Forum Summary: A Brief History of the Predestination Doctrine

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

John Calvin, an important figure in the Protestant Reformation, preached, “All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation.” This teaching is known as the doctrine of predestination. It was first philosophized by Augustine of Hippo, who is considered the “greatest of the Catholic Fathers” and one of the four doctors of Catholic theology. For this recent Living Education forum, Mr. Wyatt Ciesielka gave the students a brief history of this false doctrine and examined what the Bible says on the matter.

What is Predestination?

Put simply, predestination is the teaching that one’s destiny is set in stone; one is either born to be saved or born to be condemned. It was originally taught by Augustine and later found use in Protestant theology by John Calvin and Martin Luther. However, nowhere does the Bible say that God predetermines some to salvation and some to condemnation. The father of this doctrine, Augustine, converted from Manichaeism—a dead religion similar to Zoroastrianism—and carried the doctrines of the immortal soul and predestination with him. John Calvin adopted this idea and expanded it, teaching that Adam was created good, but after Adam and Eve sinned, their souls were so corrupted that they were incapable of doing any good whatsoever, apart from God’s saving grace. 

One can see where issues arise with this belief—if we can’t do good, then why even try? That is precisely the conclusion many religious thinkers come to, believing that as long as someone loves Jesus, they are saved. Some go even further, as Martin Luther did, in believing that God created some souls predestined to be saved, but created others in a state of “reprobation.” Luther wrote, “Hence, God is the cause why men sin and are condemned,” falsely teaching that many are predestined to eternal hellfire.

What Does the Bible Actually Say about Predestination?

The Bible does address predestination—however, it’s not what many religions teach it to be. In Romans 8:29–30, we read, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Here we can see that predestination has to do with being pre-called, not pre-judged!

God is fair, and He will give everyone an opportunity to choose Him. The predestination mentioned in the Bible simply determines when that opportunity will present itself.

God chooses to give us special knowledge as to where our deceased loved ones are and the future that awaits us if we keep His laws. We have an understanding of the Last Great Day, which pictures the time of the Great White Throne Judgment. However, those practicing mainstream Christianity do not have this knowledge, and many have been terrified as a result of ignorance. They don’t know whether their deceased family members are in heaven or hell, and this false understanding of predestination only makes it worse. Yet their time to understand will come. We have been blessed to be among those called to be potential firstfruits of God’s Family. However, that doesn’t mean we are guaranteed entrance into His Kingdom—for that, we have to do our part to develop God’s character within ourselves through His Holy Spirit. As 2 Peter 1:10 reminds us, we must “be even more diligent to make your call and election sure.”

Assembly Summary: “The Privileged Planet”

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min. 30 sec.

In his recent lecture, Mr. Richard Ames referred to the forum lecture he gave about the mystery of life.

He briefly reminded us that life is complex and reiterated some of the designs that are present in life. Mr. Ames then referenced Mr. Dexter Wakefield’s recent split sermon about God working with little things as well as big things. God can work with the smallest of cells, giving it all the machinery it needs to function. He also made big things like the universe, which has trillions of galaxies. Mr. Ames presented the documentary The Privileged Planet, along with his recommendation of the book of the same name by Jay Richards and Guillermo Gonzalez.

Privileged or not?

Mr. Ames contrasted the documentary with atheist Carl Sagan’s belief that we are not privileged. Mr. Sagan is under the impression that our planet is just one blue dot in the vast trillions of galaxies and there is nothing special about the earth or about mankind. Yet The Privileged Planet shows that while we are a small blue dot in the vastness of the universe, there are many things that make the earth special. The earth is the perfect distance away from the sun to facilitate liquid water. If the earth was five percent closer to the sun, it would suffer the same fate as Venus, with high temperatures rising to nearly 900°F. If the earth was 20 percent farther away from the sun, carbon dioxide would form in the atmosphere, initiating the same type of ice and cold that is found on Mars.

Amazing features of our planet

The earth’s crust varies in thickness from 30–40 miles. This helps to regulate the planet’s interior temperature and shape the continents, among other things. This is one of the features needed for life to exist on earth. Human life requires a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere (78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent carbon dioxide). The atmosphere ensures a temperate climate, protection from the sun’s radiation, and the correct combination of gasses necessary for liquid water and life.

