Announcements for January 30, 2020

PCD Quarterly Report

October-December 2019

From Cecil Maranville: We processed 720 PCD messages for the last quarter of 2019. While this is down 12 percent over the third quarter, it is higher than the last quarter of 2018 by 16 percent. And the total for 2019 is 3,040, which is up over 2018 by about 11 percent. The following is a sample of questions.

Subject: Does God know exactly when and how we will die? Question: I just wanted to ask the question … Does God know exactly when and how we will die? Has he planned our death before we were born, or is our death unexpected? My father was murdered in South Africa when I was 17. He was shot 6 times and was killed. The first time he was shot I was 3, but he survived. He was shot through the head. My question is … Did God let him die or did Satan kill him?

Subject: God’s fatherhood. Question: Is every human a son of God? Or only Christians? If so, how is it that Mary, Abraham, etc. could be sons of God, since they are not Christians?

Subject: Atonement. Question: Please I want to know [about how] during the Feast of Atonement the High Priest usually present[ed] two goats, one … used as scapegoat according to [the] Old Testament. Is it true [that] after the death of Jesus the issue of using scapegoat … no longer exist[s], based on what the book of John 1 vs 29 says in quotes?

Subject: Rebaptism questions. Question: Hello! My name is _____. I am 17 years old. I was baptized a long time ago, but I never really understood what baptism meant. There is baptism coming up in my church. I’ve been struggling back and forth to make the decision of getting rebaptized. I was wondering if I could get your advice. Thanks so much!

Subject: Rejoicing or asleep. Question: The Bible says to be absent from the body is to be in the [presence] of the Lord. I believe you are asleep just like the one that was in Abraham’s bosom until Jesus preached to them. Some of my friends think when you die if you are saved that you are rejoicing with Him at the moment you take that last breath. I don’t believe that because He hasn’t redeemed the body yet. Please give Scripture to back up your thoughts!

Subject: Confused. Question: I know that God doesn’t let people be in eternal pain and will provide them if there [are] needs, but what about the families that have kids with diseases/terminal diseases/cancer? Why would God do this? I am usually strong in my faith, but I’m starting to doubt. How can I be renewed of this faith?

Subject: Death. Question: If we don’t wake up till the last day, what are people seeing just before they die? My S/O [significant other] said he seen his mother the night before or the night of his death. And people come back from “death.”

Subject: Holidays opinion. Question: I read your article talking about holidays being pagan [and] how we as Christians shouldn’t celebrate holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter. My question is, we say holidays are pagan, but what exactly is pagan? I feel like anything we do every single day or in habit could be paganism. Also, do you believe in going to church on Sunday, or [should] we go on the Sabbath day, Saturday & about church on Sunday? 

Subject: Sabbath and my husband who does not observe it. Question: My husband recently purchased a phone on the Sabbath. Should I answer his calls with said phone, or would I be sinning in doing so because he bought it on the Sabbath? By the way, I observe Sabbath, but he does not.

Subject: Walking away. Question: I wonder, how [can] a person who states that she walks with the Lord and has faith tell you she can’t be your friend because you are sick with cancer and depression and yet has a life filled with frivolous things and then claims to love the Lord?

Subject: Accepting Christmas food. Question: I don’t celebrate Christmas, as believed by this site. My coworkers know this. A coworker brought me (us) homemade beef jerky. The bag says Merry Christmas. I’m conflicted with these “food” offers on a holiday I don’t recognize. I tried to receive explanation in 1 Corinthians 8, but it’s not very specific. Should I accept and eat it or not? I just don’t want to disappoint God and give confusing and conflicting messages and perceptions to those who know what my beliefs are. Please enlighten me. I struggle with this yearly. Thank you.

Subject: Life after death. Question: Since the dead know nothing, how [do] you explain MK 12:27; MT 22:32; and LK 20:38, where Jesus says that God is the God of the living, referencing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are obviously dead?

Subject: Beginner. Question: How do I start living like a Christian? [I need] help because I have backslid, and I really want to know more about Christ.

Subject: The soul. Question: I have been taught that we have a soul and [that] when we die, the soul leaves the body and goes to heaven. You say no. How do I find the truth? I don’t know who to believe.

Subject: History of World Wide Church of God. Question: Is this the Worldwide Church of God that Herbert W. Armstrong preached?