually able — to keep up OUR PART until HIS TREMENDOUS MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED!