As Bereans Did - Signing Off

Seeker of Truth started As Bereans Did in April, 2008. Boy, what a journey this has been! Walk with us down memory lane a while and reminisce of a more innocent age.

Our first post was published by Seeker of Truth on April 17^th, 2008. The blog was started to refute the teachings of Ronald Weinland, but grew into a full-blown investigation into the doctrines and teachings of Armstrongism. xHWA shut down his old blog, Escaping Armstrongism, and joined ABD in March, 2009. Luc and Bill Hohmann joined in April, 2009. We’ve had a few guest writers as well, from time to time.

The point of the site was never to prove anyone wrong, as if to say that we had a pre-determined conclusion in mind and we worked to prove that out. Trust us, when we started, we were very much Armstrongists in most respects. Rather, the point of the site was to investigate matters and find the truth. If the truth was one thing or the other, we didn’t care. We just wanted to cut out all of the doctrinal bull, and get the story straight. All we knew at the beginning was that Ron Weinland did not have the truth. Now, three years later, we have investigated and written 229 posts and several pages touching on everything from HWA’s plagiarism, to his falsification of history, to his failed prophecies, to his perversion of Biblical doctrines that are numerous beyond counting.

While other sites focus on HWA’s personal flaws, we went for the meat and investigated the doctrine. The things we have learned in such a short time have utterly astounded us. Some of the things we learned we were not prepared for. As a collective work we believe that we have demonstrated to much more than just our satisfaction the Biblical illiteracy and outright heresy that is the false gospel of Armstrongism. Harsh criticism? Perhaps. But not undeserved in our opinion. Please do us the favor of walking in our shoes – shoes we’ve left right here for you to walk in – and see what we’ve seen before you dismiss us. Even if you go away in disagreement, we assure you the challenge our material offers will be a blessing to you. Go away unconvinced if you must, but go away stronger. Peace to you.

People do come and go. Until recently, we had not taken any real interest in the scale of the site. We didn’t know and we didn’t really care to know. We knew we were small and that was fine. But we would like to share with you that in the past year alone, As Bereans Did has had 5,400 unique visitors and 22,000 page views from no less than 89 countries or territories on all five continents around the globe (including every one of what HWA defined as the “modern-day” “Lost Ten Tribes” of Israel.) Small potatoes? We’re perfectly content being small. This isn't about us anyway. We are small so that Jesus can be large. We did what we could with what was given to us. But we can still say As Bereans Did is truly a global outreach.

At times the stress of a project like this was overwhelming. There were days when we threw up our hands in frustration and quit – only to think of the people who might need what we were producing, and we would slowly come back to study and write a little more. We’ve had to lean on our friends so many times because, trust us, this kind of thing will drain the very life from a person’s spirit. Our focus on the worst days was you, our invaluable and indispensable reader. We thought, “If only this helps one person – just one person somewhere – even if we don’t ever know about it… it was all worth it.” That is why we are proud to share with you that since Seeker of Truth started As Bereans Did in 2008, we have been both blessed and privileged to see God move several people to cast off the shackles of Old Covenant legalism and step boldly into the New Covenant in the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God!

Even so, what excites us most is what we don’t know. We don’t know how many more people have learned something here and paid it forward to others. We know that it is happening, but we have no idea to what scale or degree. Perhaps that’s for the best.

We have insisted that we get our praise from God. We have insisted that the glory go to Him, as it should. We are just people who studied something and wrote about it. Hey, we learned an incredible amount of things, too, as we went along! We are no better or worse than anyone else out there. We were given something to share, and we were given a venue to share through, and we were given an audience to share with. What did we really do but take what was given to us and hand it to those to whom it was meant to go? Not anything grand on our part, but amazing on God’s part. That’s the essence of the New Covenant – it’s not what we do, but what He does in us all. Amazing!

As Bereans Did is completely free to you.  It is a gift. This gift comes to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Take it or leave it – your choice.

