[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Why Is Baptism Important?

Is baptism required for salvation? Or is it just a legalistic ritual? Who should do the baptizing? And what’s the purpose of baptism in the first place?

These are just a few of the many questions surrounding baptism. Some see it as a required step to salvation, others as blatant legalism. Some say anyone can baptize; others understand that only ordained ministers should. Some baptize infants, while others say, no, candidates must be adults.

Is there a way to sort through the confusion? Can you understand the topic of baptism and the real meaning behind it?

The answer is yes. And today, on Tomorrow’s World, we’re going to dive into this subject and find out what the Bible says about this important topic. We need to know how to separate mere tradition from the truth.

The Purpose of Baptism

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible.

From time to time, we get questions from viewers on doctrinal issues. Few Bible topics cause as much difference of opinion as baptism. And yet, baptism is a fundamental doctrine for New Testament Christians, as the author of Hebrews noted, in Hebrews 6:1–2.

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

So, baptism is important. But what exactly do we mean when we speak of baptism? That leads us to the first question we’ll examine today:

1. What is the purpose of baptism?

To answer this question, we must first understand the real meaning of the word “baptize.”

The English word “baptize” is really only an anglicized form of the Greek word “baptizo.” And “baptizo” means “to dip, or to sink.” This is the Greek word referring to baptism in the New Testament.

So, in other words, at its very basic foundation, “baptize” means to submerge in and under water.

Now that might come as a surprise to you, if you grew up in a church that baptized by sprinkling or pouring.

We’ll see the significance of this as we go along.

First, let’s look at a literal example of how baptism was done in the New Testament. Notice the example of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, beginning in Acts 8:36.

Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him (Acts 8:36–38).

Notice, both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water. That’s immersion. Going on in verse 39:

Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more… (Acts 8:39).

So they went down into the water, and then came up out of the water. It’s plain this is talking about full immersion. Now, why does this matter?

Baptism Requires Full Immersion in Water, Because Baptism Symbolizes Death

Well, there is great significance in baptism by immersion. What is that significance? At its very core, baptism is symbolic of death. Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6:3.

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

When we go down under the water, we are figuratively dying. We are to let the old man—or the old woman—die. We are to let go of our past sins, our habits, our ways of thinking, and our ways of doing things. We are then to be raised up out of the water ready to learn a new way. Going on in Romans 6:4.

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

So what does baptism teach us? It’s about dying to the self. That’s what we must do when we’re baptized—die to the self. Notice what Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20. I’ll read it in the King James Version.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Baptism Is a Commitment to Change Your Life

If we’re seeking baptism, it means we want to be forgiven of our sins. And that’s true. But it’s much more as well. It means we want to change our life. We want to be different. And by the power of the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and by the receiving of the Holy Spirit, we can be different.

This is why Jesus instructed His apostles to baptize by immersion, because immersion can remind us we are to be crucified with Christ and dead to our past. Now baptism alone—just going through the act—doesn’t mean we are conquered and surrendered to God. But if we let the mode of baptism teach us about the purpose of baptism, it can change our life.

Baptism Is Required for Salvation (Mark 16:16)

That leads us to our next question:

2. Is the doctrine of baptism just a legalistic ritual?

Some see any action a Christian must do in obedience to God as legalistic. Any act you must do, that is required for salvation, is somehow “earning salvation.” So, is baptism a “legalistic” ritual?

As in the previous answer, there is much more to baptism than just a physical act. It has profound spiritual meaning for the Christian, if we’re truly repenting and surrendering to God.

Consider something else. There is a growing number of people today in mainstream Christianity who say anything we must do to be saved is “legalism.” But if that’s true, if a person doesn’t have to keep any commands of God, then he can live a life of lying, cheating, stealing, and even murdering—and still be saved. But that’s not what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 3:15.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

It’s not legalism to obey the commandments. It’s simply doing what God says. And God will not give eternal life to anyone who doesn’t do what He says.

Belief in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is absolutely vital to becoming a true Christian. We must have faith in His sacrifice for our sins. And we must develop a deep and profound appreciation for what He did for us. We must have belief in Him and call on His name in faith if we want to receive salvation from sins. As Paul wrote in Romans 10:9 and 13:

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…. Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved… (Romans 10:9, 13).

