There are several different denominations that use the name “Church of God.” As a whole, these churches are dedicated to fulfilling the gospel commission of taking truth to the world. They also tend to have high standards in Christian living, emphasizing the importance of modest dress, the sanctity of marriage and the importance of baptism by immersion. Probably most important is the understanding that the true “church” is not an organization so much as the body of true believers scattered throughout the world.
Nevertheless, these various churches still contain some error from which Heaven is inviting them. Following is a partial list of the various errors held by some of these churches.
- Most Churches of God are Trinitarian. Certainly the gift of the Holy Spirit is vital to successful Christian living and the work of the Holy Spirit is frequently referenced in Scripture. The doctrine of a triune godhead, however, is unscriptural. It comes directly from paganism. The word of Yahuwah is clear: “Hear, O Israel: Yahuwah our Eloah, Yahuwah is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4) The marginal reading is even more emphatic: “Yahuwah is our Eloah, Yahuwah alone (that is, the only one.)” The Bible makes plain that Yahushua, while born of a virgin, is a human being - not a diety.
- It cannot be denied that speaking in tongues is one of the gifts of the Spirit, both in New Testament times as well as some note-worthy instances of it happening in modern times. Such a gift is justifiably seen as proof of true baptism of the Spirit. However, there is one glaring difference between the occasions of “talking in tongues” recorded in the Bible and the vast majority of modern occurrences. The difference is comprehension.
On Pentecost, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4) The result was that “every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?” (Acts 2:6, 7) Scripture records that Peter provided the explanation. It is safe to assume that, as Peter quoted Scripture, explaining the phenomenon, everyone could understand him in his own language. Scripture records at least 15 different languages were understood. Therefore, in a sense, it was more a gift of hearing rather than speaking. Most modern instances of glossolalia are unintelligible gibberish. This is very different from the experience of the early Christians.
The gift of tongues is given for spreading the gospel. Paul gently explained the difference between the true “speaking in tongues” versus the unintelligible gibberish so prevalent today: “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself.” (1 Corinthians 14:4) To “edify” or “build” oneself is contradictory to the example of Yahushua who was “meek and lowly in heart.” (Matthew 11:29)
- Churches of God by and large assume that Christians now live under the “dispensation of Grace,” and that the divine requirements have been "nailed to the cross." Therefore, the observance of the seventh-day lunar Sabbath and the Biblical feasts are set aside in favor of Sunday, Christmas and Easter. Such a belief is inconsistent with the gospel for, had it been possible for Yahuwah to change His holy law, Yahushua need not have died!