The blessing of Earth

There are many more intricacies that make the earth a habitable place—no other planet has the specific and essential attributes that ours has. For this reason, we see that Earth is indeed a privileged planet. God created the earth specifically for life to dwell on it. He has not created other planets with this type of specification—perhaps because He is waiting for His sons to take care of that. Whatever His plan is for the universe, we are truly blessed and must be grateful to live on the privileged planet.

Forum Summary: The Witness of Miracles

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min. 30 sec.

“What is a miracle? How would you describe it?”

Mr. Dan Hall asked this question to start this week’s forum. A miracle is an act of intervention by God Himself. He performs these miracles to direct His purposes, show His mighty power, and show that He is with us. They provide a powerful witness that can strengthen our faith; however, we must be careful to not forget the witness these miracles provide.

Remember Miracles

Let’s look back at the example of Israel when they first arrived at the Promised Land. After all the things they’d seen—the plagues, the manna, the events at Mount Sinai—why did they not enter the land in faith that God would take care of them? Because they only focused on the challenge ahead, forgetting about the miracles that had come before. 

As one of the many parallels between the journey of Israel and our own spiritual journey, this serves to show that we, too, can make it all the way to the finish line, but still be unable to cross because of a lack of faith. However, we can guard against this mistake by remembering the miracles God has performed in our lives. We are even instructed in Deuteronomy 4:9 to teach our children and grandchildren about these amazing interventions.

A Cloud of Witnesses, Ancient and Modern

The Bible is filled with witnesses to God’s power and care for His people. Daniel, David, Moses, Abraham, and many others experienced miracle after miracle in accordance with God’s plan. Israel’s development as a nation is a miracle in and of itself. However, these stories from millennia ago are not the only witnesses we have to God’s power. 

Mr. Armstrong records many miraculous occurrences in his autobiography, but even more recently, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have experienced miracles in their own lives. Mr. Hall recounted several instances in which he had seen these interventions take place: a severely crippled man made able to walk again, a woman completely healed from a terrible cancer, and even a baby brought back from the brink of death, to name a few. God is with us—but with all that life throws at us, it can be difficult to stay focused on that. Yet God will help us see His hand in our lives if we only ask.

The Bible contains many stories of miraculous blessings, healings, and protection. And in God’s Church, there are many miracles still taking place. Despite the challenges we face in this life, we need to remember God’s promises and the miracles we have both seen in others’ lives and experienced in our own. They affirm God’s love for us, provide a powerful testament to His power, and can greatly help us as we strive to keep the faith, so long as we never forget!

Assembly Summary: Instant vs. Delayed Gratification

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

“We live in a world of instant gratification,” said Dr. Scott Winnail in his recent Assembly lecture.

He mentioned that we are conditioned to expect that things will get done instantly in our world today. How often do we use the credit card? How much pressure do we feel to make big decisions on the spur of the moment? 

Dr. Winnail went on to examine what the Scriptures say about acting on a whim instead of planning ahead and weighing our decisions. Proverbs 4:26 challenges us to think deeply about the course we are taking, and thinking deeply about something takes time. Luke 14:27–28 shows that wise people consider whether they have the resources to finish what they might start. In Proverbs 6:6–8, the message from the ants is that we must consider our future and plan ahead.

God generally favors delayed gratification, wanting us to lay solid foundations to get us where we need to be in the future. However, instant gratification is not always a bad thing; it can be positive, such as when we suddenly decide to invite a friend out for lunch. Spontaneity can be fun from time to time; the trouble comes when we live life spontaneously.

Taking Time to Grow

With God’s help, we can develop habits of delayed gratification and break habits of instant gratification. Delayed gratification requires time to grow. We even see this in our Christian walk—when we get baptized, we don’t change into spirit beings right away. We are given time to develop and to show God whether we want to live His way of life. 

Delayed gratification teaches the principle of endurance. We practice one example of this when we save our second tithe diligently. The Feast of Tabernacles is still eleven months away, yet we’re already saving our second tithe, because we understand the joys of keeping the Feast and knowing that we have kept God’s commands.

Putting It into Practice

As we practice delayed gratification, we can ask ourselves questions like, “Do I really need this? Do I need this now? If I do this, what will it prevent me from having in the future?” One practical way we can practice delayed gratification is not answering the phone immediately or responding to texts right away. Always immediately answering our phones places more stress on us and causes people to expect an immediate answer all the time. It’s also helpful to refrain from making big purchases until we have taken 24–48 hours to think over the decision; time can change our perspective.

We live in a world of instant gratification, where we are pressured to react quickly, without much thought and consideration. While snap decisions can be fun in the short term, they can cost us money and future opportunities. The students were admonished to take the time to teach their future children and grandchildren the wisdom of delayed gratification. Those who possess the character to delay gratification are often happier and more successful in life. They are more likely to hold fast to God’s truth—which means they are more likely to enter the Kingdom of God.

Student Life: A day at the “Ren Fair”

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Author: Caanin Fausone | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 1 min. 30 sec.

One recent weekend, the students of Living Education-Charlotte spent a beautiful autumn evening enjoying the classic revelries of the North Carolina Renaissance Festival in the quaint town of Huntersville.

This event was especially significant because it added a framework for one of the different eras they are learning about in several different LE classes this year. Many of the students dressed up as knights, ladies, and squires from this long forgotten age, blending right into the joyous atmosphere as they feasted on turkey legs, a popular delicacy of the time. 

The events offered at the festival this year were quite expansive as well. Some of the more popular activities included; knife throwing, dungeon exploration, throwing tomatoes at a rather rude court jester, and the main event of the festival, jousting. As if this was not enough, the grounds also had many merchants that boasted every manner of wares. There were beautiful courtly dresses for the ladies and shiny ironclad suits of steel for the men. And for those who were especially interested, the displays of swords, scimitars, and daggers were tantalizing artifacts to be purchased at just-so-outrageous-a-price. 

Thanks must go out to Ryan Price (a student at LE this year) who faithfully coordinated this event and whose idea it was to attend the festival in the first place. I think I speak for all those who attended in stating that it was a worthwhile experience and that despite some trepidation at the idea of trying something a little outside of their comfort zone, it was more than a little rewarding. Maybe just maybe, the next time the festival comes into town you might catch LivingEd students walking amongst their midst.  

Forum Summary: Reviewing Tomorrow’s World “Whiteboard”

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min.

This week, in a Forum that took on a different form from that of the lecture-type sessions we normally have,

the Living Ed students had the opportunity to visit the Tomorrow’s World studio, where we started our tour in the control room. The students were given a brief overview of the different pieces of equipment and were introduced to the staff members who work with all of these devices. At that point, the students were given a chance to become part of the creative process by providing feedback about a Tomorrow’s World Whiteboard video currently in the development stage.

The Whiteboard video the students were shown was titled “How Jesus Taught His Disciples to Pray.” Once it concluded, the students were encouraged to make suggestions about how to improve it. Our comments addressed topics ranging from where in the video the Tomorrow’s World logo should appear to how often throughout the video the graphic of the hand should be shown writing what is being said. We also spent quite a bit of time discussing the various major platforms that the Church could utilize, in order to preach the Gospel to a wider variety of demographics. The students were quite eager to offer their opinions, and Mr. Michael DeSimone, Manager of the Television Department, and Mr. Jake Hall, Lead Editor for Tomorrow’s World, were just as happy to hear them.

In the end, the opportunity to review one of the Whiteboard videos provided a very interesting experience for the students. It was much appreciated by Mr. DeSimone and Mr. Hall, as they were able to receive feedback from the student body on how to improve these videos, as well as engage in some discussion regarding which platforms would be most effective for continuing to preach the Gospel. Even reviewing a video helps the Work, and it was a great opportunity for all of us.

To access all published Tomorrow’s World Whiteboard videos, check them out here on the Tomorrow’s World YouTube channel.

Assembly Summary: Activist for God

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

“What I do is an answer to a prayer. I wanted a hands-on feel for what the work was really doing.”

These are some of the opening words to Mr. Lehman Lyons’ recent Assembly lecture. He summarized some of his work history, which ties in with what he does in the Living Church of God today. He has a background in business, though he started his career in a grocery store before being hired by a moving company. Once his employers found out where he was from, they offered him management of an agency forty-five miles from where he grew up in South Carolina. While there, He learned the whole spectrum of what happens in a moving company.

