Truth Magazine

By Weldon E. Warnock

Yes, man is commanded to keep the Sabbath today, says Herbert W. Armstrong. But what does God say?

Sabbath Forever

Armstrong contends the Sabbath is a perpetual covenant that is to last forever.(1) He bases his position on Exodus 31:12-17 where God said to Moses: “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever. . .” (vv. 16-17). You will notice that the covenant and sign were between God and national Israel – not man in general.

The words, “perpetual,” “throughout your generations” and “forever” mean that the Sabbath would continue as long as national Israel was God’s chosen nation. God’s working through fleshly Israel ended when Jesus established His spiritual kingdom (Matt. 21:43; Jn. 18:36; Rom. 2:28-29; 9:8; 11:15).

This argument would also perpetuate many other Jewish ordinances, such as the passover, circumcision, incense, burnt offerings, etc. Observe that circumcision would be an everlasting covenant (Gen. 17:13), the passover was to be kept forever (Ex. 12:14), and that incense was to be a perpetual incense before the Lord (Ex. 30:8). Meat offerings (Lev. 6:18), oil for the lamps in the tabernacle (Lev. 23:3) and the feast of tabernacles (Lev. 23:41) were to be forever. It becomes obvious that “forever” denotes the Jewish dispensation, or throughout their generations. Armstrong’s argument embraces more than he is willing to accept!

Sabbath For Man

Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath” (Mk. 2:27-28). Armstrong wrote: “Notice Mark 2:27 again! It was not only one of those things that was made – it not only had a Maker – but it was made for someone. Now today the prevalent idea seems to be that it was made `for the Jews.’ But what did Christ, Himself, say? He said it was made `for man’!”(2)

Of course, the Sabbath was made for man. It was not made for a horse, a cow or a dog, but it was made for man. A Jew is a man and it was made for that man – the Jew. God gave the law to Israel (Deut. 5:1-21). No other nation had a .law so good (Deut. 4:8). The Ten Commandments were a part of this law that no other nation had (Deut. 4:13). God, through Moses, set this law before Israel, not the Gentiles (Deut. 4:44). Paul said the Israelites had the law (Rom. 9:4), and that the Gentiles did not have the law (Rom. 2:14). Sounds like Mr. Armstrong is wrong again.

Sabbath Given At Sinai

The Bible teaches that God instituted the Sabbath at Mt. Sinai. However, Armstrong maintains that the Sabbath was kept from Eden. Armstrong wrote:

Now when did the Lord bless and hallow this seventh day? You will read, as explained before, in Genesis 2:3, that He did this blessing and hallowing on that seventh day of original CREATION WEEK. And this Sabbath Command says plainly, “The LORD blessed the sabbath day.” He did this blessing and hallowing the very day after creation of Adam and Eve. And what He then blessed and hallowed, says Exodus 20:11, was THE SABBATH DAY. It was God’s Sabbath day from the very original creation week. That is when the Lord made the Sabbath.(3)

But neither Genesis 2:3 nor Exodus 20:11 tells us when God sanctified or hallowed the seventh day. We learn this from other passages. Genesis 2:3 reads: “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” This passage does not say that God ordained the Sabbath on the seventh day of the creation week. Verse 2 states “he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.” Then, in verse 3, Moses wrote that “God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.” This took place at Mt. Sinai.

Harris Dark said: “The mentioning of the sanctification in Genesis 2:3 has been called a case of prolepsis, or joining together in statement two events that were separated in time. Other examples of prolepsis may be found in Genesis 3:20, 4:20, and Matthew 10:4. No one can show where God sanctified the seventh day, much less where he commanded anyone to keep it, until after the deliverance of the Jews from Egypt.

“The seventh day of the week is first called the sabbath in Exodus 16, in connection with the giving of the manna to the Jews in the wilderness. In anticipation of the law soon to be given at Sinai, God instructed the people to gather two day’s supply on the sixth day and warned them not to expect any on the seventh day. The manner in which the sabbath is thus introduced shows that they were not accustomed to keeping it. In spite of these special instructions, some went out to gather manna on the seventh day and found none. This shows their lack of familiarity with the seventh day sabbath. The sabbath was a new institution soon to be established. Here it was first introduced. At Mt. Sinai a few days later it was made known” (God Hath Spoken, pp. 149-150).

Let us notice the following things that the Bible says, or does not say, about the Sabbath:

(1) The word “Sabbath” is never found till the time of Moses (Ex. 16:23).

(2) There is no record that the Sabbath was ever kept before the Jews kept it.

(3) The Sabbath was given to the Jews (Ezek. 20:12). In giving the Sabbath, God used the same day upon which He had rested, or ceased work of creation (Ex. 20:8-11; 31:17; Deut. 5:15).

(4) The covenant which included the Sabbath commandment was made to Israel only (Ex. 20:2; Deut. 5:2-3).

(5) The Sabbath was not given, or made known, until the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai (Ezek. 20:10-12; Neh. 9:13-14).

(6) The Sabbath was a sign between God and Israel, not all nations (Ex. 31:12-17; Ezek. 20:12, 30).

(7) Israel was commanded to keep the Sabbath because they had been delivered from Egyptian bondage (Deut. 5:15).

(8) God calls the Sabbath, “her sabbath” (Hos. 2:11), meaning Israel’s sabbath. Hence, it is the Jewish Sabbath.

There is no proof that the Sabbath was intended for anybody but the Jews.

