SABBATH LETTER 11

December 18, 2002

SABBATH LETTER 11:

CHURCH GOVERNMENT

Dear Brethren,

Greetings again from my office room for 1335 Church of God in Park Place Subdivision, Cainta.

I have already mentioned in the past that my Sabbath Letters are SERMON letters because my SUBSCRIBERS are all members of the SPIRITUAL Church of God regardless of which physical organizations they are affiliated with presently. I am therefore disposed or inclined to share with you intimate facts involving the spiritual church as a whole, specially positive events involving the 1335 Church of God. Let me share with you excerpts of my letter to one of my FRANKLIN SUBSCRIBERS:

“…. Thank you for your call this afternoon and the things you said, which are encouraging. It is good to remember the women who were among the pillars of the New Testament church in the beginning.

“I was planning to formally start my Sabbath Service or Bible Study for 4 or 5 Franklin Subscribers in my office room in Park Place Subdivision, Cainta on the first Sabbath of next year. But now I am moved to start it earlier next Sabbath, December 21, 2002 at 2:00p.m. To 4:00 p.m. However, if you cannot attend yet on this particular schedule, I am ready to hold extra Bible Study or Family Worship any time and place at your convenience. It is time to spur again in organizing the 1335 Church group and to do the SHORT WORK of God. This is made possible to a certain extent by the arrival of my small SSS pension, reminiscent of my service as Supervisor and Employee of Ambassador College Agency from 1965 to 1977.

“I am happy to know of your intention to send an offering so other members will receive my Sabbath Letters….

“I will send you reprints of my INFORMATION LETTERS. For some personal information, my Great Grandmother, Felipa Lozada Gonzales, had 5 children: Santiago, Bernabe, Estrella, Jose, and Consolacion, all surnamed Gonzales. Apparently when the Spanish Revolution erupted in Panay, Felipa, her brothers and their children fled from Capiz in a batil (small boat) and settled in Barili, Cebu. Obviously, Graciano’s family migrated to Guinhulgan and Tanjay in Negros Oriental.

“So the Gonzales clan from Felipa’s husband also came from Capiz and possibly descended from the Jewish settlement mentioned by the Captain of Legaspi. One of the Filipino commanders of the Spanish Revolution in Panay was a Gonzales, but unfortunately they were defeated by the Spanish forces led by a certain Spanish Commander. History recorded, the beautiful wife of Gonzales pleaded for the life of her husband by kneeling before the Spanish Commander….”

By the way, if you would like to visit me here during Sabbaths from 2:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m., please text or call me for the street and number of the house building. You could also inquire at our address in 11 Cattleya Street, Via 93 Mindanao Ave., Bahay Toro, Quezon City during weekdays. As you can see from my Letter Head, to the PUBLIC, 1335 Church of God is the group that attends the 7^th Law of Success Seminars of FRANKLIN ENTERPRISES under its Manpower Development Program. To any member who desires to become a part of 1335 Church of God, please TRUST the chosen leader of God without the strapping of worldly organizations such as a corporate body whose constitutions and by-laws often times in the past have thwarted and derailed the will of God for His spiritual Church.

It is time, Brethren, that we examine again and look very closely the reason why God included Aaron’s rod that budded to be one of 3 ARTICLES He commanded to be placed INSIDE the Ark of the Covenant. The other articles are: A) The 2 tables of the Testimony, and B) the golden pot that contained manna! I will embed here my INFORMATION LETTER entitled, “Aaron’s Rod That Budded….” to explain the important reason, which is to stress the fact that God’s government is part of the Holy Spirit or Mind of God!

At the outset let me say that the doctrine of church government handed down to us through Herbert W. Armstrong – as part of the first set of 7 thunders or mysteries in his book MYSTERY OF THE AGES -- is a NATURE of the God family composed of Holy Spirit!

Brethren, if you believe this doctrine, you can DECIDE to obey it. But if you doubt it, how can you DECIDE to obey it? In other words for AS LONG as you doubt it, you cannot obey it and no CHARACTER is developed. For example, if you BELIEVE you do not have to submit to the government of the leader of the 1335 Church of God, even if you can see what he is preaching is from God, you will never DECIDE to become a part of the 1335 Church of God. You will not be a part of the church group whom God calls BLESSED because they WAIT and COME to the 1335 (Rev. 12:12).

Is God displeased with those who are lukewarm and refuses to trade the pounds and talents given him? The parables of the pounds and talents illustrates God is displeased. They could even lose their salvation!

Aaron’s rod that budded was the offshoot of the episode where the congregation of Israel and some of their leaders doubted Moses was the chosen servant of God and that through him by hierarchical authority separated Aaron as the HIGH PRIEST. To demonstrate that God backs up hierarchical authority through Moses, He caused Aaron’s rod to bud and placed it inside the Ark of the covenant in equal position with the 10 commandments written in the 2 tables of stones and the Spirit of Jesus Christ pictured by the manna contained in the golden pot.

In other words, Brethren, church government is a part of the Holy Spirit; the 10 commandments is part of the Holy Spirit; and the Spirit of Jesus Christ is part of the Holy Spirit!

In reading my information letter, please take note of the date it was written because some of my statements there may have been already updated.

I needed to explain more extensively why I called the Job description of the 1335 Church of God, a SHORT WORK in relation to 2 popular ideas going on today among the churches of God, both in the Philippines and abroad: These are the teachings about 1) The TWO WITNESSES, and 2) The BIBLE CODE. But that would be another Sabbath Letter. Until next time.