In 2001, the Church hired Mr. Lyons to work in purchasing. He was hired because the Church, headquartered in California at the time, was moving across the country to North Carolina. Due to his prior moving experiences, he was able to offer expertise that most members did not have, and helped the Church save massive amounts of money.

Purchasing

Mr. Lyons’ corporate title is Buyer. He is responsible for purchasing anything that the Church needs, looking for deals that will get the best quality things at a responsible price. Mr. Lyons encouraged us to pray for open doors for the Church, saying that God can bring the money into the Church and multiply it to do His Work.  

Mr. Lyons’ work often takes him outside of the Headquarters building. While most Headquarters employees mainly work with each other, Mr. Lyons’ main line of work necessitates working with people outside the Church. He expressed that, since we need to find favor in the eyes of the people with whom we do business, another thing we can pray for is “vendor favor.”

Mr. Lyons is also responsible for the fleet, which comprises the automobiles that the Church has on its property as well as the ones that it supplies the ministers in the field. The Church purchases these vehicles and handles their fuel cost and maintenance, buying automobiles through Enterprise and paying the bills on time. Mr. Lyons also handles the transportation of visiting ministers to and from the airport.

Activists for God

“I look at my job as tending and keeping,” Mr. Lyons said. He supervises the maintenance for the HQ building, which was a blessing from God through the donations of the members. Mr. Lyons described the HQ building as one of the biggest benefits the Church has, because it would be way more expensive to rent a building. The Church also owns houses that it has purchased in Matthews, North Carolina, the maintenance of which Mr. Lyons helps oversee.

Mr. Lyons closed his lecture by saying that he is an activist advocating for the cause of the Church. He mentioned to the students that we are already a part of the Work, being in the educational program and engaging in the work-study opportunities available to us. He asked all the students to join him in striving to be a vital part of the Work of God.

Student Life: A Trip to Valdese

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Author: Caanin Fausone | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min.

On Wednesday, November the tenth, this year’s LivingEd students took a trip down to the storied and historic Waldensian Trail of Faith located in the small-but scenic town of Valdese, North Carolina.

There, they had the opportunity to learn about some of the brethren who kept the true teachings of Christ alive in what can only be called an especially dark time for the Church of God. This trip not only served as an opportunity to learn some interesting things about our spiritual forefathers but also was very helpful in supplementing Mr. Wayne Tlumak’s Biblical Doctrines class in which he explains the different eras of the Church of God. At the “Trail of Faith” itself, the students had the chance to see firsthand what set God’s people apart from the apostate believers of the Thyatira era. Seeing the documented debates of when to keep the Sabbath as well as the storied discourse over whether to keep Easter or Passover was especially interesting. 

Another important aspect of this trip was seeing just how the Waldensians lived, forced to worship in caves and being more than just persecuted for their faith, but in many cases laying down their lives for what they believed. It was really eye-opening to see the liberty we so freely enjoy in many parts of the world today be desperately fought for by devoted people of faith who came before us. Though the Waldensians eventually did succumb to the protestant dogma that swept through Europe in the 1600 and 1700s, their desire to do what they believed was right no matter the consequence is an admirable quality no matter the time or era. 

After seeing all that the exhibit had to offer the students went a short way down to a local park in the Valdese area and enjoyed a relaxing walk to an old water mill and the babbling stream that used to run it. All in all the trip was an educational, enlightening and enjoyable experience and I’m sure it will have a lasting impact moving forward throughout the year.  

Forum Summary: Four Keys to Successful Decision-Making

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

When we’re young, there are so many unknowns to face.

We make decisions every day of our lives, and God wants us to develop the capacity to make good decisions as part of our training, whether the decisions involve spiritual questions or the physical decisions that impact us in so many unexpected ways. Sound decision-making is one of the primary lessons we are to learn in this life. In this week’s Forum, Dr. Jeffrey Fall shared with the Living Ed students four key principles to good decision-making.

Key 1. Get the Facts

Sometimes, you won’t have all the information, and making a poorly informed decision can end in disaster. If we gather all the facts, we get more pieces of the puzzle, which will give us a clearer picture of the situation. As an example, in Joshua 24—at the end of Joshua’s life—Israel had to make a decision. There were those who were loyal to God, those who were attracted to the Canaanite gods and customs, and the majority who hadn’t yet decided. God, through Joshua, laid out the facts—how He had led them from Egypt and intervened on their behalf many times. Joshua 24:16-18 shows us that when faced with the evidence, Israel made the right choice in this case.

Key 2. Seek Counsel

As human beings, we have a tendency to “go it alone” and try to figure things out for ourselves, yet Proverbs 11:14 shows us that counsel is an important part of decision-making. When we receive good counsel, it can open our eyes to aspects of the decision we might not have seen before. Seeking counsel may not come naturally at first, but when we do so, we embrace God’s way of passing on spiritual insight to us. However, we need to be careful to seek counsel from the right sources. As Psalm 1:1 tells us, we should avoid seeking counsel from the ungodly.

Key 3: Set Your Priorities in Order

Not every priority should hold the same value as we make decisions. God expects us to discern the weightier matters of the law and ask ourselves, “What would God’s highest priority be in this situation?” Our goal is to set our priorities in line with His priorities. For instance, while the Sabbath is a day of rest, we go to Services because being with our brethren and learning more about His way is a higher priority than just physically resting. As 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, we are to be “rightly dividing the word of truth”—setting our priorities in the right order.

Key 4: Ask God for Directions

Even when we have the facts and have received proper counsel, the right decision won’t always be obvious. Going to God in prayer is a valuable decision-making tool, as is fasting about the decision. In Isaiah 58:1–11, God promises that He will guide us continually if we do our part. Fasting over a decision and asking God to show us His will brings nothing but benefit to us. Even if God’s answer to our question is no, we can take comfort in the fact that He knows what’s best for us.

We will make countless decisions throughout our lives; God won’t do it all for us. He’s teaching us the principles of proper decision-making. As we go through life, we can have confidence in these principles designed by our Father. He is seeking children who can make successful decisions, and He is always looking out for our best interests.

Forum Summary: Should you become an entrepreneur?

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Mr. Michael Thiel is an entrepreneur in advertising, currently writing ads and marketing in about ten industries.

For this his forum, Mr. Thiel gave a presentation on aspects of entrepreneurship and what it takes to become an entrepreneur.

What Does an Entrepreneur Do?

To become an entrepreneur, you must first have an idea for a product or service of some sort. Even if you lack total confidence in your idea, you can test it out, and if it works, knowing that it does will motivate you to move forward. 

But if it fails, you can still analyze and learn from the failure. Progress is achieved by acknowledging your failures, reflecting on them, and learning from them. If you can do this, failure will have no effect on your ability to succeed—it will only help pave the way. 

Requirements of Entrepreneurship

Once your idea is set in motion as a business, you will engage in two types of work as an entrepreneur: Productive work that benefits or furthers your efforts to build your business—such as getting clients, making products, etc.—and  “unproductive” activities that might not get you more work, but still need to be done, such as accounting, filing taxes, etc. Beyond that, here are two things to keep in mind in order to be successful as an entrepreneur: 

  1. You must love it! To keep your business alive, you must love either what you do or the market that you serve. That will be the source of your motivation to keep going—you can’t just be in it for the money. This motivation will help you persevere through difficult times. 
  2. You must be flexible. You may have an idea that may not be marketable or doesn’t have a market at all; if you can’t sell your idea, but still stick to it no matter what, you’re heading for failure. Flexibility is key—sometimes you may need to try another idea or market to find success.

The Pros and Cons of Being an Entrepreneur

There are some downsides to entrepreneurship—you’ll have to pay higher taxes in the form of self-employment tax, you won’t be given health insurance or no paid time off, your pay will not be guaranteed, and everything that goes wrong will be your fault. Also, if you promise a customer something, it will be up to you to see it through, no matter what. 

On the flip side, there are many perks: you won’t be pressured to work on the Sabbath, you won’t have to worry about job security, you will often be able to work from home, your travel will be tax-deductible in certain cases, you will get all the proceeds directly, you will be able to say no to work you don’t want to do, and you will be able to become known for your work. 

If you can meet these requirements and stick with it, then, as Mr. Thiel said, you will have an overwhelming chance of turning your idea into a successful business.