Sabbath In The New Testament

Armstrong wrote: “Now briefly let us look through the commas or punctuation marks, all the translations, such as New Testament to find WHICH DAY Paul kept and the King James, American Standard, Revised Standard taught the Gentile converts to keep.” To try to prove his and New American Standard, place the comma after assertion, he cites Paul’s preaching in the Jewish “week,” rather than after “risen.” There is good reason synagogues on the Sabbath as proof-texts for Sabbath- keeping in the New Testament (Acts 13:14-15, 42-44; 17:2; 18:1-11).(4) Now, this is the best Mr. Armstrong has for proof (?) of Christians keeping the Sabbath in the New Testament – examples of Paul and others attending a Jewish synagogue on Saturday to preach the gospel to unbelieving Jews and Gentile proselytes to Judaism. Surely, Armstrong would not say that Paul was going to a Jewish synagogue to worship, to keep the Sabbath, with a group of religious people who did not even believe in the deity of Jesus? Yet, when you read what he writes, that is exactly what he says because that is all he has to offer. Paul went to the synagogues on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, because that was the day the Jews came together. What Armstrong needs to find is one passage where Paul and other Christians kept the Sabbath in an assembly of the Lord’s church.

Was Jesus Resurrected On The Sabbath?

To try to further enhance his position of a New Testament Sabbath, Armstrong labors fervently to get Jesus resurrected on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, instead of Sunday, the first day of the week. For example, Armstrong changes the comma in Mark 16:9, thereby making the time of the resurrection indefinite as far as that specific text is concerned. The verse states:

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

However, Armstrong moves the comma to make the verse read as follows:

Now when Jesus was risen, early the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.(5)

Although the original Greek manuscripts did not have for this as Luke 24:1-21 plainly teaches that Jesus arose on the first day of the week.

Verse 1 of Luke 24 states: “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre . . . .” In verse 13 Luke records: “And, behold two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus . . . .” The “same day” would be the “first day” of verse 1. Now then, in verse 21, we read: ” . . . . and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.” “Today” is the “same day” of verse 13 and the “first day” of verse 1. Hence, the first day (Sunday) is the “third day” of verse 21 and Jesus said again and again that he would be raised the third day (Matt. 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Lk. 24:46). This should settle the matter for honest hearts.

First-day Of The Week

In the Old Testament the seventh day stands out among the days of the week, but in the New Testament, the firstday of the week is given the emphasis. Observe the following:

(1) Jesus Christ arose from the dead on the first day of the week (Mk. 16:1-9; Lk. 24:1, 13, 21, 46).

(2) On the first day of the week He was thus declared to be the Son of God (Rom. 1:3-4).

(3) Between His resurrection and ascension, Jesus met with His disciples (several times) on the first day of the week (John 20:1, 19, 26). (4) Pentecost came on the first day of the week (Lev. 23:15). Hence, all the events of Acts 2:1-47 took place on the first day of the week.

(5) The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles on the first day of the week and began His mission of conversion (Acts 2:1-4, 38). (6) The first gospel sermon proclaiming Jesus as the Christ was preached on the first day of the week (Acts 2:22-36).

(7) Three thousand souls, the first fruits of the gopsel harvest (Lev. 23:17), were added to the church which began on that Pentecost, the first day of the week (Acts 2:41-47).

(8) The church assembled on the First day of the week to break bread and to worship God (Acts 20:7; 2:42; 1 Cor. 16:2; 1 Cor. 11:23, 33; Heb. 10:25).

(9) Yet, in the face of all these New Testament facts, modern Sabbatarians will cling to the seventh-day Sabbath and seek to bind its observances upon Christians.(6)

Armstrong, in commenting on these first-day of the week passages, tries to explain away their significance by miscontruing the texts and by asking for a text that puts sort of a Sabbath-day concept on the first-day of the week. He fails to see that the New Testament does not make a Sabbath out of Sunday.

Armstrong quotes Today’s English Version on Acts 20:7 to try to establish that the disciples came together at Troas on Saturday night and that the “breaking of bread” was not the Lord’s Supper but was only a common meal.(7) As to whether the disciples came together on Saturday or Sunday, Greek scholars tell us that the first day of the week is the correct translation. The Greek words are mia ton sabbaton. W.E. Vine states that “the first day after the sabbath” is signified (Vol. 3, p. 138). Thayer says it is “the first day after the week” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, p. 187). Arndt-Gingrich also say it means “on the first day of the week” (A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 231). Hence, Today’s English Version is incorrect.

Concerning whether “breaking of bread” in Acts 20:7 means the Lord’s Supper or a common meal, Vine states that “the breaking of bread became the name for this institution (Lord’s Supper, WEW), Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:23” (Vol. 1, p. 146). Arndt-Gingrich tell us that bread (artos) in Acts 20:7 was “of the bread of the Lord’s Supper” (p. 110). So, it is apparent that Herbert W. Armstrong is dead wrong about the significance of the first day of the week and that he, obviously, ignores the overwhelming evidence of noted scholars, both lexicographers and translators. Frankly, the man is grossly deceived or flagrantly dishonest, or both.

Conclusion

The first day of the week is the day that is important to Christians. It is the day of the resurrection of Christ. Because of its great significance, let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad!

The Sabbath was given to the Jews only and it was done away in Christ. Paul wrote: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross . . . . Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days” (Col. 2:14, 16). Paul is saying that since the law has been annulled, let no man, including the man, Herbert W. Armstrong, judge you or impose upon you the Jewish ordinances, such as the Sabbath.