As we said earlier, we learned a lot these past two years. Our chains fell off; the veil removed indeed, and genuine faith came in. We’ve made new friends. We’ve seen people come to grace and flourish. We’ve watched in joy as people made the life-changing realizations that come with the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have been truly blessed beyond measure. And now, as it was so eloquently said, it is “Time to throw the torch to others, from our falling hands, I think.”

It is with bittersweet irony - a tear and a smile - that we announce this is the last regular post we will be sharing with you, dear friends. We have come into grace and it is time to push ahead. We have fought in this arena long enough. We have done what we can do. We have answered the challenge as best as we were able. We have preached the Gospel of grace and truth in the blood of Jesus Christ. We have praised God.

We wish to stop looking back and head into that brighter day. We have been planning this for months, and now it is time to say “enough is enough.” On to new and different challenges! We do not leave you with nothing; the site will stay up for what it’s worth.

We would each individually like to take the opportunity to write a little something in closing.

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-------Seeker of Truth-------

TIME TO LET GO

Wow. It seems like another life when I started ABD back in April 2008. I'm not the same person.

I was introduced to Weinland's book Gods Final Witness 2008 by my Mother. I read the book with an open mind, I had no reason to doubt. But as I read, I found things that contradicted scripture.

I listened to his sermons & attended FOT 2005. The people were wonderful. The deal-breaker was during one of the sermons. He was beating around the bush about something. I strained to figure out what he was trying to say... Where he was going. when it dawned on me. He was testing the water. He was trying to tell us that Jesus was created! That ended it for me. Scripture clearly refutes that.

When I got home from FOT I launched a full-scale, 10 month investigation into whether or not Jesus had a beginning and into the Old vs. New Covenant. I continued listening to his sermons in the mean time.

I've always wanted to be the best 'me' I could be - in every way - as a person. So I do my best not to lie to myself. Otherwise, how can I grow?

I wanted to know the TRUTH - regardless of WHAT it was. I asked for my spouses' views. I asked for my mothers views. They both seemed to make perfect sense.  I became so frustrated. I was getting absolutely nowhere. I stopped. I told God I had no preferences, that I just wanted His truth. For ten long months, night & day, I studied, I prayed. And when I emerged, I was walking in the New Covenant Grace of God.

However, I remained concerned for my family members who were followers of RW & for every other person in the world, hurting & hoping, who might discover him & believe he held the answers they needed. I was so worried, so concerned, I decided to step out of my comfort zone - out on a limb - & do something I'd never done before.

That was the birth of ABD, April 17, 2008. (Coincidentally the very day Ron Weinland said was the Sounding of the 1ST Trumpet - beginning the Great Tribulation, to which he was the Spokesperson (not mentioned in the Bible, btw) for, and one of, the Two Witnesses.

I grew up with Armstrongism etched into my brain. It wasn't an easy task to rewrite all that & replace it with truth.

ABD was an overwhelming project, and like xHWA said, it "will drain the very life from a person’s spirit." But we so longed to get others to dig, to investigate thoroughly, to not just take a person at their word but, to do As Bereans Did & search the scriptures daily to find out if what they were being told was truth or not. (Something RW condemned). ALWAYS question someone who challenges you NOT to question or doubt them! Keeping people ignorant is how they remain in power.  (Ignorant, meaning: Unaware because of a lack of relevant information or knowledge).

So we stressed to you, the readers, the importance of following the example of the Bereans with the reminder that we cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. (Which you see at the end of the majority of all posts). No one wants to stand before Jesus saying, "But Lord, I thought they were telling the truth. It made sense."

We can't pick what "sounds" good, like shopping in the Religious Doctrine Store picking, sorting & choosing. There is only one truth. God's Truth. Want that.

As we wrote and posted, you, our readers helped by showing us, with challenges, things we'd neglected to investigate and a new study would ensue, and thus we were on a continuous path of learning. We never claimed to have all the answers and insisted the reader understand that what we wrote was based on our current understanding, and to fully investigate and find even more scriptures of their own on the subject.

