Question?

[GraceSavedMe]

I have been investigating several different Christian groups. However, two of them seem unclear to me: The United Church of God, and Paul C.Jong's New Life Mission. Can someone tell me what they know about these groups. Thanks!

 

[synger]

If you mean "The United Church of God, an international association", they are a non-Trinitarian group, descended from the Worldwide Church of God of Herbert W. Armstrong. I attended that organization for a time in my youth, before I realized its cultish ways and returned to orthodox (small "o") Christianity.

As I said, they have some unorthodox beliefs and practices:

• they reject the Trinity and teach that the Spirit is not a separate Person, but is the power of Jesus and the Father
• they keep many of the Old Testament laws (they refrain from eating pork and shellfish, they keep a Saturday Sabbath, they keep the Old Testament festivals)
• they believe that the promises of the Hebrews come down to believers not only because of belief, but because the ten lost tribes of Israel travelled north and ended up in Europe/England, so the promise moved with them, and from thence came to the New World.
• they do not celebrate Christmas or Easter due to the pagan influences that have crept into those celebrations, and
• and they teach that believers will become divine-like spirit-beings in the God-family and that Jesus is the first-born of these beings (similar to LDS beliefs, to a degree).

The New Life Mission was a harder one to find, as most of the information I found about it seems to be in Tagalong. It's a Phillipines-based ministry, and at the outset looked fairly orthodox in its doctrine, with a heavy emphasis on baptism. So much so, however, that it seems that it is belief in Christ's baptism that they say brings salvation, not His death and resurrection. If that is so, then they also are definitely heterodox in their doctrine. The Cross is the focal point of Christian doctrine, not the water of baptism. I was able to find a site that critiqued their doctrines, if you are interested in learning more.

 

[Elijah2]

I have no comment on the United Church of God, but what I just read there appears to be a question mark. So be aware, beware and don't be unaware. Just go to GOOGLE and punch it in and you will get all what you need to know.

see if this site works:
http://www.google.com.au/search?sou...G,GGLG:2006-05,GGLG:en&q=United+Church+of+God

Again punch Paul C Jong New Life Mission into GOOGLE and again you will get all you want.

try this site:
http://www.google.com.au/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-05,GGLG:en&q=Paul+C%2eJong%27s+New+Life+Mission

 

[GraceSavedMe]

Thanks for the replies to my question. These two organizations seem suspiciously close to cult status. I have been exploring different churches' theologies, so that I know which ones to avoid, and which ones are safe. Those two look pretty scary!
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[TheGuide]

Thanks for the replies to my question. These two organizations seem suspiciously close to cult status. I have been exploring different churches' theologies, so that I know which ones to avoid, and which ones are safe. Those two look pretty scary!
​

You are very smart.

God bless you,

The Guide

 

[godsavedme555]

You are very smart. God bless you, The Guide

 

[Jaisen]

Actually, don't be too quick to dismiss the New Life Mission. Paul Jong's works are very interesting and if you look at the Biblical references, it happens to make a lot of sense.

I had been searching all my life for the right place to find Jesus and I did through NLM... Since I became alerted to this site, I have become born again and so many great things have occurred in my life, I can only say that Jesus Christ has truly brought new meaning to my life.

There are some places out there that state that the New Life Mission is a cult; but that is only so they can promote their own ministries. The New Life Mission sends books for free and is interested in saving souls. The do not ask for money, nor do they preach anything that isn't written in black and white in the Bible. You might like to actually look into it before bagging it out.

If God can make such a big difference in my life, by guiding me to the New Life Mission - how else can these great changes be explained other than through my faith in Jesus Christ?

In my 40 years, I have never felt happier, free and safe in the embrace of God.