So where does baptism fit in? Well, we must put all the Scriptures together. We don’t just build a fundamental doctrine around one or two Scriptures and leave the rest out. So, is baptism, along with faith and belief, necessary for salvation? That’s a good question.

Let’s let the greatest authority on that subject answer the question Himself. That is, of course, Jesus Christ our Savior. And notice what He is recorded saying in Mark 16:15–16:

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized [notice this] will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15–16).

What did Christ say? “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.”

Baptism Works With Faith and Belief

Now baptism by itself is not a magical, mystical method of obtaining eternal life by its very act. No—nothing could be further from the truth.

On the other hand, baptism is a requirement for salvation—according to our Savior. But for it to be effective in that sense, it must be accompanied by faith and trust and belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. And it must be accompanied by a deep appreciation for His role as our personal Savior, and a commitment to obey Him in everything.

So no, baptism is not some meaningless, legalistic ritual. It’s an outward expression of an inward conviction.

In other words, we believe in and call on the name of Christ. We confess our sins, and we repent of them. That means, we stop sinning and go the other way. We change. And then in faith, we are obedient to Jesus as our Lord and Master, conforming every part of our life to Him and His will.

So, we need belief and baptism. It’s not one or the other. It’s both.

Understanding That Our Sins Caused Our Savior’s Death Should Stir Us to Action

In addition, we need to deeply repent of our sins. And then we need the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit.

We find that explained in Acts 2. This chapter shows that Peter gave a sermon on the Day of Pentecost, telling the crowd they were guilty of the death of the Messiah. Notice their response in Acts 2:37:

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

That should be our response as well.

When we realize we are personally responsible for the death of our Savior, we should be cut to the heart, as it said. We should be deeply moved. And we should be ready to listen and learn about what God wants us to do.

They had that humble attitude. Notice what Peter’s response was in Acts 2:38.

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

You believe in your Savior, you confess with your mouth that He is your Lord and Master, and then you act in faith. You repent, you are baptized by immersion and, in faith, you receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. Baptism is a result of belief and faith. It’s an outward expression of inner conviction.

Who Should Baptize?

Another question that sometimes comes up is:

3. Who should baptize?

There is a lot of confusion about this question. Some think anyone who wants to can baptize. Some even believe they can baptize themselves!

But instead of just using our own imagination, let’s look at the Bible itself. Let’s look to it for guidance.

When Jesus commanded His disciples to preach the Gospel, He also sent them to heal the sick, cast out demons, and baptize. But not just anyone was authorized to do so.

We find this explained in the Book of Acts. Philip was a deacon, ordained in Acts chapter 6, and in Acts chapter 8, he went to Samaria and preached Christ. He baptized many people, including Simon the sorcerer, who at the time appeared to be sincere and repentant.

But notice, only the apostles had the authority to lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. We pick up the story in Acts 8:14–17.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

It was only when the apostles laid hands on them, in prayer, that these people received the Holy Spirit. That’s how you receive it—not just by believing in your heart. You repent of your sins, in obedience to Jesus Christ. You ask for His forgiveness in faith, and then you must be baptized for the remission of sins. And then you have hands laid on you, for the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

Simon the sorcerer recognized this very clearly. And so he offered them money to have this authority as well. Of course, the apostles refused.

So, who should baptize? Only those who have duly ordained into the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Of course, on the question of, “Can I baptize myself?”, the answer is clearly no. There is no record of anyone in Scripture baptizing themselves. And baptizing yourself would go against the principle that it takes someone who has already given over their life to God themselves—and been ordained into the ministry—to baptize. It would be a contradiction to say someone would be authorized to baptize themselves. It’s purely the fruit of human imagination, not following the instruction given us by Jesus Christ.

Why Be Baptized?

And that brings us to perhaps the most important question of all. That is:

4. Why should you be baptized in the first place?

We’ve discussed the purpose of baptism, that it’s not just a legalistic rite, and that it must only be done by those who are authorized to baptize. But why do we need to be baptized in the first place?

We all have sinned. We find that in Romans 3:23. Notice what Paul wrote:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We all have earned the death penalty by our sins. That’s found in Romans 6:23:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So, what do we do? Are we left hopeless, awaiting the eternal death, never to live again?

Be Baptized Because Jesus Christ Died for Your Sins

Jesus Christ came to this earth to live a human life, and then die for the sins of all humanity. That means He died for you, and He died for me—and every other human being who has ever lived or will ever live.

