The Plainer Truth about . . .
Must we agree on doctrine before we can meet?

The Plainer Truth about . . .
Must we agree on all beliefs before we can meet?

"Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt . . . Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:1, 3, KJV)

"Can two walk together unless they agree?" asks Amos 3:3. The Church of God has traditionally been manipulated by an errant understanding of the verse. It has been used to put people out of congregations because they disagreed with minor doctrines. But closer examination of the Hebrew shows that the actual meaning of the verse is "can two walk together unless they (agree to) meet somewhere."

The "meet somewhere" is like two people taking a walk starting from different locations. If they can’t agree to a meeting place, how can they take a walk side by side?

When I am going to drive 100 miles to services with my friend, we must agree to meet somewhere: his house, a parking lot, somewhere.

These days, with Christ having exposed past church government errors, the Church is scattered. Many will only "walk" with brethren in "their church." Amos 3:3 has been used to imply that unless one agrees with the one man leader of a Church of God group, or some group of "ordained," he cannot be in the "church."

Diotrephes was one such as this, loving to have the preeminence, not accepting brethren and putting them out of the assembly:

"I (the apostle John) wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

"Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth [them] out of the church." (3John 9 - 10, KJV)

Of course, Diotrephes would have to have had church members who would back him and refuse fellowship with other brethren.

So, brethren, we can walk together if we have a "meeting of the minds" somewhere. The church of God does not agree to meet doctrinally with the Trinity, Sunday, Easter, Halloween, Xmas. These doctrines ought to cause a division between us and the world.

Points that shouldn’t divide: Is the work finished?; Is HWA Elijah?; Credentials (the clergy/laity tradition); 14th-15th Passover; weekly Sabbath assembly with calendar issues; etc.

Where I agree to meet doctrinally

If you believe that God is a Family named after the Father (Ephesians 3:15), that the Sabbath and the holy days are commanded to be kept with the other commandments, then I can have a spiritual meeting of the minds with you.

Ironically, the one place where it is most difficult for the various exclusivist groups to keep people out is the Feast of Tabernacles. Even the most exclusive of the larger COG split groups admits we are all brethren. They use the Philadelphia/Laodicea theory so long taught in WCG to admit that those who believe God is a Family, keeping the Sabbath and holy days are brethren—and labeling them Laodicean. Even they allow most brethren at the feast; God’s social "mixer."

In recent years The Journal had an article by a man who studied religions. He was amazed that as different as we in the greater Churches of God were from the other churches (the world) we were so divided. What does our Boss Jesus think? Where do you meet to walk with Christ’s brethren?