THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA

[Mark C.]

Hi All!
  The last several weeks I have been talking with some Assembly folks, who at first seemed sincere in their desire to understand the situation with GG and the Assemblies that he has raised up. They began eager to listen and now want to put their heads back in the sand.  This is depressing to the say the least, as it seems like wasted effort.
  The reason I called this thread the Church of Laodicea is that the above events brought it to mind.  Jesus is outside the church knocking, desiring to reach those inside who will not answer.  
   What happens to those who will not answer?  They will continue in blindness, moral compromise, ineffective service to Christ, and most of all lack of intimacy with The Lord Jesus(He wants to sup with us)
  What are the consequences of living under a curse, as described in the appeal to the Laodiceans?  Some may say, "Mark, I thought you believed that we relate to God by grace.  Doesn't that mean I'm accepted no matter what?"  "It seems to me that you are sponsoring GG's view of the lost inheritance for believers."  GOD FORBID!
   Our relationship with God is based on his gift to us of salvation.  Our enjoyment of that salvation and relationship, that has been given to us, is based on honesty with Him.  The book of Galatians is the foundation for my saying this as Paul says Christians who forsake the simple Gospel for a pseudo gospel are under a curse and can't participate in the blessing of the Spirit.  I say  honesty, because the false gospel is cultivated in an attitude of stubborn pride; an unwillingness to admit our error.
   As with Laodicea there is a price to pay for being cleared with the exalted Jesus.  With Assembly folks the price is to admit they have been wrong and willingness to receive instruction.  It must be gold tried in the fire; a thorough purifying work of rejection of the ways of GG and His Assemblies.
   Those in Galatia who rejected Paul's entreaty to examine their teaching and to repent could expect consequences for their decisions.  We see this with the church of Laodicea as well.
   If after the very loud knocking of our Lord at the Assembly door and there is a turning away with an attempt to rebuild these judged works, what more can be done?  What will have to happen to wake those up who wish to continue in the way of the curse?  
  Why was Paul so upset in Galatians?  God intends blessing for his people and he feared their deception would bring them into a life of bondage.  This bad decision will lead to consequences in the life and families of those who refuse to consider that the Lord is trying to correct them.
  Will they lose their salvation?  No, but they most certainly will miss out on the blessings of the Spirit in their hearts and of the building of any meaningful contribution to our Lord's mission on the Earth(1:Cor. 3)( Also The lampstands of Rev.)
              God indeed wants to bless us!   Mark
         

[Oscar]

Today I was thinking about the paralells between the George Geftakys assemblies and the Nation of Islam.

What is currently known as the Nation of Islam was known back in the 1960's as the Black Muslims, (at least to the public), and was led by a man named Elijah Mohammed.

A young crook named Malcom something became joined up while in prison and when he got out he bacame a real rising star in the movement.  He changed his name to Malcom X.

He became the most prominant member, making the front pages of newspapers in the 60's with aggressive statements that frightened the white community.  While ML King advocated peaceful, non-violent resistance to injustice, Malcom X sounded very threatening.

He was absolutely committed to the Leader, Elijah Mohammed.  Because of his gifts of public speaking and his utter loyalty he became something on the order of the Number 2 man, and their was talk of him succeeding EM when Allah called him home.

But, he began to hear rumors of sexual immorality involving EM.  Seems that some of EM's secretarys became mysteriously pregnant.  

He questioned EM, and was assured that it was all lies and innuendos by enemies of Allah.  He laid his fears aside and threw himself into the movement's activities.

Later, he picked up more information about the continuing pregnancy problem...until EM's involvement was undeniable.

Heart broken and disolusioned he left the movement.  EM accused him of all sorts of wrongdoing and evil, and ordered him shunned.

Malcom X refused to obey the Law of Silence, and started publicly condemning EM.  He decided to begin a rival organization that would practice true righeoussness according to Black Muslim teaching.

He was murdered.  It is quite possible EM had him eliminated.

When EM died, not long after, his son tried to take over the movement but pretty much cleansed it of EM's racial ideas and led the people into regular Muslim beliefs.  Less than half of the people followed him.

The majority followed a "Minister" Farrakan, a man who many believe organized the murder of Malcom X.  This group is the Nation of Islam of today.

It has been over 10 years since I read "The Autobiography of Malcom X".  I distinctly remember thinking, as I read of his disillusionment and heartbreak at having found that his spiritual father and hero was a corrupt man, how much it sounded like people waking up and seeing the truth while in the Assembly.

Also, notice that many chose not to reject the ideas of Fard, (the original founder), and EM, but just found a new leader and continued on.

Interesting, and sad.

Thomas Maddux

[al Hartman]

Dear Saints,

     i am posting here primarily to bring this thread back to the fore..It is amazing that so few have read it, and no one has comments to add to its two posts.
     Do you know someone who needs this message?  copy & PM or EM it to them, or print it & mail it out...

Gratefully in Christ,
al Hartman

[outdeep]

Tom and Mark:

In reading your posts, which are very good, it brought to mind a question.  

There are different kinds of reactions to the Assembly.  Many saw the problems right up front and never bothered to join.  Others, will probably spend the rest of their lives never really seeing problems.

Many are like us who saw problems.  Nevertheless, it took much time for us to get to the place to do something about it.

I remember visiting other churches and writing CRI in about 1980 as a college student because I felt inner pain and struggle about the Assembly.  Truth is, I didn't leave for another 10 years during which time I "stuffed" my concerns in favor of a "higher spirituality".  (Though I admit, you never completely stuff them as they often rise to the surface).

Today, the problems with the Assembly seem abundantly public and clear.  So why do people hang on?  Why don't they renounce their experience and get on with life?  Are they stupid?  Deceived?  Self-serving?  Why don't they simply answer the door that Jesus is loudly knocking on?

Or are we simply expecting an instant turn around - something we ourselves were not able to do.  

Like I said, it took me over ten years.

[Mark C.]

Hi Dave!
  Well said!  The controls that kept us there were not based on logic, but emotion.  These controls were not all negative, and in the case of the leaders own treatment by superiors rarely negative.  It is a very good feeling to be accepted and admired by others.  We might say we served there as "unto the Lord", but none of us have pure motives.  This means that when we heared the "amens" as we preached or prayed it met an emotional need.  When GG/brethren complimented our message, or contribution, the slap on the back felt good.
  The opening of our eyes often took a negative experience, where the group withdrew their acceptance.  With me it was a series of these experiences that slowly caused me to critically examine my involvement, and as you said Dave, this took time.  I had to be literally kicked out before I would take a look at these things honestly and critically
   When someone from outside the group would question a teaching/practice we reacted in defense of our own emotional investment in the group.  The more your investment in time, and intensity of commitment to the group, the more you have to lose if you lose your place in the group.  It becomes easier to "stuff down" questions we have and rationalize them away.
   Facing the emptiness we feel by being outside the acceptance of the group, the shared purpose, the mutual affection, the emotional uplift of group euphoria through heightened estactic moments, etc. , all become a huge barrier to dealing with these doubts we may have.
   There are still those who just can't accept that their involvement was not what the Lord wanted.  In a desire to rescue some equity re. their past participation they seek to defend aspects of the group.  To defend GG is impossible now, so they adopt the attitude that, "GG was wrong, but his teaching and assembly practices are/were correct."
  It is apparent and clearly silly when we hear the justifications of "Carlton Farnackle" and his associates in their attempts to defend the system that we can now clearly understand was errant.  The only way to describe it is to see that their's is an emotional defense and there is no logic that will persuade them.  The unfortuante result of those who continue in this course is that Satan takes advantage of this to not only deepen their deception, but uses them to bite the heels of those seeking deliverance and recovery from their past involvement in the Assembly.
  So, time can be a friend to those who are willing to lose their Assembly emotional equity, but an enemy to those who choose to protect it.  Since the unvailing of GG's true character it should be a quicker process for those involved to understand that the character of the minister does have an effect on the nature of the ministry, and that the two can not be separated.
                                      God Bless,  Mark