So, we have the opportunity to have our sins forgiven.

But it’s not a cheap grace that we receive just by having a feeling in our heart, or by confessing the right words by our lips. No, we must have a deep, transformative change in our life. We must understand we have broken His eternal law and, because of that, we have brought on ourselves the death penalty. We must grasp that we are responsible for the death of the Savior, as those who heard Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost.

And then we must commit our lives to living according to God’s royal law, the law of liberty, as it says in James 2:8 and James 2:12. This is not doing away with God’s law, but rather learning how to obey God’s law, and being delivered from the penalty of breaking it in the first place.

And part of the process is the act, in faith, of true Christian baptism. Let’s read what Jesus told His disciples after His resurrection, before He ascended back to His Father. We find it in Matthew 28:18.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18–19).

Jesus said we are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Some see a contradiction with other passages that say we must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. But there is no contradiction. Yes, we are to do all things, in our life, as a truly repented Christian, in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote this in Colossians 3:17.

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Our entire lives are to be subject to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master. And we are to be baptized in His name, by His authority, by those who are sent and ordained to do so.

Prepare to Be in the Family of God

But what does it mean to be baptized “in” or “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?”

No, this is not a trinity. The Holy Spirit is not a divine person, but is the power of God. But the Father and the Son do comprise the divine family. God is giving us the opportunity to be born into His divine family at the resurrection. Think about that. We won’t be “sort-of-like” angels. We won’t be disembodied spirits. We will be in God’s family.

That’s why we repent of our sins, express faith in Jesus Christ. That’s why we’re baptized as an outward expression of our belief and obedience—because we’re preparing to be in the family of God.

The Scriptures show that the Church is going to marry Christ at His return. Did you know that? We read of it in Revelation 19:7.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints (Revelation 19:7–8).

We are preparing to marry Christ. In other words, at baptism, we enter a marriage covenant. We are committing to our Savior to be faithful, and true, and committed to Him always. And not just for a lifetime, but for all eternity.

Infant Baptism Is Not Biblical

Some ask, should we baptize children or even infants? When you understand that a baptismal candidate is entering into a marriage covenant, this is not a decision for children. They are not yet at the point where they can fully comprehend issues such as sin, repentance, and faith, to make this kind of commitment. And they haven’t yet reached the age of accountability. Even in society, we don’t expect or allow children to make adult, lifelong decisions until they have reached a certain age and maturity. Or at least we shouldn’t.

So, why be baptized in the first place? It’s the moment we enter into a covenant with our Creator, to follow Him no matter what. Far beyond just a legalistic ritual or empty ceremony, it should not be entered into lightly. It’s covenanting with our Creator, to be His, for all eternity.

Baptism Is How to Respond to God’s Calling

Maybe you’re at a crossroads in your life. Maybe you are listening to the words we’re saying on Tomorrow’s World, and you recognize it matches up with Scripture. It’s the truth. Maybe you’ve come to the point in your life when you’re tired of going your own way, and you want to commit to living God’s way.

Make no mistake, baptism isn’t just a quick decision. It’s not a matter of getting dunked and checking it off your list. It’s not just a quick way to “get right with God” and go merrily on our own way.

Our representatives will explain that baptism is the starting point of a whole new way of life. It’s about overcoming sin, yielding to God, and committing to obey Him in everything, in faith and belief. It’s about becoming part of the body of Christ, His Church.

It’s about being called by the Father and responding to that call, as Jesus explained in John 6:44:

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

We hope and pray God is opening your eyes to what baptism can mean for you in your life.

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See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of the TV version of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Tomorrow’s World: Church, Mission, and Beliefs

Many viewers wonder: Who is behind these Tomorrow’s World telecasts? The most obvious answer is found in what we say at the end of each program: We are sponsored by the Living Church of God. But that brings up another question: Who or what is the Living Church of God?

On this Tomorrow’s World telecast I’ll be answering this question. I’ll show you who we are, what our mission is, and what we believe.

True Christianity and the Living Church of God

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World, where today I’ll be answering the question of who we are—which Church is it that is behind these telecasts, our magazine, and all of our free resources. I’ll also explain the mission of the Living Church of God and what we believe.

Simply put, we are a remnant of first-century Christianity, but what does this mean? Jesus said He would build His Church and the gates of the grave would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). Yet, the record of the New Testament and history show that the professing Christian church veered off in a radically different direction than the church started by Jesus, His apostles, and first-century believers.

