By Daniel E. Cohran

Who will lead God’s faithful people into His Kingdom? Will it be any "one" minister out there today in the mass confusion of Laodicea? Will it be done by several different ministers from different groups or churches? Will it be done by Jesus Christ Himself? Will it be done by each individual who strives to overcome and qualify for God’s Kingdom?

These are all good questions, and questions that affect our potential to inhabit eternity as part of God’s Family.

Indeed the Bible does say that Jesus Christ Himself will at some point gather His people together (Ezek. 34:10-13). And Revelation 12 of course refers to the Church being taken to a place of safety. But WHO "leads" God’s people into His Kingdom?

Also the Bible tells us that we must "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling…"(Phillip. 2:12 ). This of course is showing that we each have our own part individually in overcoming sin by conquering self, Satan and the ways of this world. But it does not say that we can make it INTO God’s Kingdom strictly on our own.

Indeed God says He will finish the work that HE began in us. (Phillip. 1:6)  We simply CAN'T do it on our own!

But the Bible nowhere says that we will be following a living physical man into God’s Kingdom! However the Bible DOES say that God would send a man in the end time to prepare THE WAY (Mal. 3:1) for Christ’s second coming, and in doing so would show God’s  people THE WAY to the one True God and HOW to worship Him. This of course is now fulfilled prophecy.

So indeed it IS, through those teachings, or doctrines and truths restored into God’s Church in the end time through God’s apostle Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, that God's people have been given and shown the way to salvation.

Indeed Jesus Christ Himself WILL gather together His faithful elect in the near future, and take them to a place of protection from the coming great tribulation, and on into His Kingdom. But those that enter into His Kingdom will be those of HIS faith or belief system, that WAY of life that He revealed through His Word, the Bible, through the writings of His apostles, and also through His end time apostle.

Remember, the teachings of the first century apostles were eventually suppressed going into the second century, that so-called "lost century" in the history of God’s Church. In the latter half of the second century what emerged was a "different" church altogether. A false church with different beliefs. Of course this was prophesied to happen. But what was also prophesied to happen, is that God would send one in the end time to restore what was lost, to restore ALL THINGS (Matt. 17:11). This again is fulfilled prophecy.

So God used Mr. Armstrong to restore truth and doctrine and show us THE WAY to the True God. The WAY to salvation. It is THIS "way" that we endeavor to preserve and protect and live by. It is the only way to salvation. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ, but it is based on HIS way or belief system. NOT the belief systems of the many religions of this world, NOR by the belief systems of the many divisions that exist today of what was once God’s Church.

God’s Church still exists, but as scripture says, as a whole the vast majority is in a state of spiritual decay. Divided and splintered and shattered. There are now many different church(es) calling themselves the true Church of God. This of course is hypocrisy. But the BODY OF CHRIST still LIVES!. They are scattered and few, but they live and thrive by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. They live BY the Word of God, the very teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles, including His end time apostle.

So WHO then will lead God’s faithful people into the Kingdom of God? Christ of course will do this. But we must also do our part to qualify. Christ’s last admonition to His people before we went into the Laodicean era or condition was to "HOLD FAST" to what you HAVE (what we were given during the Philadelphia era) so that no MAN take your crown! (Rev. 3:11)  In other words, that is what we were to DO in order to attain eternal life in God's Kingdom.

WHO then did Christ use to give us what we were to hold fast to during the Philadelphia era or time period? Of course it was Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia messenger. So it is by holding fast to THOSE things, that we qualify to enter into God’s Kingdom as we endeavor to overcome sin in our lives and develop God’s character. It is so very clear! Hence the name of this website based on God’s Word: "Hold Fast To All Things" (from Matt. 17:11 and Rev. 3:11). This is mentioned many times on this website and discussed in great detail.

Please listen to the sound bite below from Mr. Armstrong. It’s a little over a minute long, but very revealing and powerful. It is from a Bible Study by Mr. Armstrong entitled: "Creation, Pre-History & Purpose ", given on 5/12/78.

Now many today would surely SCOFF at what was just said by Mr. Armstrong! They would say something to the effect that: "…Well he’s been dead for over 20 years now, just HOW could he lead us into God’s Kingdom!.." or maybe something like this: "How can a DEAD MAN lead anyone anywhere!?"…

Well If you go back and read the first part of this article and the remainder of this website, we should be able to clearly SEE and understand the answer!

The TRUTH and doctrine that God revealed through Mr. Armstrong (as I’ve stated many times) was vital LIFE SAVING truth! And this is referring to ETERNAL LIFE! God used Mr. Armstrong to show us THE WAY! That way (of Christ) has been given to us and revealed so plainly that a child can understand it, IF we have a humble and teachable heart and attitude and have not grieved God’s Spirit.

It has been made plain and clear on this website that Mr.Armstrong was the ONLY man God has used in this end time to restore truth and doctrine into His Church. The purpose of this website is to point us all back to what we were taught through God’s apostle, to bring us into REMEMBRANCE of these things, as well as to serve as a point of contact for those who are still holding fast to these teachings of Jesus Christ, that we may have fellowship with those of like mind.

But this website also serves as a warning to all of God’s people, wherever they may be. This is discussed in more detail under the article entitled: "God’s Work NOW!", as well as other places on this site. But this warning is extremely SERIOUS and it is URGENT and it will affect every single person who has been in, or affiliated with the "CHURCH OF GOD" here in the end time.

As is mentioned in the article entitled "THE TWO WITNESSES", it all comes down to one man, yes a dead man, but a man of God who was used by the Great God and Creator of all, to restore life saving truth to His people.

