The United Church of God (UCOG) is a cult. It was originally part of the Worldwide Church of God formed by Herbert W. Armstrong. The UCOG is one of 90 splinter groups split off from the Worldwide Church of God (WCOG), which was originally a cult, until Herbert W. Armstrong died. After his death, the WCOG re-evaluated their doctrines.
The Worldwide Church of God repented of its false doctrines and leadership under Herbert Armstrong. It is now much smaller, but preaches a sound doctrine and has approximately 300 ministers preaching sound doctrine. However, the 90 splinter groups still maintain the false doctrines of Herbert Armstrong.
Originally, Armstrong believed in Christ as the only answer to sin and salvation was totally of Christ. His wife believed you had to strictly keep all the Ten Commandments as well as honor Christ to be a Christian. Herbert eventually took his wife’s position and abandoned his belief that a person was saved only by faith and grace. The WCOG maintained that man must keep the Ten Commandments or wind up in hell. Of course, we know this is living under the law and is in opposition to the doctrine of grace.
Garner Ted Armstrong was to assume leadership of the WCOG from his father, Herbert when he eventually stepped down from its leadership. However Ted was habitually into adultery and other lustful ventures, so his father eventually ousted his son from the WCOG. Garner Ted Armstrong now leads one of the splinter groups (Church of God, International) and maintains the cultist beliefs of his Father. Ted preaches on 315 cable stations in North America. All of the COGs believe Herbert Armstrong was Elijah incarnate.
Herbert claimed to be a descendent of King David, he was the second coming of Elijah, and he considered himself a chosen apostle of Christ.
When Herbert Armstrong died, the demon possessing him was left without a home. Members of the UCOG cults believe Herbert Armstrong in all of his claims. It appears this same demon has now infected all of these followers of this cult.
The United Church of God denies the Trinity persona of God, believes a person must keep the Ten Commandments in order to be saved, denies the Biblical salvation of faith and God’s grace, denies that Christ arose from death in a new immortal body, and believes in “strict” Sabbath Day attendance at church. The members of this cult are not saved by Christ for eternity, but must constantly repent or they will go to hell if they die prior to getting repentance for any transgression.
Herbert Armstrong has been accused many times of having ties with the “Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witness and Mormonism”. His biographer has denied all of this, but do not be surprised to find UCOG members sympathetic to these three Cults. The Church of God Seventh-Day ordained Herbert Armstrong in Oregon. The UCOG believes Herbert Armstrong was the only channel from God to present day man, and his teachings were the only ones valid to man.
It is obvious that Satan is using a pattern in creating these cults, imitations of Christianity. Herbert was told by a spirit being (Satan appears as an angel of light) that he was Elijah incarnate. Joseph Smith was told by an angel that he was the only representative to man in the latter days.
The same pattern was used for Charles Taze Russell of the Jehovah’s Witness, Muhammad and Islam, Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science, Buddha and the Easter Cult gurus, etal. These and all other self appointed apostles and prophets claim they were approached by spirit beings and anointed as the only channel from God to man.
None of these men were prophesied to be God’s elected representative and fulfill all of the prophecies that Jesus has fulfilled. God proclaimed from heaven in an audible voice (twice) regarding Jesus, “this is my beloved Son, hear ye him”. Jesus is the only one who died, rose from the dead, provided authenticating miracles, and raised men from the dead.
Herbert W. Armstrong was a fraud, the same as Muhammad, Joseph Smith, Charles Taze Russell, Buddha, etc. All of these personalities have the common situations that they were seduced and possessed with demonic spirits.
Herbert Armstrong wrote a book in 1985 titled “Mystery of the Ages”. He claimed it was the most important book since the Bible. This may be the reason he died the next year (1986). He claimed he was appointed personally by Christ as the head of the WCOG, the only valid church.
The UCOG believes the ten lost tribes of Israel are the Anglo-Saxons which now make up the real Israel. They believe that Great Britain is the tribe of Ephraim (superior tribe) and the United States is the tribe of Manasseh (inferior tribe). However they have a problem, because the United States surpassed Great Britain years ago. They believe Great Britain and the United States are the real Israel. It has been proven beyond doubt there is “no” connection between the Anglo-Saxon language and the Hebrew language.
The UCOG believes the throne of England is the throne of David, and Jesus will reign on the throne in England when he returns. They believe Queen Elizabeth sits on the throne of David. When Herbert Armstrong died and the leaders re-examined all his records, they found there was no proof, and a lot of assumptions, made by Herbert of his assertions of Ephraim & Manasseh being Great Britain and the United States. All of Herbert’s statements fell apart under close scrutiny by the scholars who researched the data.
Herbert Armstrong stated he would personally run the Church Headquarters for Christ during Christ’s millennial reign. He does not believe in the Trinity, but insists there are two Gods. One is God, and the other is the Word of God, but both are separate super beings. He also believes as the Mormons that we can become Gods just like the existing God. He further stated that we are not resurrected into eternal life when we receive Christ. He claims we remain as flesh and will only be resurrected in the spirit with our bodies when Jesus resurrects us at the end time.
Father Time