We wanted - we want - you to be honest with yourself and truly, in your heart, want God's Truth and not just what sounds good, and then investigate like your salvation depends on it... (moment of silence)... We want you to ask yourself, "Did I give it my all? Was I honest with myself? Do I really want the Truth... or am I just trying to prove what I want the truth to be?"

FAR DISTANT HILLS

How far over the far and distant hills is that place where my journey began. I stand here, on this hill, taking one last look, a smile on my face and a tug on my heart. For where I am, in the Grace of God is a sunny place, where I am led by an internal governor...  love. - Where no police are needed because you police yourself. -  No longer walking in single-file to the crack of the whip, where my body is forced to acquiesce but my heart is not. I shudder just remembering that way of life. How'd that nasty, black cloud get into my beautiful picture of green hills and sunshine?  :\

FOCUSING ON THE GOOD, NOT THE BAD ANYMORE

It's been a long while since I last wrote an article here at ABD. My heart just couldn't take dwelling on the Old Covenant any longer. It was engulfing the goodness of the New Covenant, and that's what I wanted to finally focus on - the good.

Php 4:8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Prov 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so he is...  The Armstrongism issue was depressing me.

I don't like a half empty glass. I prefer a half full glass. It puts a smile on my face & a spring in my step. It chases away those dark clouds & reveals the bright, warm sunshine.  -Can you feel it? Toasty warm... Okay, so everything's not perfect. That's not how God designed it. We must be refined, after all. That's how we learn, grow & prepare for the next phase in our life. We have to gain experience. It's a necessary part of our growth journey.

NEW BLOG?

It's possible, that at some time in the future, there may come a new blog related to ABD that focuses on Grace/NC. It's just the seed of an idea at this point, mind you. If it sprouts into something, we'll let you know with a post and a link here at ABD.

THANK YOU

Readers, thank you for your comments & thoughts that challenged & pushed us to keep learning.

I'm so grateful for new friends made - fellow travelers on a quest for Gods Truth.

I'm grateful for those who linked to us, those who, in their own ways, fought for truth - it was a pleasure (and in some cases a challenge, lol). I'm a better person for having shared a part of this journey with you.

I look at where I started, and where I am today... What a difference.

Thank you all/ fellow bloggers - our dear readers - and ABD Co-Writers/friends.

I could never have dreamed what God was working out through us all, His tools, or the friends he would bring us in the process. Just knowing someone was helped and had their burden lifted makes my heart swell with happiness.

Peace, joy & happiness to you.

~Seeker of Truth

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-------Luc-------

Thinking about my past in Armstrongism is not conducive to the mindset of looking forward to the future. Personally, I want to be looking forward to that future and not bogged down in my my former bondage. And what a beautiful future it is. In the midst of dark clouds of trouble and distress the almighty has sent us a message of certain victory because the Lord of all, Jesus, has finished his work and is just waiting for his fields to ripen and for the harvest to be brought in.

We are his harvest, and as the grain doesn't strive to be what the designer creates it to be, we need not struggle to make ourselves into the children of God. God alone creates, we simply allow him to do so. This is the one crucial choice the eternal Lord has given us to make. In Armstrongism it depended on our own struggle. However the issue was spun, and lip service given to God fighting our battles, there was uncertainty as the Old covenant rules were still required. The good news is that God creates his law of love in the hearts of his children and it becomes the law that determines their desires and the source of their actions. The Ten Commandments are part of the Old covenant as Deut 4:13-14 states, and however good such rules are for civil society, the child of God will be beyond needing these crutches.

It's been wonderful to see a few people discover that there is indeed freedom in Christ, and reasons for their hearts to be lifted with joy at the certainty of living with the King of Kings for eternity with no cause for fear or tears ever again. This blog has dealt with the issues of the past. For those who have not understood the simple truth of Deut 4:13, and are still in the quagmire of " 'but' some other verse seems to contradict this," I am sorry. Freedom is so near, yet so far. This blog has sufficient resources to address the issues that keep you in bondage. I pray that you will understand the heighth and breadth of the goodness of God and comprehend the freedom he provides. When you understand this then praises will spring up out of your heart as naturally as the rain falls and the sun shines. It will not be somber and done out of duty or fear, and not in the attitude of the Pharisee who feels he's in with God because of his own actions (keeping of laws). For the ones who have been aided by this blog to find freedom in the promise of Jesus, who have believed and have crossed from death unto life, I am so very glad to have been able to contribute some small offering towards that end. I hope that such understanding of the completeness of the Lords work will be passed on and freedom spreads virally.

