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Our Divine Destiny

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Our divine destiny is a profound and central theme in understanding God's purpose for humanity. Destiny, meaning the place where one stands fast, signifies the fixed position from which one does not move, akin to God's rest as described in Hebrews 4. After life's pilgrimage, filled with travails and uncertainties, we reach the appointed place in the Kingdom of God, where we stand firm in our designated role within God's purpose. This divine destiny is not fully revealed to us at this time, as only God and Jesus Christ know the exact positions each of us will hold. The Bible uniquely answers the universal question of why we were born, revealing our destiny through scattered teachings that require divine revelation to fully comprehend. God has hidden this mystery from billions, choosing to reveal His secret purpose only to those He calls. This revelation, kept secret since the world began, is a personal and individual gift from God, placing the called in a distinct spiritual category. Through this calling, God opens minds to understand His plan, aligning lives toward His purpose. Our destiny involves being created in God's image, after the God kind, distinct from all other creations. Man, modeled in the same form and shape as God, is not yet of the same substance but is equipped with a mind to reason, make choices, and develop toward becoming like Him. This process of refinement, beginning in the Garden of Eden, hints at the potential for transformation into a closer likeness to God. As offspring of God, all humanity is descended from Him, yet some are being developed further along the path to fully realize this divine destiny.

Our Awesome Destiny

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Understanding is totally different from knowledge. Some people with ample knowledge are incredibly ignorant when discerning the plan of God.

Our Awesome Destiny (2000)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Through a miraculous combination of knowledge plus the spirit of God, we realize that our destiny is to be a part of the divine Family.

Our Awesome Destiny (1993)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Man's destiny is to have dominion over the entire universe. Preparation for this awesome responsibility requires faithful stewardship over God's gifts.

Glory, Glory, Hallelujah

Sermonette by John Reiss

Looking forward to the promises that God wants to give to billions of his human creations inspires us to keep on striving forward through the trials and struggles that many of the members of His church go through. We explore the verse in Hebrews 2:8 that promises all who keep His commandments will share in God's authority and radiance. His children will share in His immortality, righteousness, and power. Exploring the concept of parallelism, which first begins with an idea, and then an elaboration upon that idea, we explore the purpose of living beings at the beginning. We see animals come from an animal family template, but that men come from a Godly lineage and template. It was always the plan that God creates billions of people after Himself that we have an opportunity to voluntarily become a part of it.

From Dust to Glory

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Clyde Finklea

As our sanctification process comes to full term, we will see our Creator as He is, having attained the same glorified state.

The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The doctrinal changes made by the Worldwide Church of God have devastating ramifications. Predictably, when the vision was changed, God's law was cast aside.

We Shall Be God

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Though it may sound pretentious or even blasphemous, God's Word shows that we will become literal offspring of the Eternal God, sharing His name and nature.

The Trinity and the Holy Spirit (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The true understanding of Elohim dismantles the entire trinity argument. God is reproducing Himself; we are being prepared to become a part of Elohim.

Psalm 8: What Is Man?

Sermonette by Ted E. Bowling

Psalm 8 declares that the Creator of the universe has our backs, keeping us under close observation and unfailing protection throughout our sanctification.

The Holy Spirit

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Theologians, misapplying grammatical gender and personification, falsely deduce a phantom third person, propped up by a spurious insertion (I John 5:7-8).

The Nature of God: Elohim

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Understanding Elohim teaches us about the nature of God and where our lives are headed. Elohim refers to a plural family unit in the process of expanding.

The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Thirteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

As we participate in the New Covenant, we go through the stages of justification, sanctification, and ultimately glorification as part of Christ's body.

Image and Likeness of God (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus did not take on a different shape or form when He was transfigured. Taking on the image of the heavenly does not vaporize one into shapeless essence.

All in All

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

What does 'all in all' mean in relation to God and Christ? It has great significance to Christians today as they seek the Kingdom of God.

Image and Likeness of God (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Errant teachers have spiritualized God away into a shapeless, formless, ethereal blob. They dismiss hundreds of scriptural references as figures of speech.

Going On to Perfection

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Even though everything we need in this quest has been given to us, our spiritual growth depends on believing in the promises of receiving the divine nature.

The Purpose of the Church

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The function of the church is like a teacher's college, preparing the firstfruits and providing them with the needed education and character development.

Heirs of Salvation

Sermonette by Ronny H. Graham

As we complete our spiritual walk, we will attain the dominion God promises in Psalm 8, a psalm that has all mankind as the subject.

Jesus Christ: First Savior, Second High Priest, Third King

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The book of Hebrews teaches that our relationship to Christ as our Savior, High Priest, and King is the key to salvation. He shows us the way to the Father.