Discerning the LORD’S BODY - Herbert W. Armstrong

25 Pages·2005·0.24 MB·English

Discerning(cid:0)
the LORD’S BODY(cid:0)
Many of the Truths taught by Herbert W Armstrong(cid:0)
have been watered down since his death.(cid:0)
Many baptised members of the Church of God may not(cid:0)
be aware that even the very PASSOVER SERVICE itself(cid:0)
has not escaped Satan’s attention!(cid:0)
When we take the BROKEN BREAD at the Passover(cid:0)
service, WHAT are we picturing? Are we sure we(cid:0)
UNDERSTAND?(cid:0)
Let’s be sure we correctly DISCERN THE LORD’S(cid:0)
BODY!(cid:0)
By Jamie McNab(cid:0)
2005(cid:0)
1(cid:0)
D(cid:0)
o we faithfully HOLD FAST to the Truths given to us? Do(cid:0)
we value and TREASURE what God has revealed to us(cid:0)
through His servants? Or, does the passage of time mean that(cid:0)
we begin to forget what we have heard? Do we grow careless — and,(cid:0)
almost casually, let God’s Truths just “slip away?”(cid:0)
In Hebrews, Paul warns us: “(cid:0)Therefore we ought to give the more(cid:0)
earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time(cid:0)
we should LET THEM SLIP … How shall we escape, if we(cid:0)
NEGLECT so great salvation,(cid:0)” Hebrews 2:1,3.(cid:0)
Many fundamental Truths given to the Church have been dismantled,(cid:0)
spiritualized, opposed or simply “ignored” since the death of Herbert(cid:0)
Armstrong in 1986. His successors in Worldwide Church of God(cid:0)
were quick to reconvert from God’s Truth, back to old-fashioned(cid:0)
Protestant teachings.(cid:0)
One of the first doctrines to be “reviewed” by Joseph Tkach Senior(cid:0)
was the doctrine of HEALING.(cid:0)
Mr Armstrong taught that God had PROMISED to heal — that it was(cid:0)
God’s WILL to heal. Joe Tkach concluded otherwise — God would(cid:0)
heal you only IF IT WAS HIS WILL in your SPECIFIC case (and of(cid:0)
course, in Joe Tkach’s theology, no one can ever be sure what God’s(cid:0)
will IS; sometimes He might heal you, other times He might not).(cid:0)
2(cid:0)
As part of the “new teaching” on healing, Mr Tkach and his advisors(cid:0)
had to make changes to the PASSOVER SERVICE. No longer could(cid:0)
Church members take of the BREAD and wine to symbolize their ac-(cid:0)
ceptance of Jesus’ broken body(cid:0)for their healing(cid:0), and shed blood for the(cid:0)
forgiveness of their sins. It was necessary to provide an(cid:0)alternative ex-(cid:0)
planation(cid:0) for the BREAD which was taken at the Passover.(cid:0)
Unfortunately, this false teaching remains “alive and well” among the(cid:0)
people of God, even among many who have long since departed from(cid:0)
the Worldwide Church of God. Quite a number of the Churches of God(cid:0)
do not take the Passover with a proper understanding of what the(cid:0)
Passover emblems MEAN.(cid:0)
And this is not just a matter of “academic knowledge.” Consider Paul’s(cid:0)
WARNING to the Corinthians: “(cid:0)Wherefore whosoever shall EAT(cid:0)
THIS BREAD, and drink(cid:0)this(cid:0) cup of the Lord, UNWORTHILY,(cid:0)
shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord … For he that ea-(cid:0)
teth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to(cid:0)
himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many(cid:0)are(cid:0)
WEAK and SICKLY among you, and MANY SLEEP,(cid:0)” 1 Corinthi-(cid:0)
ans 11:27-30. The consequence of taking the Passover UNWORTHILY(cid:0)
was sickness, ill-health and premature DEATH!(cid:0)
So, let’s look at the meaning of the Passover emblems, and in particular(cid:0)
the meaning of the BROKEN BREAD. Let’s look at what Herbert(cid:0)
Armstrong taught, and what the Church of God has taught historically,(cid:0)
and see if it was based upon THE BIBLE. Then we will compare what(cid:0)
is taught by some among the Churches of God today. At the(cid:0)
conclusion, we can then make a decision as to how WE will take of the(cid:0)
Passover in future years … and whether we will fall under the judge-(cid:0)
ment of 1 Corinthians 11:30.(cid:0)
Herbert Armstrong Explains(cid:0)
Herbert Armstrong wrote two booklets on the topic of divine healing.(cid:0)
One in 1953, entitled(cid:0)Does God Heal Today(cid:0), and one in 1978, entitled(cid:0)
The Plain Truth about Healing.(cid:0)
3(cid:0)
Let’s consider some of Mr Armstrong’s statements in(cid:0)Does God(cid:0)
Heal Today(cid:0), as he explains the KEY passage in 1 Corinthians 11:(cid:0)
“We know the wine represents the blood of Christ, shed for the(cid:0)
remission of our spiritual sins. But what does THE BREAD(cid:0)
represent? Why do we take that?(cid:0)
Notice the instruction of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23-30.(cid:0)
‘The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took(cid:0)
bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said,(cid:0)
Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in(cid:0)
remembrance of me.’ His body was BROKEN, beaten with lash-(cid:0)
es, and by HIS STRIPES we are HEALED! Thru this He, Him-(cid:0)
self TOOK our infirmities, and bare our sickness!(cid:0)
Now complete Paul's instruction in this passage. Let him make(cid:0)
this meaning absolutely plain and clear! ‘Whosoever shall eat(cid:0)
this bread . . . unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood(cid:0)
of the Lord . . . For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, ea-(cid:0)
teth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the(cid:0)
Lord's body.’ That is, not UNDERSTANDING that Jesus' body(cid:0)
was broken FOR OUR HEALING. Now continue: ‘For this(cid:0)
cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep’ —(cid:0)
that is, are DEAD! (Verses 29-30). Because they do not under-(cid:0)
stand Jesus' body was broken for our HEALING — because(cid:0)
they take this bread unworthy, (that is, not trusting in Jesus'(cid:0)
stripes for healing), many are suffering sickness, may have died(cid:0)
— which is the penalty of physical transgression(cid:0)!”(cid:0)
This should be very clear to us all. Herbert Armstrong shows that(cid:0)
this passage refers to members who were sick and dying because(cid:0)
they “(cid:0)do not understand Jesus’ BODY was BROKEN for our(cid:0)
HEALING(cid:0).”(cid:0)
THAT is what THE BREAD of Passover represents — Jesus’ broken(cid:0)
body FOR OUR HEALING. Notice how Mr Armstrong refers to(cid:0)
4(cid:0)
Jesus’ physical body being “BROKEN, beaten with lashes, and by(cid:0)
HIS STRIPES we are HEALED!”(cid:0)
This should be so simple a child could understand!(cid:0)
Some 25 years later, HWA wrote in(cid:0)The Plain Truth about Healing(cid:0):(cid:0)
“Let's review briefly the teaching of the apostle Paul in his in-(cid:0)
struction regarding THE PASSOVER to the Church at Corinth.(cid:0)
In regard to taking the bread — symbol of CHRIST’S BODY(cid:0)
BEATEN WITH STRIPES to pay for us the penalty for broken(cid:0)
laws governing physical health — the inspired teaching is: ‘For(cid:0)
he that eateth and drinketh unworthily (the RSV translates it “in(cid:0)
an unworthy manner”), eateth and drinketh damnation to him-(cid:0)
self, not discerning the Lord's body’ — that is, His body was bro-(cid:0)
ken or beaten with stripes, paying the penalty we suffer in(cid:0)
sickness or disease. “That is why (RSV) many of you are weak(cid:0)
and ill, and some have died” (I Corinthians 11:29-30).(cid:0)
Some in the Church lacked the FAITH to BELIEVE Christ paid(cid:0)
for us the physical penalty of sickness, disease — or even the first(cid:0)
death.(cid:0)
This is important; UNDERSTAND the meaning of what was(cid:0)
written here! Taking the broken unleavened bread means we(cid:0)
ACCEPT Christ's beaten and broken body (prior to being taken(cid:0)
to the cross) that WE MAY BE HEALED. How does His broken(cid:0)
body make our healing possible?(cid:0)
It is IMPORTANT that you UNDERSTAND the answer to this(cid:0)
…”(cid:0)
Mr Armstrong has not altered his teaching in any way over 25 years.(cid:0)
He clearly and plainly states that Jesus gave His PHYSICAL BODY(cid:0)
to be BROKEN for our HEALING. Mr Armstrong shows this to be(cid:0)
5(cid:0)
a very clear teaching in connection with the PASSOVER SERVICE(cid:0)
instruction.(cid:0)
If we are to take the Passover worthily, we have to FULLY UNDER-(cid:0)
STAND, ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT the total sacrifice of(cid:0)
Jesus the Christ. We MUST accept His death in payment of our spir-(cid:0)
itual sins. And we MUST accept His brutal beating and scourging in(cid:0)
payment of our physical sins, that we may be HEALED.(cid:0)
Consider 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 again: “(cid:0)For he that eateth and(cid:0)
drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself,(cid:0)
NOT DISCERNING THE LORD’S BODY. For THIS CAUSE(cid:0)
many(cid:0)are(cid:0) weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.(cid:0)”(cid:0)
Notice the direct connection … Paul affirmed that because many did(cid:0)
not “discern” Jesus’ BODY, many are SICK and even DEAD! Jesus’(cid:0)