End-Time Bible Prophecy Warns of False Christianity

He warned us in the Olivet Prophecy that the first sign to watch for regarding His second coming and the end of the age is false Christianity. We must not take this warning lightly. Look this up in your own Bible and consider what it means for you—Matthew 24:3-5.

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them [here it is]: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am [that is, Jesus is] the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:3-5).

Yes, there would be those who claim His authority, admit that He is the Christ, but would deceive not the few but the many. Does history bear this out? The answer is absolutely!

Highly respected historian, Jesse Lyman Hurlbut in The Story of the Christian Church, gives this title to Chapter 5, “The Age of Shadows.” There he shows how dramatically the church changed over a relatively short period of time.

We name the last generation of the first century, from 68 to 100 ad, “The Age of Shadows,” partly because the gloom of persecution was over the church, but more especially because of all periods in the history, it is the one about which we know the least. We have no longer the clear light of the book of Acts to guide us; and no author of that age has filled the blank in the history... For fifty years after St. Paul’s life a curtain hangs over the church, through which we strive vainly to look; and [take note of this] when at last it rises, about 120 ad with the writings of the earliest church fathers, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St. Peter and St. Paul (Hurlbut, The Story of the Christian Church, 1970. p. 33).

Paganism Chokes Out True Worship

Note that Hurlbut mentions these changes occurred following the death of the Apostle Paul. Is this not what Paul himself warned would happen? Acts 20, beginning in verse 29, records his warning to the elders at Ephesus.

For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears (Acts 20:29-31).

Hurlbut chronicles some of the changes that crept into what became an increasingly very different church from that of Christ and the apostles.

The forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and of worship. About 405 ad images of saints and martyrs began to appear in the churches, at first as memorials, then in succession revered, adored and worshiped. The adoration of the Virgin Mary was substituted for the worship of Venus and Diana… (Hurlbut, The Story of the Christian Church, 1970 1962. p. 62 p. 79).

Many historians agree that the church of today has little resemblance to that of the original Church of God that Christ founded. Prolific writer and highly respected historian Will Durant makes this insightful comment for anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it…. Christianity became the last and greatest of the mystery religions (Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, vol. 3, 1944. pp. 595, 600).

History records two paths for what is broadly called Christian.

The first is the popular and diverse forms of mainstream Christianity—Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant. And there is great diversity among these. The second is miniscule in comparison. It is the small, persecuted Church that would not die.

True Believers Must Worship in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24)

The Christianity of Christ and the apostles is different from what most people think. Mainstream Christianity is rife with nonbiblical Greek philosophy and pagan doctrines. The Church Jesus built is not, and it has been persecuted for rejecting nonbiblical doctrines and following not what people think He taught, but what Jesus truly taught. The mainstream catered to the masses and absorbed popular pagan forms of worship.

From sun worship came a rejection of the seventh-day Sabbath, which was established at creation. Sun-worshipping Roman Emperor Constantine in 321 ad commanded a different day for rest, as shown in Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity.

When in 321 Constantine made the first day of the week a holiday, he called it the “venerable day of the Sun” [Sunday] (Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity, 1987. p. 131).

Any who did not go along with this law and other non-biblical doctrines were stripped of privileges and persecuted. However, in Matthew 16:18, Jesus declared:

“I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

True Christians Obey and Follow Jesus Christ—Even Facing Death

No, the Church that Christ built never died. We read about it in the writings of those who hated it and tried to stamp it out. That Church—which refused to compromise and introduce pagan doctrines as substitutes for the doctrines of Christ—was considered heretical. Nevertheless, one must compare what Jesus and His apostles taught to discover who the real heretics are.

The Church of God Is a Little Flock Doing a Big Work

The modern roots of Tomorrow’s World and the Living Church of God are found in the Worldwide Church of God under the pastorship of the late Herbert W. Armstrong. His wife, Loma, came in contact with a member from the Church of God Seventh Day (by the way, not associated with the Seventh Day Adventists). That was in the mid-1920s. She became convinced that the biblical Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday. Now, this did not please Mr. Armstrong, who viewed this as fanaticism. However, she would not budge unless he could show her from the Bible that she was in error. He began an in-depth search of the scriptures to prove her wrong, which at the time he thought would be simple enough. After all, all these churches could not be wrong. But the end result was that, as I personally heard him say:

It is a humbling thing to admit that your wife is right and you are wrong—especially when it is over the most important argument you ever had.

In 1933 Mr. Armstrong was offered a 6:00 a.m. time slot on the tiny 100-watt KORE radio station in Eugene, Oregon. His audience grew and he began publishing—if you could call it that—a mimeographed magazine called The Plain Truth. From that humble beginning, the work grew to where The Plain Truth was a modern full-color magazine, with a monthly circulation of 8.4 million copies—covering virtually every country on earth. And it was given away free of charge.

The Living Church of God continues to follow Christ’s instruction in Matthew 10:8, where He told His disciples:

Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8).

In 1952, Mr. Armstrong ordained five men to the rank of evangelist, and among them was Roderick C. Meredith. Mr. Armstrong died in January 1986, and in less than five years, his appointed successor took the Worldwide Church of God in a radically different direction.

By December 1992, it became abundantly clear to Dr. Meredith that the Worldwide Church had irreversibly changed or rejected all the major doctrines that Herbert W. Armstrong restored under the leadership of Jesus Christ. And at age 62, Dr. Meredith had to make a choice: Either retire comfortably as that organization tried to get him to do—or set out and revive the Work and restore the Biblical doctrines of original Christianity. He chose the latter and started the Global Church of God—later changed to Living Church of God. Dr. Meredith immediately followed Christ’s instructions found in Mark 16:15.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

He began to preach the Gospel by going on weekly radio, writing booklets, and starting a bi-monthly magazine. He began with an informal meeting of only 19 members in his home in December 1992, but many Church of God members began to reject the apostasy and joined with him in doing the Work.

Today the Church has grown to encompass members all over the world, and a large percentage are brand-new to the truths of original Christianity—having heard the true gospel for the first time at Tomorrow’s World.

The Work of Jesus Christ is not over. From our “About Us” page at TomorrowsWorld.org, we read the following:

Tomorrow’s World is sponsored by the Living Church of God, with active congregations in North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia, with more than 239 ministers serving over 401 congregations around the globe.

Our flagship magazine, Tomorrow’s World, is translated from English into French and Spanish, and we print booklets for distribution in the German, Dutch, Afrikaans, Chinese, Hindi, Portuguese, Urdu and a few other languages.

Dr. Meredith set up a Council of Elders, which is made up of seasoned ministers to advise him. And prior to his death in May 2017, after consultation with the Council of Elders, he appointed me as his successor and as Presiding Evangelist of the Living Church of God.

While this may all sound as though we are a megachurch, that is hardly the case. Most of our congregations are small and close-knit. We’re a little flock as Jesus mentioned in Luke 12:32, where He said:

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

However, our dedicated members and coworkers are doing a Work far greater than our numbers would indicate. Many wonder how this is so.

The answer is that we have loyal members and coworkers who make it possible. Also, we do not build church buildings as a general practice. Instead, we rent halls to hold our services—choosing rather to spread the Gospel on television, over the Internet and social media, and in print.

Do you realize, dear friends, that you can worship Jesus in vain? That’s what He tells us in Matthew 15:7-9.

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

And in Luke 6:46, He chided the people for calling Him Lord—meaning master—but disregarding what He said.

But why do you call Me “Lord, Lord,” and do not do the things which I say?

Christian Doctrine and the Way of Life

Original Christianity—that of Christ and the apostles—is what Tomorrow’s World and the Living Church of God are about.

The Living Church of God believes:

• Jesus of Nazareth came as God in the flesh.
• He gave His life in exchange for ours.
• He is our Lord (our Master) and Savior.
• We are saved by faith in His shed blood.

However, we do not turn God’s grace into license to disobey His law. Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, warns us against that error in verses 3 and 4:

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 3-4).

Keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days in the Bible

This is why the Living Church of God observes the seventh-day Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset—as did Jesus, His original apostles, the apostle Paul, and first-century Christians. We also observe the seven biblically ordained annual festivals, rather than pagan observances with the name of Christ blasphemously attached to them.

Dear viewers, think about this. Why are the days that Jesus and His apostles kept rejected by mainstream Christianity? And why is the most sacred day of mainstream Christianity named after a fertility goddess and celebrated with fertility symbols, such as eggs and rabbits? Does that really make any sense?

The Church’s Mission: Preach the True Gospel of the Kingdom of God

Our mission was given to us by Jesus Christ, and it’s spelled out on our “About Us” page at TomorrowsWorld.org.

Tomorrow’s World proclaims to the world the good news of Jesus Christ’s coming Kingdom (Matthew 24:14; Mark 16:15), and blows a bold “warning trumpet” of God’s impending judgment, calling for repentance and spiritual change (Matthew 24:21; Isaiah 58:1; Ezekiel 33).

You may wonder what is different about proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ’s coming Kingdom. Don’t all churches do that? Sadly, the answer is, no.

The word “gospel” means good news, but do you realize that Paul warned the church of God at Corinth for putting up with teachers who taught a different gospel, and yes, even a false Jesus? Here it is in 2 Corinthians 11:4.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

A few verses later he called these false teachers, ministers of Satan.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his [that is, Satan’s] ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

The Living Church of God teaches the very same message Jesus proclaimed during His three-and-a-half-year ministry—a coming kingdom, or government, to rule on this troubled planet. Read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You’ll be shocked at how many times Jesus referred to the Kingdom of God.

Now, Matthew uses the term “Kingdom of Heaven,” whereas the other writers use “Kingdom of God.” Heaven is where God dwells, so it is heaven’s—that is, God’s—kingdom. It’s not a kingdom IN God or IN heaven. “Of” indicates ownership, not location.

Teaching How to Understand Bible Prophecy

The Living Church of God does not neglect Bible prophecy, including Jesus’ Olivet Prophecy, the book of Revelation, and other passages scattered throughout the New Testament. Jesus explained to His disciples that unless He returns to stop mankind’s madness, human extinction would occur—Matthew 24:21-22:

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

God declares He will hold us accountable if we neglect to warn our fellow man. Read it for yourself in Proverbs 24:11-12.

Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

Rejecting Pagan Traditions and False Christianity as Blasphemy

The Living Church of God rejects paganized Christianity and follows the example of our Savior when He walked the earth. The mission of the Living Church of God is to proclaim the true gospel of Jesus Christ and to warn the world of what will surely happen unless we change course.

The Church’s Mission Part 2: Feed the Flock

However, another part of our mission is to feed the flock, the little flock that God is calling. To do so we have more than 400 congregations around the world, ranging in size from less than 10 to over 300. Many are moderate in size between 50 and 125.

What to Expect at Sabbath Services and Christian Holy Days

In addition to meeting every Sabbath (that is, Saturday), we meet on the annual festivals as spelled out in both the Old and the New Testaments. We observe the Passover, as Jesus did with His disciples on the night in which He was betrayed. Notice in Luke 22:15.

Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”

Members bring their Bibles and many take notes during our Sabbath and festival meetings. Our services normally involve the singing of hymns, a shorter message followed by announcements, and then the main message.

Living Church of God Youth Programs, Summer Camps, and Activities

To serve our youth, the Living Church of God holds summer camps in North and South America, Australasia, Africa, Europe, and the Philippines.

Even as I am recording this program, 37 teens, young adults, and chaperones are experiencing an adventure of a lifetime on a week-long hike in the spectacular Eagle Cap Wilderness in Oregon.

We also have a preteen camp in Missouri this week, a two-week teen camp in Texas in July, a teen camp in Belgium, and others taking place this summer in the Northern hemisphere.

More programs to “feed the flock” are weekend retreats for young adults, Spokesman Club meetings for our men, and a year-long onsite Living Education program for highly motivated young adults. A few young adults are chosen to work a summer in Thailand, teaching English to Thai children, getting to know our members there, and touring parts of the country.

Choosing to Live God’s Way

But whether it is a Sabbath service, summer camps, weekend retreats, Living Education, or international projects, the focus is on restoring the way of life taught by Jesus Christ and His first-century followers.

We find that many people ask about our services, but fail to follow through out of fear of the unknown. So let me say emphatically, I would not give up this way of life for anything. Our members are friendly. We are truly one great family. We are not isolated members who only know those in our own local congregations. We often combine congregations on feast days, hold family weekends and visit other Living Church of God congregations when traveling on business or vacation. Members travel to other countries to observe the eight-day Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day each year.

And if you would like to learn more about keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, the annual festivals of God, about baptism or attending with a Living Church of God congregation, just let us know.

I hope you profited from this video.

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