It should be noted here also that we follow the first century apostle’s writings or teachings, and yes they also are "dead men". But they were men of God, apostles of Jesus Christ,  just as Mr. Armstrong was.

People ask me upon occasion "who" is our minister? Well I simply reply that Jesus Christ is our High Priest, and Mr. Armstrong is our minister.  And this is true! Christ is our High Priest and our HEAD. And God’s VOICE still speaks to us today through the preserved teachings (writings, audio & video) of Mr. Armstrong.

Mr. Armstrong fulfilled many roles and offices. The Bible has MUCH to say about this one man that God would send in the end time. He was the prophesied Ezekiel Watchman to the House of Israel. He was the end time Zerubbabel, the Philadelphia Messenger, God’s end time apostle, and the prophesied end time Elijah.

In this office of Elijah, God says this man would be used to restore ALL THINGS (Matt. 17:11). But it is also concerning this Elijah, that God gives a most stern and grievous warning in the last verses of the Old Testament.

In verses 5 and 6 of Malachi 4, God says He will UTTERLY DESTROY the earth, unless Elijah would come to turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. Mr. Armstrong clearly did fulfill this! He is the only man on earth who taught that God is a FAMILY! That we as God’s people have the potential, as does all mankind, to be BORN into the FAMILY of God. He taught us that we are - upon baptism, begotten (not yet born) sons and daughters of God. God is a FAMILY!

So yes, God puts MUCH emphasis on the importance of this man! And let it be stated again, as is mentioned in other places on this website: that we do NOT worship Mr. Armstrong.  We simply recognize and acknowledge the work that God did THROUGH him.  We worship God The Father and Jesus Christ our Savior.  And we could NOT worship them properly or know them if it were not for Mr. Armstrong, God's end time apostle! 

The work that God accomplished through the long life of Mr. Armstrong is preserved for us today through the modern miracle of technological advances such as the internet, the ability to store immense amounts of data on CD’s and DVD’s and by other means.

These truths and doctrines are the "ALL THINGS" of Matthew 17:11 that we are to "HOLD FAST" TO , as Christ commands us in Revelation 3:11.

So when Christ admonishes the Laodicean era of His Church to REPENT (Rev. 3:19), now we can clearly see what we are to turn back to and hold fast to. It was what we had BEFORE the Laodicean condition or era came on the scene!

Remember, Christ has only the ONE CHURCH. Many today have overlooked or forgotten this simple and basic truth. He does NOT have "many" church(es) or groups. ONE CHURCH, period!  But that ONE CHURCH is presently divided and split and shattered into many pieces.

Christ set the "standard" for us during the Philadelphia era. That is the standard or banner that is being upheld by this website and by the brethren and coworkers who support it. We are simply put: "Watchmen". A watchman warns, but a watchman also "hedges about" or "protects" something. This is what we do with God’s Truth. And we live by that truth or "way" of life.

Soon God will appoint two men from somewhere on this earth to begin to CRY ALOUD with a TESTIMONY or message to REPENT and to not partake of the mark of the beast which is soon to be enforced upon this earth. Do God’s people today even remember what that mark of the beast is? Most have forgotten, or gone off into some strange speculation about what it is, or have adopted mainstream Christianity’s teaching on this.

But these two men will also point back to something that was ALREADY REVEALED here in the end time to God’s people, and witnessed to the world. (See the article on the TWO WITNESSES). This will be a crucial message because it will determine or begin to determine who will pass those "final exams" from among God’s people. Christ of course will be the judge of this, but remember, judgment has already been on the House (Church) of God, and it’s almost over. But these two men will also again show "THE WAY" (by pointing back to what was ALREADY revealed) for any who have a repentant attitude and want to follow Christ.

So WHO showed or taught us "the way" to make it into God’s Kingdom? WHO taught us "the way" to keep God’s Law, and WHO taught us the true "spiritual keeping" of that law? WHO taught us the "master plan" of God, and WHO taught us to keep God’s True Holy Days and God’s Sabbath and why we keep it? WHO taught us what true love is based upon God’s law? WHO taught us about the "GIVE" way of life as opposed to the "GET’ way"? WHO taught us the meaning of the "two trees" in the garden of Eden? WHO was used to preach the gospel around the world as a witness in POWER for three 19 year time cycles? WHO taught us about the missing dimension in sex and the true importance of marriage? WHO did God use to preach a warning message to the physical nations of modern Israel? WHO did God use to RESTORE and teach us the truths that were lost after the first century? WHO restored ALL THINGS?

All this and MORE! The list could go on and on! Mr. Armstrong often said he was our "father in the faith". How TRUE this is! Without him being used as a humble tool in the hands of God, we would have NOTHING! We wouldn’t even have the understanding of some of the simple and basic truths that are taken for granted today. Such as the knowledge of the Sabbath and WHY we keep it and WHAT it represents. Again the list could go on and on.

But people today have forgotten this man, and what GOD ALMIGHTY did with and through him. But there are some, a few, who have not forgotten. Very soon, this world will be forcefully REMINDED of who this man was and what God HIMSELF did through him.

Yes Jesus Christ will bring us into His Kingdom if we qualify, and yes we have OUR part to do as well to qualify. But WHO will lead us INTO God’s Kingdom?

In the sound bite above, Jesus Christ speaking through Mr. Armstrong, gave us the answer.  It still rings true today!

The answer is: God’s end time apostle, our minister, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong!