November 2011 The
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November 2011 The www.realTruTh.org A magazine restoring plain understanding Can Religion Solve the Debt CRiSiS? the PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID C. PaCK EXECUTIVE EDITOR JeFFreY r. AMBROSe SENIOR EDITORS william h. behrer a magazine restoring plain understanding KeviN D. DeNee gabriel N. liSChaK VOL. iX | No. 9 | November 2011 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DAVID C. PaCK a R t i C l e S www.realTruTh.org JeFFreY r. AMBROSe Samuel C. baXTer william h. behrer abDoN v. bueNa rYaN l. CaSwell SCoTT a. ClarK JeFFreY D. DAVIS KeviN D. DeNee marK P. DeNee rYaN P. DeNee JoNaThaN a. DiCeN ROBERT r. Farrell briaN K. JaCKSoN greg e. KaiDaNNeK gabriel N. liSChaK h. ChriS lomaS larrY J. mCELROY KeNNeTh m. orel JuSTiN T. Palm JameS F. PaSTor JameS RODrigueZ braDForD g. SChleiFer marK a. SharPe JaCob C. ToewS NeSTor a. Toro JameS F. TurCK F. JaCo vilJoeN viDal N. WAChuKu ASSOCIATE EDITORS Samuel C. baXTer STaCeY l. Palm EDITORIAL ASSISTANT NeSTor a. TORO g anger: occupy oakland protesters Arab Revolutions ART/GRAPHICS march near city hall in oakland, California DarNiTra D. JaCKSoN (oct. 25, 2011). Giving Way to a New Power Bloc PAULA C. RONDEAU The death of libya’s longtime ruler—the ouster of egypt’s PhoTo: KIMIHIRO hoShiNo/aFP/geTTY imageS WEBSITE SERVICES autocratic president—Tunisia’s first free elections after a braDForD g. SChleiFer popular uprising. The “arab Spring” is ushering in a new aNgela K. baXTer The “Occupy” Movement: form of government for the region. JeFFreY D. DAVIS Page 4 JuSTiN m. FraZier A Leaderless Democracy? economic uncertainty has Can Religion Solve the Debt Crisis? the Real truth magazine is provided The vatican has again called for closer ties between reli- free of charge. This is made possible inspired thousands of pro- gion and politics—a move that should come as no surprise. by the voluntary, freely given tithes Page 7 and offerings of the members of The testers globally to take a restored Church of god, and by the stance against capitalism. offerings and donations of co-workers Are You Stressed Out? and donors. Contributions are grate- Their alternative is yet to while stress is inseparable from daily life, how you deal fully welcomed and are tax-deductible with it can determine success or failure. in the u.S. and Canada. Those who be defined. wish to voluntarily aid and support the Page 10 work of god in preaching and publish- Page 12 ing the gospel to all nations are gladly Your Marriage Can Be Happy! welcomed as co-workers. Contributions by following the bible’s prescribed formula, you can have a should be sent to the address below. The preparation and production of successful marriage. this magazine involved the work of Page 16 editors, proofreaders, graphic artists, F e a t UR e S illustrators, writers, researchers and King James Bible: 400 Years and Counting those who support the work of god. Personal from David C. Pack 1 Copyright © 2011, The restored World News Desk 24 what is the story behind the most widely distributed bible Church of god. Printed in the uSa. all translation? rights reserved. Page 17 The restored Church of god is not g FRont CoveR: Pope benedict Xvi responsible for the return of unsolicited waves as he arrives for his weekly gen- articles and photos. Scriptures are quoted from the King eral audience at St. Peter’s Square at the James (or authorized) version of the vatican (June 1, 2011). bible, unless otherwise noted. PhoTo: aNDreaS SOLARO/aFP/geTTY imageS Contact the Real truth: P.o. box 23295 wadsworth, oh 44282 www.realtruth.org Personal from What Does It Mean to Be “Called”? ost believe that God is trying to save the When speaking of Jesus’ name, the Bible plainly world now! This thinking goes something says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there like this: God and the devil are at war over is none other name under heaven given among men, m whereby we must be saved ” (Acts 4:12). Further, the fate of mankind. This is seen as a desperate Romans 10:13 states that men must call on this name to struggle between good and evil—God and Satan. be saved. Let’s put this another way: Is today the only Understand! It is obvious that all who have not yield- opportunity for all human beings to choose or to ed to the God of the Bible and not accepted Jesus Christ reject Christianity? Must all people, as it is often put, as their Savior are certainly not saved! Countless billions “decide now to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior?” Is