Ask Greg! Questions and Answers

Question: Dear Greg,

I really enjoy your Q & A section. I am so glad I found it! My question (probably won’t be the last) – what did H. W. Armstrong teach exactly and how was it "unbiblical"….he was way before my time. I ask because one friend says it was "a cult" and another says his teachings were far from it. Help! Hope you can help me with some answers so I can refer to Bible passages to back them up also.

Thanks!

Yours in Christ,

Sheila

Answer: Hello Sheila,

Glad you enjoy our website. Because of other messages that are waiting, I will have to give you the short answer to your question – the long one could take several hours.

First the topic of cults. There are two generally accepted ideas here – first, a sociological cult (where adherents simply follow leadership because of the leader’s charisma, unbiblical teaching is not necessarily a part of a sociological cult. Sociological cults can demand bizarre and dysfunctional lifestyles for their followers).

The second kind of a cult involves cultic teaching based upon misunderstanding of the Bible – that is, a theological cult. Most experts agree that Herbert W. Armstrong fit into this category. In addition, many believe that he did not knowingly deceive or mislead people, but his unbiblical teaching was primarily due to the fact that he was not trained as a minister and that he was not accountable to the larger body of Christ – not listening to those who told him he was wrong.

Among other things he taught:

That the Trinity was a pagan teaching – the Godhead is "composed" of two Gods, one being the Father, and one being the Son.
That many portions of the old covenant are binding and required for Christians today – including worshipping on the seventh day, strict observance of old covenant holy days, adherence to Jewish dietary laws, etc.
That traditional Christian holidays such as Easter and Christmas are pagan.
That the destiny of humans is to be God, just as God is God.
That there is only one true church, the church that he was led by God to restore and that no Christians had existed, at least in the form and shape that most Christians read about in history, from 100 AD until 1934 (when Herbert Armstrong started his ministry). Mr. Armstrong often spoke of the "one and only true church of God."
That the "lost" ten tribes of Israel are actually the modern nations of the United States and the British Commonwealth (Armstrong’s version of an old mythological teaching called British Israelism).
That the calling for a Christian is to build character, and that character building is the primary criteria used to grant salvation – and that salvation is a combination of grace plus works.
That God revealed many special, unique teachings to Mr. Armstrong, and that God wanted Mr. Armstrong to preach and publish these to the world before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
In brief, Herbert W. Armstrong did not publish or preach any new heretical teachings – he simply revised, revived, and rehashed "proven" challenges to the historic, orthodox Christian church (you can find them in church history by such names as "Gnosticism, Arianism, Pelagianism).

I do not have the time to furnish a complete background of biblical passages for each of these misunderstandings and cultic teachings, but each of these teachings has been historically combated by the body of Christ.

Hope this helps, please let me know if you have further questions.

In Christ,

Greg Albrecht