Endnotes

1. Herbert W. Armstrong, Which day is the Christian Sabbath?, p. 58.

2. Ibid., p. 23.

3. Ibid., p. 49.

4. Ibid., pp. 93-96.

5. Ibid., p. 84.

6. Homer Hailey, Let’s Go Fishing for Men, pp. 165-166.

7. Herbert W. Armstrong, op. cit., pp. 87, 89. Note: Acknowledgment is also given to: D.M. Canright, Seventh-day Adventism Renounced; in the preparation of this article.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 11, pp. 331-333
June 2, 1983

By Mike Willis

One of the false doctrines propagated and defended by Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God pertains to the soul. In the brochure What Is Man?, Armstrong described the doctrine of man which he opposed. He wrote,

The Common Assumption. The ancient pagans taught (and it has continued to be taught for many, many centuries) that man is a spiritual being – that he really is an “immortal soul” composed of spirit. The pagans further taught that this immortal soul is housed in what you might call a house of flesh – that the human body is merely the house we dwell in, or the cloak we put around us temporarily – and that the real you is not the body, but an immortal invisible soul – and yet a soul that knows, that thinks, that hears, that sees, and that will live on consciously forever . . . .

And the Bible does not reveal anything about an “immortal soul” that resides in a body of flesh, though many men have tried to read such a meaning into it. . .

You can see very plainly from the account in Genesis that man had no immortality and no “immortal soul” either!

Writing in the booklet Life After Death?, Mr. Armstrong stated that the dead are unconscious. He wrote,

But, what in the meantime – what between the second of one’s death and the resurrection? The Bible teaching, contrary to much religious and church teaching – that is the Word of God teaching – is that the dead are dead – utterly unconscious. . . (p. 4).

These quotations rather explicitly state the doctrine of the soul which has been espoused and propagated by Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God.

Comparison To Adventists Movements

The doctrine of the soul which is taught by Herbert Armstrong comes from his association with the Seventh Day Adventists. He became affiliated with the Adventists as a result of the strong urgings of his wife (Norman Midgette, “The Cults View of the Future: Armstrongism,” Florida College Lectures 1974, pp. 143-144). The Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses came out of a common religious heritage and share many of the same beliefs. Common to each of them is the denial of the immortality of the soul.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach the following regarding the soul:

So we see that the claim of religionists that man has an immortal soul and therefore differs from the beast is not Scriptural. . . The result of such a thorough search will be that you cannot find a single text in which either of those original words for “soul” is connected or associated with such words as “immortal, everlasting, eternal, or deathless.” There is not one Bible text that states the human soul is immortal (Let God Be True, pp. 68, 69).

. . Consistent with this basic truth, not once in any of its verses does the Bible say that either human or animal souls are immortal, deathless, cannot be destroyed or cannot perish (The Truth That Leads To Eternal Life, p. 37).

The Seventh-Day Adventists hold a similar doctrine of the soul of man. In his book The Four Major Cults, Anthony A. Hoekema surveyed the doctrine of the Seventh-Day Adventists with reference to the soul. Quoting from the Questions on Doctrine (pp. 512-514), published by the Adventists, Hoekema wrote:

“The Scriptures teach,” the authors summarize, “that the soul of man represents the whole man, and not a particular part independent of the other component parts of man’s nature; and further, that the soul cannot exist apart from the body, for man is a unit.”

What these authors are driving at is that, in their judgment, there is no soul which survives after the body dies (p. 111).

Discussing the Adventist’s doctrine of immortality, Hoekema continued:

Seventh-day Adventists thus believe in conditional immortality: immortality is bestowed upon believers at the Second Coming of Christ. Man possesses no inherent immortality, and man has no immortal soul. Immortality in the absolute sense is possessed only by God. Immortality in a relative sense is bestowed only upon certain people – namely, those who believe. Unbelievers will be raised from the dead after the millennium, but they will not receive immortality. They will be raised only to be annihilated (p. 136).

This is the point of doctrine which is common to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventists and the Worldwide Church of God under the leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong. Armstrong denies that man has an immortal soul. He teaches, like the Adventists, that man has conditional immortality. Armstrong said, “if you then live a life of overcoming and grow in grace and knowledge, you shall be made immortal at the second coming of Christ by a resurrection from the dead. Or, if you are living at that time, you shall be changed into immortal spirit composition and live forever!” (What Is Man?, p. 4). Armstrong identifies the new birth with the reception of an immortal spirit.

Does man have an immortal spirit? Is there something in man which survives death? Is man’s soul mortal or immortal? These are the questions which must be answered.

The Word “Soul”

Confusion has been created by Jehovah’s Witnesses, Adventists and the Worldwide Church of God by their statements that man does not have an “immortal soul.” Going into houses of those with little or no biblical knowledge, these false teachers confuse the hearts of the simple by pretending to have extensive knowledge of the original languages. They use the Hebrew word nephesh and the Greek words psuche and pneuma as if they were graduates in Bible languages. They positively assert that these words do not refer to an immortal soul, claim that “man is a soul; he does not have a soul,” and that man and animal both have the same nature, so far as “soul” is concerned.

The word “soul” is used in a number of senses. The following chart shows how the word is used:

Animal Life	Human Life	Persons	Immortal Past of Man
Rev. 16:13	Matt. 2:20	Gen. 17:4; 46:18	Matt. 10:28
Num. 31:28	Lk. 12:22	Acts 2:41, 43	Acts 2:27
	Acts 20:10	1 Pet. 3:20	Rev. 6:9; 20:4
	Rev. 8:9, 12:11	Rom. 13:1	Jas. 5:20

This list is not exhaustive; however, it does show several of the usages of the word “soul.” The word “soul” like other English words, has several different meanings (cf. for example “heart,” “draw,” etc.). The problem which a person usually has when talking about the word “soul” is the failure to recognize these different usages. Christians sometimes fail to realize that the word “soul” is used to refer to “animal life,” human life, or just persons. One will be making a serious mistake not to admit that the word “soul” is sometimes used to refer to apart of man which dies. However, the word “soul” is also used to refer to a part of man which lives beyond death. The word psuche has, as one of its definitions, “the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death” (Joseph H. Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 677).

