Anoint Your Eyes – Christ's Warning to His People - The Restored

271 Pages·2015·0.85 MB·English

by  David C. Pack

“ ANOINT
”
YOUR EYES
Christ’s Warning
to His People
by David C. Pack
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Christ warns Laodiceans to “anoint
your eyes”—WHY? What did He mean?
WHO did He mean—and how can you
know? This all-important instruction, to
all Christians living in the last days, must
be understood.
This extensive book—the most crucial
written to the WCG splinters—thoroughly
covers things never before explained, and
in extraordinary detail. For those hoping
to escape the Great Tribulation, it reveals
exactly what Christ meant and how to
apply this most critical warning!

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ................................................................ 7
chapter one –
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? ......................................... 13
chapter tWo –
THE ONLY PLACE TO START ......................................... 31
chapter three –
A LOOK AT THE WARNING .......................................... 41
chapter four –
INSIDE ANCIENT LAODICEA ....................................... 51
chapter five –
COMPARING THE MODERN ERA ................................ 67
chapter six –
ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM ...................................... 75
chapter seven –
WHAT PHILADELPHIANS CAN SEE ............................ 85
chapter eiGht –
RECEIVING GOD’S APPROVAL ................................... 107
chapter nine –
TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE ...................................... 131
chapter ten –
GOVERNMENT IS EVERYTHING ............................... 141
chapter eleven –
ONLY ONE CHURCH ..................................................... 171
chapter tWelve –
THE CHURCH, TRUTH AND WORK CONTINUE ..... 199
chapter thirteen –
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! .............................................. 235
chapter fourteen –
FOLLOWING THE TRUTH ............................................ 251
INTRODUCTION 7
INTRODUCTION
Few doubt that the Laodicean age has arrived. This means questions of
supreme importance stand before the twenty-first century Church of
God. Prophecy reveals that most brethren today will avoid them or an-
swer them incorrectly. Why? Because they will be unwilling to believe
and obey Christ’s counsel to “anoint your eyes…that you may see” (Rev.
3:18). The result will be that they will never come to understand how to
apply His instruction to “buy of Me [Christ] gold tried in the fire.”
Once the Great Tribulation is here—the worst fire of all time!—
only one-half of Laodicea will be saved, but then only after enduring
torment and death. Having lost God’s Spirit as the only means to spiri-
tually survive, the other half will accept the mark of the beast, trading
eternal life for only a very little more physical life.
What could be more serious for those who miscalculate—who make
the wrong decisions at the end of the age?
Yet, who really questions or talks about “anointing their eyes”? Very
few, if any. How often do you hear, or have you ever heard, people dis-
cussing the meaning of the term? Even though there is nearly universal
agreement that the Laodicean age has arrived, and even though Christ
commands Laodiceans to do this, when was the last time—if ever—that
you were concerned about it? Also, have you ever heard a sermon about
this subject, even one? Almost certainly not, and this is because virtually
no one believes that he or she could be Laodicean.
Why examine or study what could not apply?
8 “ANOINT YOUR EYES” – Christ’s Warning to His People
Questions arise: Where is Laodicea? Whom was Christ addressing?
Have you anointed your eyes? Are you sure? Are you certain you know
what this means?
You can know What—and Whom—Christ meant!
Understanding these questions, and the issues they represent, is vital
to every true Christian. While all of our books to the “splinters”—ad-
dressing crucial issues now facing each one of God’s people—must be
read to grasp the scope and manner in which the prophesied falling away
arrived, this book overarches the others, with the exception of my book
The True Church – One Organization, or Many? It puts into perspective
the decision you cannot avoid if you hope to escape the Great Tribula-
tion—and receive eternal life!
Making the Right Comparison
This book will look at the subject of Laodicea in detail—and in a way
that most have never begun to understand. We will closely examine
what Christ said to this era and why. This will include an examination
of the ancient city of Laodicea, as well as what Mr. Armstrong taught
about the final era of the Church. We will also carefully review what a
Philadelphian is, and this includes a fascinating look at ancient Phila-
delphia. Also, since the last era is known for being lukewarm, this vol-
ume will explain how to take your temperature—in relation to what
Jesus christ reveals, not to how your organization fares when com-
pared to others.
Paul warned, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or
compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they mea-
suring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among
themselves, are not wise” (II Cor. 10:12), then added, “For not he that
commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends” (vs. 18).
