Restored Truths

“At least 18 basic and essential truths have been restored to the true Church ….” – Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, Mystery of the Ages

The following list of restored truths has been taken from a sermon given on December 17, 1983, by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong (sermon is posted on this website), and substantiated by his own writings in his book, Mystery of the Ages. Additional scriptural references have been added.

1. THE TRUE GOSPEL

God revealed that the gospel is the Kingdom of God. Jesus said “Preach the Kingdom of God.”

Matthew 9:35 – “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”
Mark 1:14 – “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.“
Luke 9:2 – “He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
Luke 9:60 – “Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.“

The gospel OF Christ was the gospel Christ proclaimed. Jesus was a Messenger sent from God with a message, and that message was THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Christ’s message was Christ’s gospel—the gospel OF Christ.

Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.- Mystery of the Ages, p. 294

2. THE PURPOSE OF GOD

God’s purpose is that He is reproducing Himself, and that we can become God.

Romans 8:16-17 – “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Galatians 3:29 – “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

As God repeatedly reveals, his purpose is to reproduce himself into what well may become billions of God persons.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 45

3. GOD’S PLAN THROUGH THE HOLY DAYS

The annual Holy Days picture God’s master plan.

Leviticus 23:2 – “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”

Seven annual festivals were given to Old Testament Israel and were ordained forever. Their true meaning had long remained a hidden mystery. They picture God’s plan of redemption—the divine plan by which God is reproducing himself.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 201

4. THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD

Restored to the Church is the knowledge that Christ is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 4 and I Corinthians 12).

When the only conscious Life-Beings existed, God was leader—in authoritative command. Thus, even when the only conscious Life-Beings were God and the Word, there was GOVERNMENT, with God in supreme command. The government of God is of necessity government from the top down. It cannot be “government by the consent of the governed.” Its laws originate and are handed down from God—never legislated by the people—never dictated by the governed how the government over them shall rule them. Since they created other conscious, thinking life-beings, this very fact of necessity put the GOVERNMENT of God over all creation, with God supreme Ruler.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 49

5. WHO AND WHAT IS GOD?

God is a family of persons, and the family began with God and the Word (Christ). God is not a Trinity.

That family is composed, now, of God the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son, and many begotten humans who already, NOW, are begotten SONS OF GOD (Romans 8:14, 16; I John 3:2).
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 43

The false Trinity teaching does limit God to three persons. But God is not limited. As God repeatedly reveals, his purpose is to reproduce himself into what well may become billions of God persons. It is the false Trinity teaching that limits God, denies God’s purpose and has palpably deceived the whole Christian world.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 45

6. WHAT AND WHY IS MAN?

Man was made from the dust of the ground. Man was made with one spirit, but he needs another Spirit – the Spirit of God, which unites him with God and is the impregnation of God-life in him; and he will be born of God.

Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

WHAT, then, is man? He is a living being made from the dust of the ground. He is CLAY, and GOD is the Master Potter, molding, shaping, forming our CHARACTER—if we respond when he calls and draws us to him. With our willingness he is infusing into us HIS VERY OWN SPIRITUAL HOLY, “WHY is man? God created man on the earth to build in us what the sinning angels refused to let God build in them—his perfect CHARACTER! He is, in his time-order and way, developing us to become VERY God—each of us—and to finish the creation of the unfinished UNIVERSE! But, for NOW, we still live in this deceived world led by Satan.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 135

7. THE SPIRIT IN MAN

There is a human spirit in man.

Job 32:8 – “But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.”
I Corinthians 2:11 – “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”

This “human” spirit imparts the power of intellect to the human physical brain. The spirit cannot see, hear, taste, smell or feel. The brain sees through the eye, hears through the ear, etc. The ‘human’ spirit cannot of itself think. The physical brain thinks.

What, then, is the function of the “human” spirit? It is NOT a “soul.” But, 1) it imparts the power of intellect—of thinking, and of MIND power, to the human brain; and 2) it is the very means God has instilled, making possible a personal relationship between human MAN and divine GOD.”
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 105

8. FIRSTFRUITS

The firstfruits are the “embryos” of the Kingdom of God. God is calling a few people now to be teachers in the millennium to help save the rest of mankind.
Romans 8:23 – “And not only they, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”
I Corinthians 15:20 – “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
James 1:18 – “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

Ten days later came the annual Day of Pentecost, originally named the Feast of Firstfruits (Num. 28:26).

On that day the Holy Spirit came! On that day THE CHURCH WAS FOUNDED!

That day symbolized the very firstfruits for God’s kingdom. God’s feast days picture God’s spiritual harvest. The very first portion of God’s spiritual harvest of humans finally to be born of God—made GOD BEINGS—is THE CHURCH! That’s why even those who shall be born into the kingdom of God at Christ’s return starting with ancient prophets are part of the CHURCH OF GOD. Even prophets of Old Testament times are part of the FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH (Eph. 2:19-21).

All—prophets, apostles and Church brethren in whom resides the Holy Spirit—shall be resurrected and/or changed to immortality at Christ’s coming in GLORY and POWER!

Thus the WHOLE CHURCH constitutes the very FIRST of all humans who shall be finally BORN AGAIN into the kingdom of GOD. They shall be GOD BEINGS!
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 233-234

9. THE MILLENNIUM

The millennium is the time when salvation will be opened to all who are still alive.

Revelation 20:4-6 – “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

When Christ comes as KING OF KINGS and LORD of lords, he will reign for the next thousand years. EVERYBODY living from his coming will be called.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 134

The very purpose of the Church of this present time is to provide God’s training school or teachers’ college to train in spiritual knowledge, education and godly character, to supply all the positions at the beginning of this wonderful 1,000-year reign of Christ on the earth.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 351

10. THE HOLY SPIRIT

God’s Holy Spirit opens our minds so we can understand the Bible.

Acts 2:18 – “And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.”
Acts 10:45 – “And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.”

The truths of the Bible are revealed here a little, there a little, scattered from beginning to end, and revealed only through the Holy Spirit within those surrendered and yielded to God, willing to have confessed error and wrongdoing, and yielding to BELIEVE Christ the Word of God.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 5

11. BEGOTTEN NOW

God’s Holy Spirit unites man with God and is the impregnation of God-life.

Romans 8:11 – “But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Thus, the called-out-ones after real repentance and belief Christ reconciles to God the Father and we receive the Holy Spirit impregnating us as children of God.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 133

12. BORN AGAIN AT THE RESURRECTION

We will become born of spirit at the time of the Second Coming of Christ.

I Corinthians 15:54 – “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

God is a FAMILY composed at present of the TWO Persons of John 1:1-4, but with many thousands, already begotten by God’s Spirit, in God’s true Church, soon to be born into that divine family at Christ’s return to earth. Jesus Christ, by his resurrection, was BORN a divine Son of God (Rom. 1:4)—the first so born into the God family (Rom. 8:29).
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 57

13. IDENTITY OF ISRAEL

The United States is the tribe of Manasseh, one of the ten tribes of Israel.

Genesis 48:14-20

Remember — in passing on the birthright to the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen.48:16), Jacob said “Let MY NAME be named on them” — on Ephraim and Manasseh–who today are Britain and America.
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 195

It is indeed true that the nation Israel was God’s chosen people. But understand: They were not chosen as “teacher’s pet” nor for special favors. They were chosen for a special PURPOSE preparatory to the ultimate establishment of the kingdom of God!
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 160

14. OUR IDENTITY

Our identity! And that opens all the doors of ONE-THIRD OF THE WHOLE BIBLE—PROPHECY you can’t understand without that knowledge. That opened up a whole third of the Bible, which is prophecy. That’s a third of the Bible. And so, a third of the bible and the understanding of prophecy has been opened to THIS Church.

Genesis 17:4-5 — “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.”

An important additional proof of modern Israel’s identity is found in a fantastic, detailed and most specific prophecy found in Micah 5:7-15. It is speaking specifically about the ‘remnant’ of Israel—modern Israel today wherever it is. It describes the wealth, the beneficent dominance among nations, and then the coming downfall of the American and British commonwealth peoples in detail!
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 188

15. SECOND AND THIRD TITHE

Second tithe is used for keeping God’s Holy Days. Third tithe is used for those in need of help.

Deuteronomy 14:22-27 – Second tithe
Deuteronomy 14:28 – 29 – Third tithe
Deuteronomy 26:13 – Third tithe is holy

16. IDENTITY OF BABLYON AND HER DAUGHTERS

Then the great deception, the counterfeit of Revelation 17:5:“BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”—her daughter churches, and who they are.

17. SATAN

Satan the devil has deceived the whole world.

Ezekiel 28
Ephesians 2:2 – “In which you one walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.”

He was created gloriously beautiful—perfect in beauty, but he allowed vanity to seize him. Then he turned to erroneous reasoning. God’s law—the basis of God’s government—is the way of LOVE—outgoing concern for the good and welfare of others, love toward God in obedience, humility and worship—the way of giving, sharing, helping, cooperating. He reasoned that competition would be better than cooperation. It would be an incentive to excel, to try harder, to accomplish. There would be more pleasure in serving SELF and more enjoyment.

He turned against God’s law of LOVE. He became jealous of God, envious, and resentful against God. He allowed lust and greed to fill him, and he became bitter. This inspired a spirit of violence! He deliberately became his Maker’s adversary and enemy.

God changed the adversary’s NAME to what he became, SATAN the DEVIL—Satan means adversary, competitor, enemy. 
– Mystery of the Ages, p. 91

18. WE ARE TO BE SEPARATE

God has called us out—to be separate from the world.

Revelation 18:4 – “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”

Added January 21, 1984:

19. GOD IS A FAMILY

“God formed man to be potentially God’s Family, to be BORN of God through His Spirit and to becomre part of His ‘Family of God’ – the God Family.” – Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, January 21, 1984.

IN OTHER WORDS, GOD IS NOW A FAMILY OF PERSONS, composed so far of only the TWO – God the Father and Christ the Son. But IF the Holy Spirit of God dwells in someone, and he is being led by God’s Spirit, then (Rom. 8:14) he is a begotten son of God. But, at the time of Christ’s return to earth in supreme power and glory to set up the KINGDOM OF GOD, restoring the GOVERNMENT OF GOD abolished by Lucifer, then all being filled and led by God’s Spirit shall become BORN sons of God. The GOD FAMILY will then RULE ALL NATIONS with the GOVERNMENT OF GOD RESTORED!– Mystery of the Ages, p. 50-51

Added February 4, 1984:

20. CHURCH OF GOD

“Jesus said his true Church was to be KEPT in the name of the Father-GOD. Twelve times in the new Testament, the NAME of this one true Church is the CHURCH OF GOD! It is GOD’S CHURCH, and Jesus Christ is its guiding, sustaining, direction HEAD!”

Acts 20:28; I Corinthians 10:32; I Corinthians 11:22; I Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13;  I Corinthians 1:2; II Corinthians 1:1; I Timothy 3:5; I Timothy 3:15; I Corinthians 11:16; I Thessalonians 2:14; II Thessalonians 1:4

“Yet none is truly the CHURCH OF GOD, unless it is GOD’S CHURCH, continuing in doctrine, practice, organization, in all ways on the original bibical pattern, headed by Jesus Christ, yet belonging to God the Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit, having GOD’S TRUTH, fulfilling Christ’s commission of proclaiming his GOOD NEWS of the KINGDOM OF GOD to the world as a whole.

And there is only ONE such Church!

And it CANNOT BE DIVIDED. It remains ONE.