August 6, 2015 Brethren Letter
Dear Brethren,
“Brethren, IF we are to be taken to a place of protection from the GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall have to have real faith in Christ and His promises!” (Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong – Brethren and Co-Worker Letter, August 14, 1978.)
When I was a young boy, the word “faith” represented nothing more than the name of the church to which a person belonged. Some people belonged to “this faith,” others belonged to “that faith.” But, since my family did not attend church, the word “faith” really didn’t have any meaning to me.
The first time I ever attended a church service with any real conviction was in 1975. I was twenty-one years old, fresh out of college, and newly married. My wife and I had been studying our Bibles together for several months prior to our wedding day. Then, during the summer of 1975, we began attending the Worldwide Church of God for the very first time. When we started to attend, we both realized that REAL FAITH wasn’t the name of the Church one attended, but real faith (which comes from Jesus Christ), is the ASSURANCE that God WILL do exactly what He has promised.
He [Abraham] did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform (Romans 4:20-21).
We attended the Church of God (as God began to draw us – John 6:44), because that was where the TRUTH of God was being taught! That was our reason!
Some people attend a particular congregation to have a certain type of social life. Others attend with a group because they like the minister’s personality. There are still others who attend a certain place because they want to be around other persons on a weekly basis. Why do you attend where you do? Is it for the TRUTH of God? Is it for the doctrines being taught there or is it for some other reason? Our reason should be about the TRUTH!
I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father (II John 1:4).
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth (III John 1:4).
Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true (III John 1:12).
We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (I John 4:6).
Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following in the Tomorrow’s World magazine dated July/August, 1970:
I know that many of our readers — yes, THOUSANDS of you, out of our more than five million readers of these magazines — have been led to accept God’s TRUTH. You have learned to LOVE your Creator’s TRUTH which He reveals — and which we MAKE PLAIN.
The TRUTH becomes the most precious thing in your life. You become excited about it. You are filled with enthusiastic ZEAL over it.
In this letter I’ve spoken about the words FAITH and TRUTH. Both of those words should be what men and women of God live by each and every day!
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:11-12).
If we fully love the TRUTH and have the FAITH of Jesus Christ in us as given through God’s Holy Spirit, then we will not only be protected (as Mr. Armstrong wrote about in the Tomorrow’s World magazine), but we will also have all eternity ahead in the Kingdom of God. That’s a promise from God! (Revelation 12:14; 5:10.)
Have a wonderful Sabbath!
Your Brother in Christ,
Gary Liebold