What is Armstrongism?

Basically the term Armstrongism is a derisive label that anti-Church of God people have used to discourage people from following doctrines held by the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God (WCG).

Yes, because Herbert W. Armstrong taught biblical doctrines, this caused controversy.

And that is normally what people who refer to the Church of God as Armstrongism, basically intend as a form of verbal persecution, or at least an insult.

Those of us who properly understood what he taught, understood that the following was one of his most fundamental teachings.

Many who have been critical of the teachings of the old WCG did not really understand that we were not ever to believe Herbert W. Armstrong above the Bible, and that all doctrines had to be taught in, or at least consistent with, the Bible.

My First Exposure to 'Armstrongism'

I first heard Garner Ted Armstrong, the son of Herbert W. Armstrong, on the radio back in 1972.

He spoke against evolution. Since I agreed with what he had to say on that subject (and much later wrote a book about it, which is available free online: Is God’s Existence Logical?), I decided to listen to him again.

Now, having been familiar with literature from the Seventh-day Adventists and some other groups, those particular doctrines were not unusual.

Anyway, I talked about some of the WCG teachings with some of my more religious friends. One of them wanted me to to talk to someone older who would try to talk me out of what he called Armstrongism.

So, when I was 15 years of age, once every week or so for a couple of months, I met with some Protestant counselor and we discussed various WCG teachings. Towards the beginning of our meetings, he lent me a book that was against Herbert W. Armstrong and the WCG. That book may used the term "Armstrongism."

Well, it basically said that the WCG taught many things that differed from Protestant tradition. Several of the doctrines the book said that Herbert Armstrong taught were unfamiliar to me at the time.

However, when I would look up scriptures, including scriptures that the book referred to, those tended to get me more persuaded that the WCG was teaching biblical doctrines.

Later Exposures

Several years after that, I began to attend WCG services and was baptized in 1977.

From time to time, when I had theological discussions, someone would bring up the term Armstrongism.

And although they condemned the doctrines verbally, they could not disprove them scripturally.

Sometimes they would try with a few mistranslated and/or misunderstood parts of the Bible, but they would tend to give up when biblical proof was given.

So, they seemed to prefer to rely on name calling, like using the term Armstrongism or calling the WCG a cult.

Christians with "Nazarene" practices have long been accused of being part of a cult (or "sect," Acts 24:14, NKJV/NJB) by persecutors of various types.

The Apostle Paul warned that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecutions" (2 Timothy 3:21).

As far as being a 'cult" in the modern negative sense of the word, no the WCG did not brainwash people, prevent them from being in contact with relatives, or some of the strange things that groups now considered cultic have.

Then and now, even the relatively small size of the genuine Church of God is consistent with the type of church that Jesus said He would have:

Note that both Protestant and Catholic renderings of Jesus' words demonstrate that His followers should NOT be afraid of the fact that His real flock will be little. Jesus also taught only a few would find the way to eternal life in this age (Matthew 7:14; 20:16). The Apostle Jude indicates that the number of saints was relatively small (Jude 14), while the Apostle Paul called the small group a “remnant” (Romans 11:5).

As far as name calling goes, the New Testament showed that happened to real Christians. Satan has encouraged the same practice throughout the church age.

If you really believe that you should follow Jesus, please do not be turned aside by those who speak against those who teach His message--Jesus and the Apostle Paul both suggested that those were signs of being part of the true Church of God.

In my view, the main reason that some have made claims about the genuine Church of God supposedly being a cult is that they "are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).

Other later exposures to the term Armstrongism have come from people who fell away from the faith (if they even really ever understood it) and turned against it, often making improper statements about it (e.g. Banned by HWA and Ambassador Watch). But such a falling away was prophesied (cf. Matthew 24:12-13, 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:3, 1 Timothy 4:1; Zechariah 13:7-9; see also The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings).

The Original Faith

Anyway, original Christians did keep the seventh-day Sabbath and strove to keep the Ten Commandments. They avoided unclean meats. They did not keep holidays like Easter or Christmas. Instead, and all scholars who have studied this should know this, they kept days considered Jewish like Passover.

Labeling beliefs of the early Christians as Armstrongism is a way to mislead people to believe that the old WCG did not hold to many of the original Christian doctrines.

A problem that most do not realize is that many of the major beliefs and practices of the Greco-Roman-Protestant faiths were not held by original Christians.

Simply put, many of the doctrines that now are considered to be heresy were held by the early church and many doctrines now considered to be mainstream were condemned as heresy by those associated with the early church.

IMPOSSIBLE TO DOCUMENT means that there was no proof that what has been considered orthodox Christian doctrine among most who professed Christ actually was original Christianity. Well, it is impossible to document, because it did not exist.

The above was copied from the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God. Leaders were specifically mentioned by name as they help demonstrate that men considered as Christian saints by the Greco-Roman-Protestants held to Church of God doctrines. Hence, they were not an invention of Herbert W. Armstrong as critics like to pretend. To equate many of these doctrines as Armstrongism shows an ignorance of early Christian beliefs

While some derisively label many of those doctrines as Armstrongism, a review of ALL OF THEM shows that early professors of Christ held to them.

Got Questions?

In late August 2019, I ran across at article at GotQuestions.com titled: What is Armstrongism?

Dear GotQuestions?

From time to time I have found some of your articles helpful.

However. your article titled, What is Armstrongism?, has several errors.

Do you have any interest in fixing them?

If so, let's start with the following false statement in the article:

The most well-known of Armstrong’s teachings is that of Anglo-Israelism. This is the belief that modern-day Jews are not the true physical descendants of Israel.

That is false. Herbert Armstrong taught, and the Continuing Church of God teach, that the Jews are one of the 12 tribes and hence the Jews are physical descendants of Israel.

The article asserts:

These beliefs of the Worldwide Church of God were not new and were rooted in an anti-Semitic misinterpretation of Scripture.

The Worldwide Church of God was NOT anti-Semitic. Herbert Armstrong was a friend to Israel, met with top leaders in Israel, etc. Furthermore, because of doctrines like the Sabbath, Holy Days, and avoiding biblically unclean meats, it would be much more accurate to state the the Worldwide Church of God (and now the Continuing Church of God) hold to an original Judaeo-Christianity.

The article asserts:

Armstrong taught that at death one is in a sleep-like state until Jesus returns to earth. There would then be three resurrections. The first would be of the faithful Christians. Second would be the bulk of the population who would have a second chance to accept the gospel and be saved, despite the clear teaching of Scripture that there is no “second chance” for salvation after death (Hebrews 9:27).

Herbert Armstrong taught, and the Continuing Church of God teach, that God will give all one real opportunity for salvation. Not a second chance.

The article asserts:

Armstrongism was only one of many salvation-by-works philosophies that look to the keeping of the Old Testament laws as a means of salvation.

But this is what Herbert Armstrong actually taught:

Since we are to be SAVED, as your Bible states repeatedly, by GRACE, therefore these people simply cannot conceive of any WORKS whatsoever. They don't understand that the Christian life is one of TRAINING for WHAT WE SHALL BE DOING through eternity IN THE NEXT LIFE. They miss the WHOLE PURPOSE of salvation!

Does that word "grace" sound a little technical — a little theological?

"Grace" is a term used in the Bible. It means undeserved FREE GIFT — and unmerited PARDON.

Nowhere does the Bible teach earning your salvation by your own "WORKS." But what most do NOT understand is that the Bible DOES teach, over and over again, that we shall be REWARDED according to our WORKS! ...

But now what of that scripture that says: "... ye are not under the law, but under grace"? (Rom. 6:14.)

Now that you are UNDER GRACE — does this mean you are given license to disobey God's Law?

Listen to GOD'S answer: "What shall we say then' Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God FORBID! How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom. 6:1-2.) Later, verse 12: "Let not sin [transgressing God's Law] therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof."

Once again, verse 14: "For sin [transgressing the Law] shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the Law, but under grace." The very next words show PLAINLY this does not mean you are free to BREAK God's LAW — to DISOBEY God, "What then? Shall we SIN [break the Law], because we are not under the Law, but under grace? GOD FORBID! Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

GRACE does not mean license to SIN. And the BIBLE definition of SIN is: "Sin is the transgression of the LAW" (I John 3:4).