Here are some passages in which the word “soul” is used but refers to some part of man which survives death:

(1) Matthew 10:28 – “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The Lord Jesus indicates that God can destroy a part of man which man cannot destroy, namely the soul. However, in the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong, when a man dies, his soul dies. One man can kill another man; hence, according to Armstrong, a man can destroy the soul. Jesus said that only God can destroy the soul of man.

(2) Acts 2:27 – “. . .because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” This quotation of Psalm 16 as a Messianic prophecy of Christ states that God did not leave Jesus in the realm of the dead but raised Him from the dead. When Jesus’ soul was .in “hell” (hades), was it dead or alive, conscious or unconscious?

(3) Revelation 6:9-10 – “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Here are souls which had been slain but who were crying and speaking. If the soul dies when the body dies, how is this verse to be explained? These persons who had been slain for the testimony of Christ had conscious existence after their bodies had died. See Revelation 20:4 for another passage referring to conscious existence of slain Christians.

(4) James 5:19-20 – “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” The conversion of an erring child of God saves a soul from death. Does conversion keep a Christian from experiencing physical death? There must be some kind of death in addition to physical death which affects man. The righteous and wicked alike die physically. How can conversion save a soul from death in the Armstrong sense of the soul?

Other Passages

In addition to those passages which show that the word “soul” is used to refer to an immortal part of man, there are a number of other evidences which show that man has a spirit which survives death.

1. 1 Peter 3:4. In teaching women to put their emphasis on spiritual things, Peter told women to be concerned with adorning the inner “man of the heart” more than the outward adorning of the body. He wrote, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of the plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is .in the sight of God of great price” (3:3-4). Woman has “the hidden man of the heart” which is “not corruptible” (aphthartos: imperishable; cf. 1 Tim. 1:17 where it describes God). Man’s soul is immortal, the claims of Armstrong to the contrary not withstanding.

2. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. This passage contrasts the outward and inward man. Paul wrote, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day . For our light affliction, which- is but for a moment, worketh-f”.or us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Notice the contrasts in this passage:

Outward Man	Inward Man
Perishes	Renewed
Seen	Not Seen
Temporal	Eternal

Armstrong teaches that man is never described as having an eternal soul. We have seen that the “hidden man of the heart” is eternal (1 Pet. 3:4) and here that the “inward man” is not temporal but eternal.

3. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. Paul continued in the same context to describe what happens to man at death. In these verses, he described our present life as being at “home in the body” but absent from God. However, when the “earthly house of our tabernacle is dissolved” (2 Cor. 5:1), we have the confident assurance that we go to be present with the Lord (v. 8). Paul did not describe death as the cessation of existence; rather, he described it as going to be at home with Christ.

4. Philippians 1:21-24. This passage is very similar to 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. Again Paul expressed his desire to go be with Christ at the time of his death. He did not describe death as a state of unconscious existence.

5. Luke 23:43. As Jesus hung on the cross, He said to the thief on the cross, “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Jesus expected to die that day, as also did the thief. Where did Jesus expect to go with the thief on that day? Did he describe unconscious existence in death as “paradise”? Or, did His soul survive the ordeal of physical death and go to some place of rest and bliss in the presence of God? I, believe the latter best explains Jesus’ statement.

6. Matthew 22:32. Jesus replied to the Sadducees who denied the resurrection of the body by showing that the dead are still “living.” He said, “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died centuries before Jesus lived on earth. Yet, Jesus described Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as “living” years after their death.

Replying To Armstrong Arguments

Those who argue that the soul of man dies and has no conscious existence after death usually argue from several standard passages. Let us look at two or three of these:

1. Ecclesiastes 9:5. This passage is used to show that the dead are in a state of unconscious existence. The passage says, “For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun” (9:5-6). The emphasis of this passage is one the fact that death ends man’s earthly existence – his life under the sun. “The fact of a retribution in a world beyond, is only apparently denied here, for the author now sees only the conditions of this world… :” (Otto Zockler, “Ecclesiastes,” Lange’s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Vol. V, p. 125). As the author of Ecclesiastes went on to describe death, he wrote, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (12:7). The book speaks of the judgment of the righteous and the wicked (11:9; 12:13-14). Hence, the most consistent interpretation of this passage is to understand that it is only discussing “life under the sun.”

2. Passages which speak of souls dying. Several passages which use the word “soul” in some sense other than the immortal part of man speak of souls dying. For example, Ezekiel 18:4, 20 is quoted (“the soul that sinneth, it shall die”) to show that man’s soul dies. This same chapter shows that the righteous shall “live” (Ezek. 18:9, 21). If “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” proves the mortality of the soul, “he shall surely live, he shall not die” (18:21) in the same context must prove the immortality of the soul! Hence, we are in a hopeless conflict unless we realize that “live” and “die” in this chapter is referring to spiritual life and spiritual death.

Other verses are cited in which “soul” is used to describe “persons.” Passages describe “souls” as dying (cf. Rev. 16:3; Lev. 24:18). These passages must be understood as referring to “soul” as meaning a “person” or mere animal life. Not understanding the contextual meaning of a word causes confusion. Think of what this sentence means: “Do you have a heart?” The sentence has different meaning depending upon whether one is speaking of the emotional make-up of a man, a suit of cards, or organ transplanting. To answer that sentence demands that one use the term in the same sense as that in which the question was asked; otherwise accurate communication has not occurred. This same problem occurs when Armstrong, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Seventh-Day Adventists change the meaning on the word “soul” in passages which speak of people dying and use that to state that man does not have a part of him which exists consciously after death. A shift in the meaning of the word “soul” occurs.

