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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JULY 5, 1985
In a recent conversation with a field minister, he discussed with me how a
fellow minister (one of his neighboring pastors) had pointed out to him a
problem that was obvious to others, but that he hadn't been able to see him
self. He explained how much he appreciated the concern and love, and the
guts it took for his fellow minister to do what he did.
Through the years, many ministers have gone out of the ministry and out of
the Body of Christ. There have been many reasons for this, but there is one
common thread in the vast majority of cases. That is the fact that the sin,
rebellion, bitterness, laziness, lack of wisdom, or other problem that
eventually takes one out of the Church, starts out small.
In Hebrews 3:12-14 the Apostle Paul gave us a powerful admonition contain
ing several very important lessons. In verse 12 he tells us that we must
"Beware [ bl! £!} guard, watch out), brethren, lest there be in any of you an
evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God" (RAV). Don't think
it can't happen to you! In the article "Satan Use and Deceive Me? Never!",
which appeared in the December 5, 1980 PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, Mr. Arm
strong explained that� of us is immune to being deceived and led away
from God by the devil. Quoting Mr. Armstrong from page 1 of the article:
"But do you think YOU are immune from the wiles and subtle deceptions of
Satan?
Are YOU stronger than Satan?
DON IT so UNWISELY UNDERESTIMATE
SATAN! Satan is the strongest being or personage God ever created, except
the other two archangels Michael and Gabriel. Satan DID get to the more
than a half dozen top-ranking ministers in God's Church! Even though they
themselves do not realize it."
Mr. Armstrong explained further on page 4 o� the same article, "If you re
ject one point of truth, or take one step aside into a point of error--un
less you repent immediately and get back to the light--you will take more
and more steps into erroneous beliefs, and one by one give up the points of
TRUTH you had seen and accepted." He continued, "It [ some ministers leav
ing God's Church J started, in every case, by taking one first step in
Satan's direction--compromising--becoming 'liberal'--or resenting and re
belling against GOD'S GOVERNMENT in His Church--or letting a spirit of SELF
enter in--it could be self-righteousness, or self-centeredness in COVETING
P O W E R."
Paul explains in verse 12 of Hebrews 3 that the thing that can cause us to
depart from God is an evil heart of unbelief. Unbelief, again, starts out
small. It can take many forms. It can begin, for example, with a little
doubt about a doctrinal area such as tithing. This doubt can then grow into
a little discontent about how money is spent, then develop into a little
mistrust of the leadership of the Church. That will develop into a ques
tioning of Mr. Armstrong's authority as God's Apostle. That will develop
into nagging doubts about God's ability to lead His Church, or about God's
presence in it. The next "logical" step is to go elsewhere to find some
thing more consistent with the way one now feels. It always ends .!!J2 as�
jection of the Government of God, passively in some, actively in others
through direct opposition or hostility.
Of course, this is only one example. Unbelief can also begin with hurt
feelings, with a feeling of having been "put down," with a personality
clash, with a pet idea or theory that goes unrecognized or unaccepted, etc.
The list goes on and on. You can work out the progression of attitude dete
rioration in each case yourself. It has happened again and again through
,