You were UNDER THE LAW, when the Law stood over you, claiming its penalty. When Christ paid the penalty, and satisfied the claims of the Law, you were no longer under the Law, but under GRACE. (Armstrong HW. What Will You Be Doing In The Next Life? WCG booklet, 1969)

Anyway, since I presume that you wish to provide accurate answers, this will help you.

Feel free to ask if you would like more information.

Perhaps I should mention that the Continuing Church of God is one of the six or seventh largest groups whose leaders were once part of the old Worldwide Church of God.

Best regards,

Bob Thiel

Overseeing Pastor
Continuing Church of God

Yes, many who do not have the love of the truth trash biblical doctrines. Just because the late Herbert W. Armstrong held to many doctrines that original Christians held, does not make his teachings 'Armstrongism.'

By the way, as far as British-Israelism goes, Herbert W. Armstrong held to the biblical belief that there was a separation between Israel and the Jews in the Old Testament (cf. 1 Kings 11). The New Testament confirmed the separation (James 1:1). And even the Jewish historian Josephus reported it in the first century:

What Herbert W. Armstrong taught who received the physical promises of the Jacob to his sons as laid out in Genesis 48 and 49. He did not teach that salvation had anything to do with race or being one of the tribes of Israel. And, Herbert W. Armstrong also directed funds to support Liberty Park in Jerusalem--and he was honored by the then mayor of Jerusalem (Teddy Kollek) for doing so back in 1978. Herbert W. Armstrong was not anti-semitic, but those not interested in the truth have spread lies about many things related to him and what he taught.

The Bible teaches that "the Devil" (Satan) is "the accuser of our brethren" (Revelation 12:9,10). Jesus said the Devil was "a liar and the the father of it" (John 8:44). Do not be dissuaded by those who do not really believe the Bible and make misleading comments about the CCOG: "lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11) as the Apostle Paul wrote.

The Apostle Paul also warned that Satan's ministers can seem to be "ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) so all should be careful about Church of God accusations. If you hear one, first find out if it is REALLY true (most I have read are not upon detailed investigation), and then if it is, if that should according to scripture disqualify the entire church--and even then consider what happened related to the faithful in scripture.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that according to Catholic scholars, the Christians that kept closest to the Apostle John's practices (sometimes called Nazarenes or Judaeo-Christians; see also Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes?) did understand that there were three resurrections.

Here is what the Catholic scholar Bagatti wrote related to a late fourth century Greco-Roman bishop:

So, near the end of the 4th century there were people that did not consider that the Constantinian Greco-Romans were Christians and they held to the doctrine of three resurrections. Like the Judea-Christians mentioned above, we in the Continuing Church of God do believe in the three resurrections, millenarianism, the restoration of bloody sacrifices (but we do not believe that a Temple has to be rebuilt in this age for that to occur--nor is it clear that was a required position by the Judaeo-Christians of the late 4th century), we do accept that sacrifices will occur in the millennium as per Zechariah 14:21, and we oppose the need for new altars in which the Greco-Romans believe that they are regularly sacrificing Jesus on (the Bible says Jesus only needed to be sacrificed once--Romans 6:10; Hebrews 7:27; 9:12; 10:10). While we do teach that Mary was the mother of Jesus and that Jesus is now God, since Mary cannot grant divinity and Jesus emptied Himself of His divinity when He came in the flesh (Philippians 2:7) and did not retain it until after His resurrection (cf. John 20:28), we do not use the expression "Mother of God" to describe Mary (see also Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions).

Teaching three resurrections was NOT an invention of Herbert W. Armstrong. But referring original Christian doctrines as "Armstrongism," as well as other Satanically-motivated name-calling techniques, has worked on many. Sadly, often because of wrong teachers and traditions (Jeremiah 16:19), few are willing to believe original faith ("the faith once for all delivered to the saints" Jude 3).

If you are not sure what to do, please be like the Bereans of old and "search the scriptures" and valid historical sources to demonstrate what if what is stated here is true (cf. Acts 17:10-11).

Since what is stated here is true, you should realize that Herbert Armstrong strove to teach original Christianity.

Hopefully, God will move you steadfastly support us as we "contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).

Thiel B. What is Armstrongism? COGwriter (c) https://www.cogwriter.com/armstrongism.htm 2019 1012