3. Immortality is given to the righteous at the resurrection. Armstrong and the Adventists both teach that man is given an immortal spirit at the resurrection. However, one should be reminded that the soul is not what is placed in the tomb or what will come forth from the tomb. The spirit of man returns to God who gave it at death (Ecc. 12:7); it is never placed in a tomb. The body of man is placed in a tomb and it returns to the dust from which it came. This natural body will be given immortality (1 Cor. 15:42-44). The soul of man already has immortality.

Passages which use “life” in a qualitative sense are sometimes cited to substantiate the position that man’s soul is given immortality. Armstrong contends that the new birth of John 3:3, 5 refers to what happens when the righteous dead are raised arid given, an immortal body. This “new birth” is said to be the means of gaining immortality (What Is Man? by Herbert Armstrong, p. 4). Every soul of man will be raised from the dead (John 5:28-29), not just the righteous. The dead will receive eternal destruction (Matt. 25:46), a punishment which will be torment day and night forever (Mark 9:44-1(; Rev. 20:10, 15).

Conclusion

Jesus gave us an accurate picture of what happens to man at death in Luke 16:19-31. So long as this passage is in the Bible, men such as Herbert Armstrong and religious groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Seventh-Day Adventists cannot be successful in denying the immortality of the soul and its conscious existence after death. Read this passage with me:

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fi e linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certau beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us,, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him. If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The entire background of this story assumes that the soul of man exists after death. Jesus knew more about this than Herbert W. Armstrong!

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 11, pp. 327-330
June 2, 1983

By Norman Midgette

For those who believe the Bible, Herbert Armstrong’s version of the world tomorrow reads like science fiction. With its combination of visible and invisible beings in a Utopian society ruling and being ruled with force and splendor, it would rival some of our recent space odysseys.

It Must Happen Soon

It must happen very soon – in fact within the next seventeen years by the end of the twentieth century Armstrong says.

And yet – absolute UTOPIA is soon to grip this earth! In OUR TIME, we shall see WORLD PEACE! We shall see sickness banished; vigorous health restored; ignorance replaced with universal right education; poverty replaced with universal prosperity; weeping and wailing turned into happiness and JOY! (The Wonderful World Tomorrow, p. 34, hereafter referred to as WWT).

To more specifically identify “our time” he says, “. . . approximately 90 percent of all prophecy pertains to our time, now, in this latter half of the twentieth century” (The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy, p. 17).

How It Begins

To begin this wonderful world there must first be the return of Christ with two outstanding events taking place. First, all the righteous dead will be raised and all the righteous living changed into immortal spirits. They will have no bodies for, “. . . at the time of the resurrection we shall be instantaneously changed from mortal to immortal – we shall then be born of God – we shall then be God” (Why Were You Born? pp. 21, 22). He explains this process more fully in the booklet What Is The True Gospel? (p. 9).

The second great event will be the final battle of the ages. It will take place at Jerusalem between the Common Market nations of Europe which Armstrong believes is the resurrected Roman Empire and Christ with all His holy angels. Christ will win and the throne of David which is now occupied by the Queen of England will be moved to Jerusalem where His kingdom will be established and where He will reign for a Millennium.

Now by divine force He will suppress all crime and rebellion and by divine education He will save and govern the world by forcing peace and prosperity upon it. Reigning with Him will be all the dead and living righteous who have been changed into divine Spirit Beings. All the wicked dead are still in their graves and all mortals now living on earth at the beginning of the Millennium are unsaved.

Armstrong allows a period of “restitution” at the beginning to clean up all of the mess mankind has created over the centuries. But when this is all made right, we will view a world here on earth where (1) government, (2) landscape, (3) education, (4) medical needs, and (5) economic standards are all new and entirely changed. You would find it hard to believe it is the same world we live on today. Now take a trip with me into this Paradise of Herbert Armstrong which he calls The Wonderful World Tomorrow.

Armstrong’s Paradise

Jerusalem will be the world capital with all things relating to church and state being dictated from there. Every person in government will be spirit in nature. (Armstrong does not say if they will be visible to mortals.) While on earth they were prepared for the work they are now to do.

Christ will be the Supreme Head of government and just as specifically as Armstrong names “Christ,” he names the other officers in this world government.

He says, “It all began with Abraham” (WWT, p. 50). “What is plainly revealed indicates, then, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will function as a topflight TEAM, with Abraham as `Chairman’ of the TEAM, next under Christ in the coming world Government of God” (WWT, p. 52).

At this point the operation of the Kingdom divides into Church and State. Since Moses and Elijah were with Christ in. the transfiguration which was, “the Kingdom of GOD IN A VISION,’ Moses will be Director of State and Elijah, who restored the true worship (1 Kings 18:19-21), will be the Director of the Church (WWT, p. 53).

As we walk down the corridor of this Government Office Building, let us see who Moses has helping him. Humanity is divided into Gentile Nations and Israelite Nations. Over the Gentile Nations will be Daniel. However, “the indication… seems to be that Paul will be given position over ALL Gentiles, but under Daniel” (WWT, p. 57). Then there will be rulers over individual nations perhaps Barnabas, Silas or Timothy but Armstrong is not sure about their identity.

