Sabbath 21/12/32/120

Dear Friends,

In ten days we will begin the Sanctification process for the Passover from the New Year of the 33rd year of the 120th jubilee. The details are covered in the paper Sanctification of the Temple of God (No. 241). For well over a hundred thousand of you that are baptised this year it will be the first time that you have ever kept the Sanctification process at all and many of you will never have kept the Passover properly either. To the new children it will be a truly inspiring time. To understand what it is that is happening it may be a useful thing for you all to read the Sanctification of the Nations (No. 077) also. That paper outlines the approximate timeline that we are looking at to the Jubilee in 2027. It is our fervent desire that Christ comes quickly and we are looking at the possible timeframes for the coming of the Witnesses and the Messiah. Each Passover is one step closer to the end and the Millennium under Christ.

It is important that all of us deal with and instruct one another in the proper process. It is important that you all know what to do at Passover and that you all bring a basin for foot-washing and a towel for drying your feet.  It is important that you all read the papers beforehand so that you understand the process of what is happening to you.

There will be people being inducted into the church and being baptised right up until the Lord’s Supper and the Passover. All of you have a responsibility to assist those coming in to make sure there are no errors made at this important time. Remember those of you who came in from the Adventists, wine is critical to the Passover and failure to take wine and substituting grape juice invalidates the process. We have refused admittance to many on that ground alone.

Many of you will have been damaged by the circumstances under which you were called and many will have endured trials.  Remember that your ministry serve you voluntarily and do not be a burden to them. Honour them and give them loyal support. Help one another in all things. Love one another.

We were approached this week by a couple who were badly damaged by the ministry of one of the US churches and the man and his wife were embittered and had thrown what they had away and blamed God for all the crises in the world. They, like most people, do not understand the problem of evil. They accused us of being motivated by money, as was the Armstrong system, and assumed we were part of that system. They also seemed to resent the fact that we were helping African churches in CCG. They seemed to assume that the USA was the centre of all activity because they lived there. It is true that the American churches of CCG do a mighty work in assisting the overseas churches but so do the churches of CCG in Malaysia and Australia, South Africa, in the French work and elsewhere. The most important assistance in all these trials and problems are between African nations themselves. The simple fact of the matter is that CCG has a massive African presence and they all work to help one another. We are proud of everything we achieve together as a church. Together we are able to overcome the problems that we face.

For the record let us state that, of the over 1400 officers in CCG (it may be much more), none of us are paid, except for a few translators. Some are paid an allowance. Some of us do not even claim our own expenses. All make tithes and offerings as required under the law. Everyone is dedicated to the help and assistance of the brethren. We are proud to stand with each other in this great battle.

The teaching staff of dozens of graduate masters and hundreds of local teachers all work on a voluntary basis to establish the remedial adult and child education. The planning of the secondary and tertiary curriculum is underway. We all hope to have the college system established in this year ahead.

By working together we can all overcome the problems that we face. There is nothing too great for us to overcome.

Why does God allow all these problems? Those who are discouraged do not understand that God has put in place a system that will ensure that the entire Host both Angelic and Human will be able to be restored to life and to be given Eternal Life as part of the family of God. Satan is the god of this world and he has been given authority by God to demonstrate the futility of life apart from God and His Laws (2Cor. 4:3-4).

We will all learn from these trials and the problems we face and endure. Remember that all of you who lose relatives and children will all get the opportunity to see them again. You will all be able to help others, both in this life and in the next. Don’t sit at home complaining about the world’s problems. If you can do something well then get off your backside and do something to help solve the problem. If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. Many of us are disabled or retired but we devote ourselves to the service of the brethren. Most of the brethren hold down jobs and still serve each other. Even the widows and the bedridden among us serve the body by their fervent prayer. By our works we show our faith. Faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:1-26).

Do not lose sight of the goal and the prize that God has placed before us. In this period leading up to the Passover God lifts His hand and the adversary is able to afflict us with trials. However, there will be none that we are not able to endure or resist. Some of us have had ongoing trials. God understands what we go through and Christ suffered as a man so that we would have a high priest that could sympathise with our afflictions. Do what you can to help others and that will ensure that we all help each other. Everyone has something to give to another. Everyone can assist and make it a better world for their neighbour and brethren, for the sick and the needy.

We will discuss the Sanctification process again over the next two weeks. What you do will help others. If we are able to carry the process out properly then more people will be able to assist others and develop the world to a better place.

Use this period to learn and explain to others. Help those who are illiterate to understand the plan of God. Help the fatherless to be educated and fed. Religion pure and undefiled is to help widows and orphans.

Wade Cox
Coordinator General