have died in this condition. Most have assumed the only this what the Bible teaches? The answer is an emphat- other option for these is that they were lost to salvation, ic no! If it were yes, then God is failing miserably in and that God long ago planned this for the vast majority His battle with the devil for control over the fate of all who have ever lived. men. In other words, God is “calling” all of mankind, If the war to win souls is as most supposed Christian ministers depict it, then the devil is much stronger, and but most are not answering! Consider! In 1920, when my father was born, there much more effective, in his effort than God. This is the were well under two billion people on Earth. There are only other possibility—unless there is a third category now over seven billion—and a half million more every containing the vast majority of people. But it must be a day. Approximately 2.2 billion, or one-third, believe—to category that has not been recognized. one degree or another—in the name of Jesus Christ. This There is such a category!—God is simply not calling represents a total that includes every conceivable brand of the masses of humanity today. the over 2,000 different forms of professing Christianity. But He is calling a select few! Approximately another one-third of mankind has heard Called and Chosen of god of Jesus but has not accepted Him and does not claim to follow Him. Finally, the last third of all people on Earth The Bible plainly speaks of those who have been called know nothing about Jesus Christ. Many in India, Africa, by God. Let’s read several passages. Here is what was Japan, China and parts of South America and Southeast written to the Thessalonians: “Faithful is He [God] that Asia have never even heard of Him. Are they condemned calls you” (I Thes. 5:24). As a warning to the Galatian to be lost, having never had an opportunity to understand congregation, who were losing sight of the true gospel, what they missed or why—having no opportunity to be Paul wrote: “I marvel that you are so soon removed “called”? from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto novembeR 2011 1 another gospel” (Gal. 1:6), and he This Personal will make plain, posed “callings” have nothing to do later added, “This persuasion comes from God’s Word, how to know if with following the true God of the not of Him that calls you” (5:8). To God is calling you. It will be kept Bible—and how HE calls people. the Corinthians it says, “For you see simple, virtually impossible to mis- A true calling from God is far your calling, brethren, how that not understand. After all, this question is more than a kind of abstract feeling many wise men after the flesh, not one of the most important you will that human reasoning concludes is many mighty, not many noble, are ever face. Properly understanding from God! called ” (I Cor. 1:26). its answer is of paramount impor- Defining a true Calling Jesus Himself spoke on many tance to your life! occasions about the Christian call- I first began learning God’s truth In John’s gospel account, Jesus ing. You may be familiar with this, when I was 17 years old. Before stated, “No man can come to Me, “For many are called, but few are God called me, I had not known except the Father which has sent chosen,” found in both Matthew a single one of the true doctrines Me draw him” (John 6:44). Twenty- 22:14 and 20:16. Later, adding of the Bible. The calling process one verses later, He repeated to His meaning to the second part of this for me began when I heard the audience, “Therefore said I unto phrase, He explained this to His voice of a man named Herbert W. you, that no man can come unto Me, disciples: “You have not chosen Armstrong, being broadcast from except it were given unto him of Me but I have chosen you” (John Pasadena, California. (Read Herbert My Father” (vs. 65). Notice the next 15:16), and then, “But I have chosen W. Armstrong – His Life in Proper verse, “From that time many of His you out of the world, therefore the Perspective at www.thercg.org to disciples went back, and walked no world hates you” (vs. 19). learn more.) more with Him” (vs. 66). When placed together, these pas- This was 1966, and it was imme- Many who heard Jesus simply sages explain that God is calling a diately evident to me that I was could not understand that God has few people—actually a very few— hearing things from this man that to “draw” people and that a calling out of the world for His Supreme I had NEVER heard before—and is something “given” to them.