The meaning of “approved” will slowly grow in your thinking.
In two places, Daniel stated that at the “time of the end,” only “the
wise shall understand” (12:10). He was referring to unfolding conditions
and events, and God’s purpose (11:32-35). In other words, in part, whom
God commends—approves!—and whom He does not. Both of Daniel’s
passages identify and connect this understanding with being spiritually
“tried, purged, made white and purified.” All of this will be made abun-
dantly clear as the book progresses. You will not be able to misunder-
stand, unless you choose to!
There is much, much more in what Paul recorded than meets the eye.
You will learn what the process of receiving God’s approval is, and how
INTRODUCTION 9
it directly ties to Christ’s New Testament command for His people to
“anoint your eyes.”
Two Views—Both Wrong!
Two incorrect views—one hostile, the other simply wrong—describe how
most have seen “Anoint Your Eyes” – Christ’s Warning to His People.
On the one hand, for obvious reasons, certain brethren and leaders feel
threatened by this book. This has caused some to attack it. Of course, they
have done this at their own risk, jeopardizing their own future safety. That
is their decision. But you must ask whether you will allow the attacks—and
the “analysis”—of others, in effect, to do your thinking for you.
On the other hand, some generally agree with the book but reduce it
to merely containing some “nice points” or “good principles” or “inter-
esting insights.” Be very careful of summing up the book in this way,
because you could be fooled into thinking this meant you applied its mes-
sage. Any who diminish what should be the tremendous impact of its
message on the reader into simply “helpful hints” has, in fact, completely
missed the message of the book!
Extensive Spiritual Exercise
What you will read is not an intellectual treatise, written for the scholarly,
in the language of scholarship. It has been written as much as is possible
in a style similar to Mr. Armstrong’s. God’s people are generally “the
weak and foolish of the world” (I Cor. 1:27-29). Since I am not an excep-
tion, I know we need things clearly spelled out.
Therefore, this book is written as a practical guide explaining pre-
cisely what the title references. At times, it will use very explicit detail
to make points impossible to miss.
It will reveal how you must undergo an extensive—and intensive—
spiritual exercise, not able to be accomplished through the application of
an easy formula. It will tell you how to be “wise” to Christ’s instruction
to His people—how to “anoint your eyes.” It will explain exactly how to
be “approved” of God in this age—and why Christ says that He “coun-
sels” His people about this.
“ANOINT YOUR EYES” will explain what Christ meant when He
described Laodicea as “naked,” and how this was connected to a certain
kind of “shame.” All of this is directly tied to Laodicea’s “lukewarm(ness),”
which, in turn, is connected to other aspects of what Christ describes as
Laodicea’s condition.
10 “ANOINT YOUR EYES” – Christ’s Warning to His People
You will learn why Christ said, “Be zealous and repent”—and the
specifics of how it is zeal that propels Laodiceans to grasp what they
must repent of to achieve the only proper spiritual outcome that Christ
will accept. We will see what they must repent of.
You will also learn how all those with God’s Spirit must return to
Christ’s one Body. Those who do not answer His knock, when Christ
calls them “by name” (John 10:3-4), will wither and eventually spiritu-
ally die.
All of this must be explained, and the book will thoroughly do this.
I am aware that some have seen the title and skipped reading it, on
the assumption that they have already fulfilled Christ’s command or
know its contents. I pray the number doing this is few, because they have
almost certainly not correctly done what Christ requires—and in all
likelihood have not even begun the process!
From time to time, in the book’s early stages, I will sprinkle criti-
cally important statements without immediate qualification. But we will
later return to examine them in greater detail. I urge you to be patient
with the need to develop this enormously important subject in the only
way to do it. There is too much to cover, and too much at stake, to dis-
miss the book early on because you may see things mentioned before
they are thoroughly addressed!
Compelling Reading
In the world, books containing mysteries are often the bestsellers. Every-
one seems to like a “Whodunit?” The meaning of Christ’s instruction to
His people in the last days has been a mystery!
The mysteries of men’s religions always remain mysteries. They are
never explained—never solved—in the end, and followers are told to
accept this on faith. Of course, most do. Yet, the Bible’s mysteries can—
and should—be made plain (I Cor. 2:9-10). What Jesus taught about
anointing the eyes should be understood!
What has happened in our time is truly a modern “Whodunit?” As
with any mystery involving a crime, there are several critical elements
that must come to light: perpetrator, victim, crime scene, weapon, mo-
tive and other evidence.
Although some crimes remain mysteries—and there are those guilty
of spiritual “crime” in this matter—Christ has solved this one through
and within His Word! We will watch the Bible interpret the Bible in ev-
erything that is covered. No guesswork will be necessary—anywhere in
the book!