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-------xHWA-------

All glory and honor is to God alone, forever.

I would like to thank everyone who reached down to pull me up when I could not help myself. Seeker and Luk and Bill, obviously. My dearest friends, you can never know how much you’ve helped me, and I can never in a hundred lifetimes repay what God has given me through you. Well done, good and faithful servants! Enter into Jesus’ rest.

The exCOG bloggers – you have all helped me. To each of you who I cannot name for the sake of space, peace and overflowing blessings to you! It has been my honor to fight this fight alongside you, each of us in our own way.

To all of the people who have written to me, and even contributed your stories here - nothing made me more excited than you all. All the best to you!

And to my personal friends and family behind the scenes - couldn't have done any of this without your tireless support. You're my lifeline.

To the people who have read my posts and loved them, hated them, or just had a new thought for the day… you were always the reason. This experience has healed me, I hope it heals you, and I hope it heals all who come to this fountain and drink. May you learn to be more than satisfied in Jesus Christ.

Now, a blessing on whoever takes up this torch. From those who have gone before I received this opportunity. They laid the foundation on which I built. Hopefully I have built something of value. (God knows and time will tell.) To those who come after I pass this opportunity “from our falling hands.” It will hurt you some days, it will leave you in tears some days, it will exhaust you beyond your ability to cope some days, but as God as my witness it is worth it. Do your very best for those who come after you, and may the joy that exceeds all explanation fill you to overflowing, be pressed down, and fill you again! This I pray for you and for the people you serve. This is an act of worship to God. The fruits of the Spirit are not for you, they are for others. God bless you and keep you and His face shine upon you and may you guide many into the New Covenant in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now a word to our readers.

Ask the tough questions! Do the research! Try to prove yourself wrong. The truth will stand whatever you throw at it. Then bring it up with your leadership and watch their reaction.
You are a branch attached directly to the Vine. You do not receive the Holy Spirit "through" any man. You are never in any danger with God for investigating and proving all things. Over and over and over again, Jesus tells us not to fear. So why do you fear? Because men have dangled the "carrot" of the first resurrection in front of you, and you are afraid to lose that? Or because men have waved the "stick" of the second resurrection in front of you, and you are afraid to get that? I have news for you, it's not their decision. Your eternity is Jesus' decision. Do not be afraid! TRUST HIM!

Finally, all thanks be to God.

(ROM. 11: 36) For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. 

If you need wisdom, ask, and Jesus will be your Wisdom. If you need faith, ask, and Jesus will be your faith. If you need hope, ask, and Jesus will be your living hope. If you need love, ask, and Jesus, who is love, will be your love. If you need rest, ask, and Jesus will be your rest – even your Sabbath rest. If you need strength, ask, and Jesus, who never tires and never fails, will be your strength. If you need righteousness, ask, and Jesus will be your righteousness - in matchless excess of the Pharisees. Jesus is perfect as the Father is perfect, and if Jesus is in you, the fullness of the Godhead living in you, then He is your perfection. If you need forgiveness, ask, and He will rush to forgive you to the uttermost! Ask, and rivers of living water will flow from you. These rivers are God Himself, to whom be all thanks and honor and glory. He Himself will give to you what the law never could. He took your sin on Himself so that He Himself can be these things in you. Make every effort to understand what He did for you. It’s not about us and our meager efforts, it was always about Him. Hide your life in Him and let go of your fears and illusions; trust Him. This is faith. This is the New Covenant.

Now, off! Not into that good night, but into that brighter day. I will see you there!

"It's a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before. A far better resting place I go to than I have ever known.”

–Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”

"So long, and thanks for all the fish!"

-Douglas Adams, "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy"