Growing Up in The Worldwide Church of God. Episode 5. Jesus and the Cross

Like much of Adventism, Jesus is not the prime figure in the Arnstrongist religion. What did they believe about our Lord? What was I taught? And what about the cross? Please tune in and find out.

[@sawilliams]

Thats so true that we talked about demons 10x more than Jesus.

[@raybo1018]

it was so bad in my house with the demon talk, it took my mom decades to stop doing that. One time I yelled at her on the phone when she started talking about demons and told her she sounded like she was still in the Armstrong cult. She responded with that they were right about some things. I screamed "NO THEY WEREN'T". My parents kept talking like they were in that cult for many years. It was awful. If you haven't checked out my "Baggage that lingered" video, it seems to be my most viewed in this series.

[@danny99999999999999]

I grew up in one of the splinter groups and attended from birth until about age 24. Started questioning some of the doctrines around 18 or 19 but was finally fully persuaded of it's falseness by age 22 or so. Eventually I wound up where I'm at now, and currently attend a traditional Anglican Church. Quite a change in church culture compared to that of my youth lol. Anyway, I did want to bring up a point about Jesus and the Law. I think it's important to emphasize that Jesus being perfect man born under the law, perfectly kept the whole of the law (all 600+ laws of the OT; moral, ceremonial and civil). This was necessary in order to be the perfect atonement. Now yes, he disregarded the extra Biblical traditions of the rabbis, but he did adhere to the Law of Moses since it was still in effect until his death on the cross.

[@raybo1018]

Thank you for your comments, and I very much appreciate you watching. God bless.

[@sherry3547]

I have to say I genuinely, deeply appreciate these videos. I was never in the cult - thank God! - but my mother joined an offshoot (PCG) as I became as adult and has been in it for almost 20 years. Over the years, I always had some red flags go up about things she’d say to me, but I am sad to say that most of that time I was what I now realize was a lukewarm Christian, so I didn’t realize how alarming it really was. I was just happy to know that my mom at least had faith in the God of the Bible, to the best of my knowledge. 2 years ago, the Lord really got ahold of me and I started reading the Bible to know what He really says and grow in my faith. I quickly realized that my mom is in a cult. It burdens my heart so heavily to know the lies she believes, following man and not God. I haven’t told her outright that she’s in a cult. She doesn’t know what I know about her church. I’ve cried so many tears and prayed so many prayers for the Lord to reveal the truth to her and pull her out of the deception. It burdens me even more over the past 2 years because now my mom is pulling my sister in along with her husband and young son. What grieves me most of all is the thought of my poor nephew being raised in this cult. 😭

[@raybo1018]

I am so sorry for what you are going through. It grieves me to see people sucked in. They don't realize how much they are hurting those who love them the most

[@KM-leons]

Hai, I am from India and I am 60 now. I was a "prospective" member of the WCG in my early twenties. I was born and raised in a Christian home and my zeal for God and His word drove me to Armstrong's church as in the case of many in the local congregation. Yes, I know their teachings were somewhat cult like but believe me God led me to that organization for a purpose and I am convinced about it day by day.. Though WCG was wrong in many things it laid strong foundations in my Christian walk. The teachings of WCG only strengthened my commitment to the Word of God. It's a long story. God in due time led me back to my evangelical background. I am not going to complain about my association with WCG. All one should do is to make their heart right with God, then God will lead.

[@raybo1018]

@@KM-leons thank you for watching and leaving your comment. It helps the algorithms. It’s greatly appreciated.

[@user-qb4ri7wi8w]

2:50 The Ten Commandments,the Laws of clean and unclean meats, Christian Overcoming,the promise of Eternal life

[@raybo1018]

So you are saved by keeping the law not by grace, correct?

[@susanepp2707]

What i never understand was how come people could only come by invitation. Jesus said all should come to him.

[@raymondlussier3920]

Because Armstrongists care little or nothing about Jesus.

[@glamma77]

I was hoping this would continue! It’s answering my questions! My best friend was wwcog!

[@adamjacobschmidt]

About the insignificance of the Cross, it's the idea that "We (the church) know something no one else does"

[@doreenmoquin5345]

Regarding the Christmas tree and all that, yes, I heard the very same in my household. Later on, putting two and two together, I realized it proved the evil spirit within the church. It goes very, very deep. There are things I cannot say here.

[@jstevens777]

Ray, thanks so much for posting your videos! You are so spot on and I do appreciate you sharing! My folks got into the WWCG when I was about 6 in I think it was 1971 here on the west coast. I grew up in it. Once grown I was an atheist for a couple decades. It took me a while to realize that just because the church that I happened to grow up in was horrible doesn't mean Christianity is bad. Long story short, I've gone full circle and I've come to realize that maybe it was necessary for me to go through that crazy false church to get to the understanding I've gotten to now. hwa turned life into a competition over who could be the most obedient & follow the most rules (Old Testament). They were grace-phobic and were so reluctant to talk about our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. The more obedient, the more holy & pure you were. The rules were used to measure others & keep them out. WWCG members were the authentic, true & obedient Christians & all the other churches were disobedient & Christians falsely so-called. If you didn't go along with hwa you were the enemy! WWCG had to be in total control. People would be kicked & cancelled out & disfellowshipped. WWCG would even weaponize families against each other (I lost all contact with both my Grandmothers, all Uncles, Aunts & Cousins when growing up). If someone was kicked out of the church, they weren't to be acknowledged. Clearly they must be influenced by Satan if they didn't give full attention to the church. Also, the church would completely turn their backs on people, even after they had been giving money. People were thought to be 'robbing God' by not tithing enough. I think the holidays like Christmas & Birthdays were not allowed because they were costly. Diverting resources to the church was most important! Holiday expenditures would take money$ away from the church. Women's makeup was the same thing. Now if you try to talk to any former WWCG members that are still brainwashed by that nonsense, they just build a protective shell of self righteousness around themselves & feel affirmed that they're right. They feel that they are superior to others since they're the only ones that 'understand truth', since, after all, they're the only ones that are 'chosen'. WWCG members were taught not to have contact with the fallen or nonbelievers. I still won't stop praying for them though! Thanks so much again Ray! God bless you!

[@raybo1018]

Thank you so much for watching, and thank you for the encouraging words. I am not so sure that I can add anything to what you wrote to me. But I feel your pain. I went through it. It seems we both entered that organization about the same time. It was six years of pure hell for me.

[@jstevens777]

I know what you mean! What boggles my mind now is that my parents actually bought into that crazy nonsense! I guess that It's much easier to fool people than it is to convince them that they've been fooled. Plus believing & relying on the WWCG doctrine sadly produces a false comfort based on a false truth...It's hard to hear what the Lord says, when you've already decided what He's said! ...Thanks again Ray! I guarantee you're helping a lot of folks out by posting your videos.

[@raybo1018]

@@jstevens777 Thank you again. I wasn't sure if I was helping anyone, but it was meant as more of closure for myself, to tell my story and maybe encourage anyone listening not to give up on things of God just because there are con artists out there using faith to get rich. They will answer as I'm sure Herbert did when he passed from this world into the presence of God.

[@gayle6464]

I just want to thankyou for this. I am so almost lost for words (and that's usually not the case, but yet i rarely can explain well- and you do.). I'm a born and raised wwcog . Only lately have i scratched the surface of why i couldn't make sense of a lot. The individual circumstances and life's issues (tough or not, good or bad, personalities, family culture, good intentions, whether intensities or not with health/medical/mental/relational any and all as all humans live a human life)played their part and vary from person to person...whatever my whole ball of wax entails was so influenced by this church and my upbringing...i had no idea how much and in fact thought i hadn't been affected ( the way it happens). Loving family. The best of intentions. Longer story, i can feel myself starting to try to hard to explain this whole thing and if you know, you know. I am struggling, yet stronger, and it was last week (your videos, and a few other sources and just new to actually feeling the gratitude of your candid, honest, acurate and well-said account of this church, your experience and your willingness to be a connection to shared experience, validation, hope and healing. Thankyou so much for providing a sense of truth and it takes courage yet you give those of us questioning how to fully come thru it all, free and for real, or just this- it's amazing how well you've done based on your story and how well you have put together the facts of worldwide and i hope i explained this well enough. It takes courage for me to even reach out in your comment section, but know it's important and how much true hope this gives not just me, but others like me or us. Thankyou again! We're not alone and big strides in overcoming thru it all.

[@raybo1018]

Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. I hope and pray life’s journey lead you to the cross of Christ.

[@susanepp2707]

When i was a kid we went to the SDA in the.morning thrn had lunch and wrnt to the WWCOG in the afyernoon..my grandfather knew HWA and my parents knew Garner Ted. They aldo went to Seventh day Baptiat, the Church of God, Seventh Day, the. Sevrnth dsy Church nof God ( yes they are different denominations ) the Shephetds Rod and the Branch Davidisns. We never attended the.local Seventh dsy Penticostal..i wss fortinate thst my.parents let me gp with my cousins on Sundays to the Lutheran.

[@hope3761]

Hi Ray, My Dad was into the Cult pretty good also ,I never will understand how any one can say God and Jesus were the same even when it does say Jesus is Gods son and Jesus prayed to his Father

[@raybo1018]

The father and the son are distinct yet one God. Is this something humans can really understand? Not really. We are fine night. God is infinite.

[@user-qb4ri7wi8w]

I grew up in the Worldwide Church of God until Apostasy came from Tkcach.They taught how to grow Spiritually and taught Doctrines solely from the Bible, Sabbath keeping,keeping the Holy Days,

[@raybo1018]

That’s why they were a cult,

[@user-qb4ri7wi8w]

Worship of the cross and trinity were not taught because they are not supported by biblical truths,but taught overcoming sin with a reward of Eternal life at Christ's return

[@davidoverstreet8087]

Somerton here, mostly a liar

[@standstill0641]

Get over your personal grievance. It's your problem not the world's problem...

[@raybo1018]

Are you a follower of that false apostle?