BODY and our HEALING are connected!(cid:0)
Herbert Armstrong could see this clearly, and taught it all of his life.(cid:0)
There were many passages of Scripture he could turn to.(cid:0)
Bible Correspondence Course(cid:0)
Lesson 33 of the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course,(cid:0)
which dealt with the meaning of Passover, confirmed this clear un-(cid:0)
derstanding:(cid:0)
“Question 2. Did Jesus suffer this excruciatingly painful torture(cid:0)
of His body so we might receive physical HEALING of our bod-(cid:0)
ies through faith in Him? Isa. 53:5; I Pet. 2:24 and Ps. 103:2-3.(cid:0)
COMMENT: Jesus Christ allowed His body to be literally(cid:0)
RIPPED OPEN in hundreds of places until He could not even be(cid:0)
recognized! He suffered this torture so you and I, through faith(cid:0)
in His broken body for us, may have the FORGIVENESS of our(cid:0)
PHYSICAL SINS — the healing of our bodies when we are sick(cid:0)
6(cid:0)
— as well as the FORGIVENESS of our SPIRITUAL SINS by(cid:0)
His shed blood!(cid:0)
That is why Jesus instituted the breaking of unleavened bread at(cid:0)
His last Passover Supper. It is a SYMBOL of His BROKEN(cid:0)
BODY given to the tormentors for our healing and a RE-(cid:0)
MINDER to us that it is by “His STRIPES we are healed.”(cid:0)
When we take of the bread at Passover, we should be deeply con-(cid:0)
scious and grateful for this(cid:0)symbol(cid:0)of Jesus’ BROKEN BODY …(cid:0)
for our healing.(cid:0)
Bible Teaching on Healing by Jesus’ Stripes(cid:0)
The first Passover took place in ancient Egypt, and details are given(cid:0)
in Exodus 12. The tenth plague was the death of the Egyptian first-(cid:0)
born. However, God PASSED OVER the children of Israel, because(cid:0)
He saw the BLOOD of the Passover LAMB on their door posts.(cid:0)
But the Israelites did(cid:0)not only(cid:0) splash the blood of a young Passover(cid:0)
lamb on their doorways. They also roasted and ATE THE BODY of(cid:0)
the lamb. Why? We understand the significance of the BLOOD of(cid:0)
the lamb, but what about the BODY of the lamb? What did the(cid:0)
body of the lamb signify?(cid:0)
An indication can be found in Psalms 105:37: “(cid:0)He brought them(cid:0)
forth (from Egypt) also with silver and gold: and(cid:0)there was(cid:0) NOT(cid:0)
ONE FEEBLE(cid:0)person(cid:0) among their tribes(cid:0).”(cid:0)
How could it be that there was NOT ONE FEEBLE person among(cid:0)
two to six million Israelites — young, medium, old (and downright(cid:0)
ancient)? It would seem that God had miraculously HEALED(cid:0)
THEM. And when? Almost certainly when they had partaken of(cid:0)
the BODY OF THE PASSOVER LAMB. The blood of the lamb(cid:0)
was for their protection from the death penalty, and the body of the(cid:0)
lamb for their physical healing. (Although this is not(cid:0)explicitly(cid:0)
7(cid:0)
stated(cid:0), the indication is there and, as we’ll see, it fits in with other(cid:0)
Scriptures).(cid:0)
Next, consider Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53 has always been accepted, even(cid:0)
by Protestants generally, to be a prophecy of the crucifixion and(cid:0)
death of Jesus Christ. Notice what this passage tells us:(cid:0)
“He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him,(cid:0)
there is(cid:0) no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and(cid:0)
rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:(cid:0)
and we hid as it were(cid:0)our(cid:0) faces from Him; He was despised, and(cid:0)
we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our GRIEFS, and(cid:0)
carried our SORROWS: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten(cid:0)
of God, and afflicted. But He(cid:0)was(cid:0) wounded for our transgres-(cid:0)
sions,(cid:0)He was(cid:0) bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our(cid:0)
peace(cid:0)was(cid:0) upon Him; and with His STRIPES WE ARE(cid:0)
HEALED … He hath poured out his soul unto death: and He(cid:0)
was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of(cid:0)
many, and made intercession for the transgressors,” verses 3-5,(cid:0)
12.(cid:0)
Verse 4 is not too clear in the KJV. In particular, the words(cid:0)griefs(cid:0)
and(cid:0)sorrows(cid:0) do not convey the true meaning. Here is how that verse(cid:0)
is translated in some other versions:(cid:0)
“(cid:0)Surely our DISEASES he did bear, and our PAINS he carried;(cid:0)
whereas we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflict-(cid:0)
ed(cid:0),” Jewish Publication Society.(cid:0)
“(cid:0)Surely He has borne our SICKNESSES, and He carried our(cid:0)
PAIN; yet we esteemed Him plagued, smitten by God, and af-(cid:0)
flicted(cid:0),” Literal Translation by Jay P Green.(cid:0)
And in case we think these translations are a little suspect, let’s see(cid:0)
how the Evangelist Matthew translated this verse under the inspira-(cid:0)
tion of God’s Holy Spirit:(cid:0)
8(cid:0)
“(cid:0)And He cast out the spirits with(cid:0)His(cid:0) word, and healed all that(cid:0)
were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias(cid:0)
the prophet, saying, Himself took our INFIRMITIES, and bare(cid:0)
our(cid:0) SICKNESSES,(cid:0)” Matthew 8:16-17.(cid:0)
Consider also: WHEN did Jesus pour out His soul unto death? At(cid:0)
His crucifixion. WHEN was He numbered with the transgressors?(cid:0)
At His crucifixion. WHEN did He bare the sin of many? At His cru-(cid:0)
cifixion. And WHEN did He carry our sicknesses and diseases? At(cid:0)
the self-same time — at His crucifixion. In the hours before being(cid:0)
nailed to the stake, Jesus was scourged till He was just a mass of torn,(cid:0)
bleeding flesh, enduring intense pain.(cid:0)
At Passover, we are to reflect on Jesus’ COMPLETE SACRIFICE(cid:0)
for us. His shed blood and death for our spiritual salvation, and His(cid:0)
torn and broken BODY for our physical healing. The price for both(cid:0)
was paid AT THE SAME TIME. We NEED both, and should(cid:0)
REMEMBER BOTH.(cid:0)
The instructions in 1 Corinthians 11 are clear on this point:(cid:0)
“(cid:0)For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto(cid:0)
you, That the Lord Jesus the(cid:0)same(cid:0) night in which He was be-(cid:0)
trayed took BREAD: And when He had given thanks, He brake(cid:0)
it(cid:0), and said, Take, eat: THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH IS BRO-(cid:0)
KEN FOR YOU: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same(cid:0)
manner also(cid:0)He took(cid:0) the cup, when He had supped, saying, This(cid:0)
cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye(cid:0)
drink(cid:0)it(cid:0), in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this(cid:0)
bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the LORD’S DEATH till(cid:0)
He come(cid:0),” verses 23-26.(cid:0)
The Passover ceremony has TWO EMBLEMS — the bread and the(cid:0)
wine. They picture Jesus’ DEATH. The wine pictures Jesus’ shed(cid:0)
blood. The bread pictures Jesus’ “BODY which is BROKEN for(cid:0)
you.”(cid:0)
9(cid:0)
Herbert Armstrong was in complete agreement with these Scrip-(cid:0)
tures. Let’s read again what HWA wrote:(cid:0)
But what does THE BREAD represent? Why do we take that?(cid:0)
Notice the instruction of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23-30.(cid:0)
‘The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took(cid:0)
bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said,(cid:0)
Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in(cid:0)
remembrance of me.’ His body was BROKEN, beaten with(cid:0)
lashes, and by HIS STRIPES we are HEALED! Thru this He,(cid:0)
Himself TOOK our infirmities, and bare our sickness!(cid:0)
In the “Passover letter” that Mr Armstrong sent out, giving instruc-(cid:0)
tions on HOW to take the Passover at home if we couldn’t make it to(cid:0)
a service, Mr Armstrong wrote: “…(cid:0)the one conducting the service(cid:0)
will remove the napkin from over the bread and wine, and bow-(cid:0)
ing head, give thanks and ask God in prayer to bless the(cid:0)
BREAD, as a symbol of HIS BODY, BROKEN FOR US (for(cid:0)
physical HEALING)(cid:0).”(cid:0)
This is all very clear, and for many decades there was no disputing(cid:0)
this view — until after the death of Herbert Armstrong, and the re-(cid:0)
jection of the doctrine of healing. It was necessary, then, to remove(cid:0)
the true meaning(cid:0) of the Passover bread from the Passover ceremony,(cid:0)
and replace it with a false substitute.(cid:0)
Today’s FALSE Teaching(cid:0)
At Passover, we do partake of BREAD as well as wine. And Jesus(cid:0)
said the bread represented HIS BODY. In 1 Corinthians 11, we are(cid:0)
told of the need to properly(cid:0)discern(cid:0)the Lord’s BODY. But if we(cid:0)
don’t really believe in God as our Healer, and want to find a plausi-(cid:0)
ble “religious sounding” alternative for the meaning of the bread,(cid:0)
WHAT can we find? Ah … Joe Tkach knew just the answer. Let(cid:0)
him answer in his book on healing:(cid:0)
10(cid:0)