Portland, Oregon Church  -  Affiliated with the Intercontinental Church of God and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association

SUBJECT:  Divisions within the Church of God (there are some 450 such groups)

 

QUESTIONS:  Why all the division?  Why can’t the churches get back together?

 

ANSWER:

 

Reason for division and factions:

 

1)   People are human.

2)   Not all in the church have the Spirit of God.

3)   Not all are converted (even if baptized and members of the church).

4)   Not all are at the same level of spiritual growth.  Some may be babes in Christ---1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Peter 2:2.

5)   Some are wolves in sheep's clothing---Matthew 7:15.

6)   Some have mental and/or social disorders OR personal problems (envy, jealousy, greed, desire for position or power, etc)

7)   Some have quenched the Spirit of God--1 Thessalonians 5:19.

8)      Some become tossed to and fro on every wind of doctrine--Ephesians 4:14

9)      Some will come to a point where they will not endure sound doctrine

 

2 Timothy 4:3-4

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

 

10) Some get obsessed about a specific doctrine or seemingly Bible truth (actually false) and hinder or destroy their own salvation in their obsession with it.  They will show a great need to propagate it and/or need to be right about it.

 

Note that some of these listed items overlap and can manifest themselves in combinations of these listed items.

Clearly God has allowed the brethren to be scattered.  If He wants them back together, He will use Godly Calling to make this happen.  He will establish a physical organization and call all firstfruits to it.  See the Minister’s Notebook piece, “It’s All About Godly Calling”  http://www.icgchurches.org/Portland_OR/Ministers_Notebook/Notebook_88.shtml

 

And these are just some of the reasons.  There are many more, each as complex as the human animal is complex.
 
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Portland, Oregon Church  -  Affiliated with the Intercontinental Church of God and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association