On the other side of the corridor, where the Israelite nations are ruled, the name of King David stands out in bold letters. And says Armstrong, “Each of the original twelve Apostles will be king under David, over one of these then super-prosperous nations” (Matt. 19:28). Under the Apostles will be lesser rulers.

Before we conclude our tour of the Government operation there are three other officers to which you need to be introduced. Problems they deal with are solved on an international level with International Directors.

Armstrong believes the amalgamation of the races is “contrary to GOD’S LAWS” (WWT, p. 57). So to Armstrong, “it seems evident that the resurrected NOAH will head a vast project of the RELOCATION OF THE RACES and NATIONS, within the boundaries GOD had set, for their own best good, happiness and richest blessings”(WWT, p. 58).

Another tremendous project will be to see that Isaiah 61:4 is fulfilled. It reads in part, “And they shall… repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.” Armstrong’s fertile imaginations has just the man for the job. He is the builder of the Great Pyramid of Egypt, known in secular history as Pharoah Khufu, says Armstrong, and in the Bible as Job. “Indication is strong,” says the Armstrong Cult, “that JOB will be Director of worldwide URBAN RENEWAL” (WWT, p. 59). His top assistant will be none other than, Zerubbabel, rebuilder of the walls of Jerusalem.

The third director will be needed over the total economy and so we read, “It seems evident, therefore, that Joseph will be made DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD’S ECONOMY – ITS AGRICULTURE, its INDUSTRY, its TECHNOLOGY, and its COMMERCE – as well as its money and monetary system” (WWT, p. 58). This concludes Herbert Armstrong’s creation of Department of State under Moses, Abraham and Christ.

Armstrong’s Department of Religion is developed in less detail. However, Christ appoints Elijah as the Director of the Church and because John the Baptist came in the “spirit and power of Elijah” he will be appointed to work directly under Elijah. Under them will be many unnamed spirit beings.

The Headquarters Church will be at Jerusalem and its main function will be to fill the world with the full knowledge of God (Isa. 11:9). Jew and Gentile will flow to this kingdom though not everyone will come. In clear contradiction of Hebrews 8:8-13, the Armstrong doctrine says the new covenant does not begin until the Millennium.

To accomplish this re-education process God will “give to all nations a new and PURE LANGUAGE. . . (WWT, p. 60). Everyone will speak and be taught in this language.

This Headquarters Church will direct all local churches throughout the world. Those making up these churches will be saved mortals and, “there will be district superintendents over areas, and Pastors, Elders, Deacons and Deaconnesses in every local church” (WWT, p. 66). These saved ones will not have to overcome Satan because to Armstrong he has been bound, “But they shall have to overcome all evil impulses, habits, or temptations, innate within themselves” (WWT, p. 63).

Part of their worship will include forced observance of the Festivals of God under the Old Testament. Armstrong says there were seven of them. Can anyone picture Christ authorizing festivals like the Day of Atonement or the Passover which He came to abolish 2000 years ago according to Hebrews 9?

What kind of gospel are these preachers of Armstrong’s imagination going to be preaching to convert people while at the same time observing the sin offerings of the day of atonement? Is Christ our sin offering or is He not? The church in Armstrong’s World Tomorrow is denominational to the core with much of it organized like his church in California.

In Armstrong’s fantasy the climate will be perfect and the landscape totally changed. From Isaiah 40:14-20 he teaches that the mountains, including the Alps, the Himalayas and the Rockies will be made level and the land productive for crops. Also he says Isaiah 11:15 teaches that the oceans will shrink in size for more land to be made available. He says, “Sounds incredible – but it’s TRUE” (WWT, p. 75). No hunger will exist and there will always be plenty for all. It will never be too hot or too cold but always comfortable.

In this Utopia there will be universal good health and all hospitals will be empty and for sale. Doctors will only be needed as educators of the principles of good health. In this new world, we will be well because we will avoid the causes of disease and illness which is sin. But, says Armstrong,”. . . when people, in spite of this education, do get sick or catch a disease, it can be healed – GOD’S way! Actually Christ’s healing is forgiveness of SIN” (WWT, p. 79). Therefore, the reason we see no sick people as we tour this new world is because, “The COMBINED FORCE OF RIGHT EDUCATION about TRUE HEALTH, and instant HEALING of all sickness, when it is REPENTED of, will mean PERFECT, UTOPIAN HEALTH!” (WWT, p. 80).

If we stopped to talk to the people about their economy what would we hear? All the gold and silver have been taken to Jerusalem as Isaiah prophesied (Isa. 60:5). The gold standard has been put into effect and the temple has been highly decorated with gold. There will be no world banks or stock markets or mortgage companies or loan agencies or time payments. “In God’s abundant government people will buy only what they need, when they can afford it, when they have the cash to pay for it. No more interest. And no more taxes” (WWT, p. 90). The government will operate on the tithing system of the Old Testament. We are assured by Mr. Armstrong that, “Every necessary industry, educational institution, and business will be in SOUND financial condition” (WWT, p. 93). Man will be at total peace with himself, his environment and his God. And so we have viewed Herbert Armstrong’s Wonderful World Tomorrow.

What you have just read is the result of a mind with no respect for the context of scripture, especially prophecy. Much of this was completely created out of his own mind with no semblance of Scripture to support it as the naming of the government directors. Through his misdirection of prophecy, materializing of prophecies that are clearly figurative and his jumbling of prophecies he has created this fantasy.

What is almost more astonishing than the ability of a man to create this totally non-existent world is the gullibility of the thousands who believe it. But, as it was in the Garden of Eden, there will always be those who create lies and those who will believe them. May we earnestly try to avoid being in either group.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 10, pp. 325-326
June 2, 1983

By Frank Jamerson

The word of God commands us: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world”(1 Jn. 4:1). Moses said, “And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shaft not be afraid of him” (Deut. 18:21, 22). God, through Jeremiah, said; “The prophet that bath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully …. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord” (Jer. 23:28, 32).

Many who read and hear Mr. Armstrong’s prophecies of imminent doom are not aware that he has rewritten his major work The United States and Britain in Prophecy and changed the time of his predictions. A careful consideration of his writings will force one to the plain truth that he is a presumptuous prophet who has spoken his “dreams” instead of the truth.

In order to understand the presumptuousness of his writings, we must understand that Mr. Armstrong claims that his “revelations” are “by God’s direction and authority” (The United States and Britain in Propecy, 1980 edition, p.184; we will abbreviate this “USBP”). He believes that biblical prophecies were “closed and sealed. . . until now. And even now they can be understood only by those who possess the master key to unlock them” (USBP, p. 5). In his Plain Truth of January, 1959, he claimed that 90% of all prophecies in the Bible began to be fulfilled in 1934, with the commencement of his work. Alan E. Highers gave a brief summary of his pretentious claims. “(1) Jesus began his teaching and training of the disciples for their world-wide mission in 27 A.D. Exactly one hundred time cycles later, in 1927 A.D., God began the intensive training of Herbert W. Armstrong to carry that same gospel. (He believes that he is the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 and Mark 13:10.) (2) Jesus began his earthly ministry at age 30. (3) The apostles were endued with power on the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D., and Herbert W. Armstrong was ordained to preach on or near the day of Pentecost in 1931 A.D., just one hundred time cycles later. A time cycle, according to Armstrong, is nineteen years. (4) The apostles began preaching in 31 A.D., says Armstrong, and for one time cycle (nineteen years) their preaching was confined to one continent, but in 50 A.D. Paul carried the gospel to Europe. Likewise Armstrong began to preach on radio in January 1934 and one time cycle later (nineteen years), in January, 1953, he began broadcasting to Europe. (5) From the time Paul carried the gospel to Europe in 50 A.D. it was another time cycle to 69 A.D. when the disciples fled Jerusalem prior to its destruction in 70 A.D. So, Armstrong began broadcasting in Europe in January of 1953, therefore he opines that in one time cycle (he wrote this prediction in 1959) the termination of opportunity to preach the gospel would likely come. That would have been 1972 which has come and gone” (Via The Spiritual Sword, January 1978, p.18).

Remember these “time cycles” when we quote from his original edition of USBP. The nineteen years “time cycle” is a product of his fertile imagination, not Bible teaching, and it has now been demonstrated to be false, though his followers are impressed with his comparisons of himself to Jesus and the apostles.

In The Inside Story of the World Tomorrow Broadcast, Mr. Armstrong said, “For two 19-year time cycles the original apostles did proclaim this Gospel, the Gospel of the Kingdom fo God, but in A.D. 69 they fled…. For eighteen and one-half centuries that gospel was not preached. The world was deceived into accepting a false gospel. Today Christ has raised up His work and once again allotted two 19-year time cycles for proclaiming His same Gospel, preparatory to His Second Coming”(via The Plain Truth About Armstrongism, Roger R. Chambers, p.15).

The plain truth is that Mr. Armstrong’s “two 19-year time cycles” ended in 1972 and the second coming of Christ did not take place, so he is a false prophet! Not only is this true, but he knows that he is a false prophet! In 1972 he revised his 1967 edition of USBP, and changed the dates of his predictions, but still makes the same predictions! Here are the six places that he changed his predictions:

1967 Edition	1972 Revision
“Events of the next five years may prove this to be the most significant book of this century.  People of the Western World would be STUNNED! – DUMBFOUNDED! – if they knew! . . .” (Foreword of book)	“People of the Western world would be stunned – dumbfounded – if they knew! . . .” (Foreword of book)
“A STAGGERING TURN in world events in due to erupt in the next four to seven years” (p. ix)	“A STAGGERING TURN in world events is due to erupt in the next few years” (p. ix)
“The great world Powers are formulating their policies – laying their plans. But the next five to seven years will see astounding events explode in a manner very different than the nations plan! WHY?” (pg. x, xi)	“The great world powers are formulating their policies – laying their plans. But the next few years will see astounding events explode in a manner very different than the nation plan! Why?” (pg. x, xi)
“The events prophesied to strike the American and British peoples in the next four to seven years are SURE!” (p. xii)	“The events prophesied to strike the American and British peoples in the next few years are SURE!” (p. xii)
“It bears repeating! Events of the next five years may prove this to be the most significant book of this century!” (p. 10)	(This space is blank! It did not “bear repeating”!)
“You need to look at prophecies of Jesus of Jeremiah, of Isaiah, and others, describing HOW much more INTENSE is to be the punishment God is going to lay on the British and American people in five to seven more years” (p. 185)	“You need to look at prophecies of Jesus of Jeremiah, of Isaiah, and others, describing how much more intense is to be the punishment God is going to lay on the British and American people” (p. 163, quotes from 1980 printing)

When his predictions did not come true, he simply changed the time for their fulfillment and reprinted his book! Did the Bible change between 1967 and 1972? All Bible believers know the answer to that! The plain truth is that Mr. Armstrong is a false prophet and he knows it!

Mr. Armstrong’s interpretation of prophecy is based on his British-Israel theory. He claims that the meaning of prophecy was “closed and sealed till the time of the end – till the latter half of the twentieth century”(USBP, p. 6). The “Master Key” that he found is “the identity of the United States and British nations in these prophecies today” (USBP, p. 9). His amazing “discovery” “by God’s direction and authority” was that “our white, English-speaking peoples today – Britain and America – are actually and truly the birthright tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh” (USBP, p. 95). Another writer will discuss this false theory in detail, but we will simply point out that the theory was not “lost” until the “latter half of the twentieth century” as Mr. Armstrong claims. In 1902, Mr. J.H. Allen wrote Judah’s Sceptre and Joseph’s Birthright. Notice a few comparisons between that book and Mr. Armstrong’s writing.

Judah’s Scepter and Joseph’s Birthright	United States and Britain in Prophecy
“But the great bulk of Israelites are not Jews, just as the great bulk of Americans are not Californians” (p. 71).	“Jews are Israelites, just as Californians are Americans. But most Israelites are not Jews, just as most Americans are not Californians.” (p. 65).
“The very understanding of this difference is the KEY by which almost the entire Bible become intelligible, and I cannot state too strongly that the man who has not yet seen that Israel of the Scripture is totally distinct from the Jewish people, is yet in the very infancy, the mere alphabet, of Biblical study, and that to this day the meaning of seven-eights of the Bible is shut to his understanding” (p. 79).	“We want to impress, here, that Israel and Judah are not two names for the same nation. They were, and still are, and shall be till the second coming of Christ, two separate nations . . . . This distinction is vital, if we are to understand prophecy . . . This is the KEY, and a master key, to Bible understanding!” (pp. 66, 68).
“We have brought you through this group of words to show that ‘ish,’ in the Hebrew means ‘a man.’ Now take the Hebrew word which is translated covenant, which in its original form has no vowel, but which in its Anglicized form retains the vowel ‘i’ to preserve the ‘y’ sound, and we have “Brith,’ which joined with ‘ish’ is Brith-ish, and means ‘a covenant man’ Today the British people, or men of the covenant, are called Britons, and are dwelling in the British Isles!!!” (p. 275).	“The Hebrew for ‘man’ is ‘iysh,’ or ‘ish.’ In English the ending ‘ish’ means ‘of or belonging to (a specified nation or person).’ In the original Hebrew language vowels were never given in the spelling. So omitting the vowel ‘e’ from berith, but retaining the ‘i’ in its anglicized form to preserve the ‘y’ sound, we have the anglicized Hebrew word for covenant, brith . . . So the Hebrew word for ‘covenant’ would be pronounced, in its anglicized form as birth.  And the word for ‘covenant man’ or ‘covenant people,’ would therefore be simply ‘BRIT-ISH'” (p. 95).
In a chapter entitled “Dan – The Serpent’s Trail,” He quotes Gen. 49:17; Joshua 19:47; Judges 18:11, 12 and 18:29 and says: “And just here we must keep in mind the fact that in the ancient Hebrew there are no written vowels, and that in the word Dan there are only two letters used which are equivalent to the English, D and N. Hence it makes no difference if the word is Dan, Don, Dun, Din or Den . . .” (pp. 259-262).	In a chapter entitled” Dan a Serpent’s Trail,” he quotes Gen. 49:17; Joshua 18:11, 12 and 18:29 and says: “The, the word ‘Dan’ in its English equivalent could be spelled, simply, ‘Dn.’ It might be pronounced as ‘Dan,’ or ‘Den,’ or ‘Din,’ or ‘Don,’ or ‘Dun’ – and still could be the same original Hebrew name” (p. 96, 97). (This is how they both get Danites in Ireland!)

Other parallels could be given, but these are sufficient to show that the “master key” that Mr. Armstrong claims was “lost” until the “later half of the twentieth century” and then was written “by God’s direction ” was certainly known by Mr. Allen in 1902. A study of the two books leads me to believe that Mr. Armstrong found his “key” from Mr. Allen instead of God. It is a fanciful theory contrived by manipulating words and twisting Scripture. It certainly does not fit the truth!

In spite of the fact that Mr. Armstrong missed his prophecy on 1972, he continues to forecast doomsday in “this generation.” In a booklet Is This the End Time? (1971), he contends that “this generation” of Matthew 24:34 is our generation, because we have “the doomsday weapon.” He says, “the Bible reveals that Jesus Christ is likely to return to set up His world-ruling kingdom in your lifetime and mine! (That is, barring any unforeseen termination of your life or mine!) Christ’s return will likely occur in this very generation!” (pp. 29, 30).

Herbert W. Armstrong was born on July 31, 1892, so he has not had an “unforeseen termination” of his life! Will his followers admit that his is a false prophet if he dies before his prophecy is fulfilled? Probably, they will rewrite the same prophecies and change the date of fulfillment-just as Mr. Armstrong has done.

“This generation” of Matthew 24:34 did not refer to the one of 1914 (as Jehovah’s Witnesses claim), nor to 1948 (as Hal Lindsey and many other premillennialists teach), nor “our generation” (as Mr. Armstrong, Seventh-Day Adventists and perhaps others teach). The events of Matthew 24 took place in the generation of those who heard Jesus. (See Matt. 1:17; 11:16; 12:38-45; 16:4; 23:36 for use of the word “generation.”) The “signs” given by Jesus in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 all came to pass in the, destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., just as Jesus predicted.

When Mr. Armstrong’s predictions of “four to seven years” from 1967 did not come true, he rewrote his book and changed the time of his predictions. His “time cycles” are not true. His prediction of the second coming within his lifetime (“this generation”) is a perversion of what Jesus said. “Thou shalt not be afraid of him” (Deut. 18:22).

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 11, pp. 322-324
June 2, 1983