What Happened to the Truth?

Shockingly, most professing Christian churches are in ignorance of the real answers to life's most important questions: Where did human life come from? Why were you born? Where are you going after death?

This magazine can give you the genuine answers to these questions because we in this Work of the living God are earnestly trying to restore Apostolic Christianity—the original Christianity of those who lived in the time of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. We feel that although most modern churchgoers are sincere and well-meaning, they are absolutely deceived regarding the major issues of life, death and the hereafter. They are certainly deceived if they think for one minute that they are practicing true "biblical Christianity!"

How dare I say that?

I say it because it is true! And I say it because scores of highly respected religious authors and historians also say it. They know that many of the ideas and practices of "mainstream" Christianity came not from the Bible, but from pagan philosophy and human reasoning.

But the average churchgoer "doesn't have a clue!"

Professing Christianity got "off the track" soon after the death of the original Apostles. As "mainstream" author Jesse Lyman Hurlbut frankly acknowledges: "For fifty years after St. Paul's life a curtain hangs over the church, through which we strive vainly to look; and when at last it rises, about 120 A.D. with the writings of the earliest church-fathers, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St. Peter and St. Paul" (The Story of the Christian Church, p. 41).

Yes indeed. The professing Christian church became not only "very" different but—we might objectively say—"extremely" different! As Hurlbut elaborates a few pages later: "Ambitious, worldly, unscrupulous men sought office in the church for social and political influence. The moral tone of Christianity in power was far below that which had marked the same people under persecution. The services of worship increased in splendor, but were less spiritual and hearty than those of former times. The forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and of worship. About 405ad images of saints and martyrs began to appear in the churches, at first as memorials, then in succession revered, adored, and worshiped. The adoration of the Virgin Mary was substituted for the worship of Venus and Diana; the Lord's Supper became a sacrifice in place of a memorial; and the elder evolved from a preacher into a priest. As a result of the church sitting in power, we do not see Christianity transforming the world to its own ideal, but the world dominating the church" (p. 79).

Was this the true Church of God? Can the Protestants honestly claim that they came out of the true Church? For this evolving Catholic church brought in the forms and trappings of the old pagan Saturnalia—held in celebration of the winter solstice with great merriment and often unrestrained, orgiastic revelry. In order to make their new brand of Christianity more acceptable to the pagans, they called this celebration the "mass of Christ" or, as we know it today, Christmas!

Then, completely doing away with the biblically commanded feast of the Passover, they turned the springtime fertility worship of Isis into "Easter." Further polluting the atmosphere of this pagan festival, they began to claim that Christ was crucified on a Friday afternoon and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning—which He did not. They conveniently overlooked the fact that the primary "sign" Jesus Christ gave to the Jews was that He would be three days and three nights in the grave before His resurrection! Always remember Jesus' words in Matthew 12:39–40: "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

From Friday afternoon to Sunday morning is only one day and two nights! So the "Good Friday/Easter" morning tradition directly contradicts the special identifying "sign" that Jesus Himself gave to prove that He was, in fact, the true Messiah. So the observance of this pagan festival, Easter, involves two great evils. First, it was used to replace the true Christian Passover that the Bible commands, and which Jesus and the Apostles always observed—setting us an example (1 Corinthians 11:1). Secondly, it directly contradicts the special "sign" proving Jesus' very Messiahship!

Further, the totally confused leaders of the professing Christian church brought in various heathen concepts of heaven and hell. As we have explained over and over in this magazine—and as is fully explained in this issue's lead article—the real goal of the true Christian in the resurrection ought to be joining the returned Jesus Christ on this earth and serving as "kings and priests" under Christ's leadership. The true saints are pictured crying out: "For you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9–10).

Believe it or not, there is nothing in the entire Bible promising "going to heaven" as the ultimate reward of the saints. The Bible speaks of the "Kingdom of heaven"—but not in heaven. We know that the Bank of Morgan is not "in" Mr. Morgan's stomach! The Bible speaks of our resurrected bodies coming "from" heaven though not remaining "in" heaven (2 Corinthians 5:1–2). There are several scriptures indicating that true saints will receive a "heavenly" reward, but they do not say that we go to heaven to receive it. For instance, Jesus said: "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work" (Revelation 22:12). And Jesus explained in Matthew 16:27: "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."

Rather, your Bible shows that Christians will be on this earth (Revelation 5:10) after the return of Christ, and will remain here, during the Millennium, helping Jesus rule and finally bring peace and joy to this troubled planet. Notice: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). In 1 Corinthians 6:2, Paul asks rhetorically: "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" And in Zechariah 14:1–19, we find that Jesus Christ will return as King of kings to Jerusalem: "And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south" (v. 4). At the same time, we read: "And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be—'The Lord is one,' and His name one" (v. 9). Again, please study carefully—checking each scripture in your own Bible—the lead article in this issue describing the real reward of the true saints of Christ!

Enough! For the professing Christian churches teach literally dozens of basic doctrines that are no more "Christian" than the Easter Bunny or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

The Tomorrow's World magazine is truly different in that we have the courage and intellectual honesty to point out this massive departure from genuine biblical Christianity. We show how you can clearly prove the Truth to your own satisfaction—not in some "pseudo-Bible" we have written, but in the pages of your own Bible. We make plain some very special "keys" to help you really understand biblical prophecy—keys that very few people today understand—to help you grasp not only that "Jesus is coming back" but also many specific details of His return! We show you which major nations will be affected in what ways as the time draws near, what particular "signs" to watch for and what you should do!

And, as servants of the living God, we charge no money whatsoever for any of our magazines, booklets, audiotapes or materials. Jesus said: "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). Even though preaching the full Truth has never been a popular task, we know Whom we serve. So please—for your own sake—do not be afraid of the Truth. Be willing to exercise the spiritual and intellectual energy and courage to study the Truth, prove the Truth and live by the Truth. Although there will be trials, tests and persecutions along the way, the God of heaven will reward you well beyond what you can now imagine.