Satan the devil uses his deceptive power to keep his world's religions in darkness. Through crafty deception, he can overtake them as a thief and keep them in captivity through scriptural blindness. But God's Church can discern his crafty trickery, and therefore remains faithful to the Light of God's Truth. "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober" (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6).

Therefore, knowing the Light of God's Truth we must face the astounding fact that Satan the devil has deceived all who profess to be religious through scriptural blindness. Incredible as that may sound, Satan has blinded the whole world with scriptural blindness. All of the world's religions are held in this captivity of scriptural blindness by the deceptive power of Satan the devil.

Yet God's Church is not held in this captivity of scriptural blindness. Jesus Christ has taught His Church to understand that those who are held in scriptural blindness, deal more shrewdly than the sons of light. "So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light" (Luke 16:8). The Church of God remains totally free from it. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).

The Apostle Paul reminded The Church of God that he was free. "Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?" (1 Corinthians 9:1). He taught the Church that it was light in the Lord and the Church was to walk as children of light. "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, proving what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:8-11).

Paul the Apostle, taught God's Church to have no fellowship with the systems of Satan's world. But commanded the Church to come out and be separate from it. He reminded The Church of God that it is the light that exposes the unfruitful works of darkness that exist in the religious systems of Satan's world. "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they will be My people. Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

Why is The Church of God free from scriptural blindness? Because the Church abides in the Light of Truth - who is Jesus Christ, the Great Revelator of Holy Scripture. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

Mr Armstrong engraved this foundational      principle on Ambassador Hall.

Presenting "Mystery Of The Ages" to College students

God's Church is free indeed and does well because it really does fulfill the Royal Law of God according to the light of the Holy Scriptures. "So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:12-13). The Apostle James reveals to the Church why it is free. The Church of God is free, because it speaks and lives the Royal Law of God by showing mercy. Therefore mercy is given to God's Church because it loves God's Royal Law - which is the law of liberty.

Through patience and faith, God's saints do realize that Satan is a master, who uses many false Messiahs, to enslave and lead mankind into captivity and destruction. "If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints" (Revelation 13:9-10).

When the true Messiah walked this earth, He plainly revealed to mankind, He was the way, the truth, and the life. "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

Also the true Messiah said, He would build His Church. And He boldly explained that His Church would be the narrow gate and that during the rule of man, the vast majority of mankind would choose to live their lives in the way of the wide gate. "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

Only a very few during man's rule, would find the Light of Truth. The Light of Truth is the true Messiah. And He plainly said, "Enter by the narrow gate". The narrow gate represents the only open way to where the Light of Truth dwells - The Church of God. As Jesus Christ said: "Wide is the gate and broad is the way" - this represents the way to where all the darkness of falsehood dwells - the Babylon of Confusion that leads to captivity and destruction.

Now, God's time has come to remove this scriptural blindness. And God will now begin to humble man to receive this glorious Light of Truth. "And this is the condemnation, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God" (John 3:19-21).

Again, what the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is plainly stating, is very clear. He is simply saying, that all the other religious organizations of this world are under Satan's deception. He is saying, with direct boldness, that the only place on this earth where His Light of Truth is working, is right here at His Church web site!