Letter to Mr. Harkins from Jules Dervaes
Copyright © Jules Dervaes
February 8, 1988
Dear Mr. Harkins,
Having received your personal note and having given it much thought for a long time, I am writing this letter in reply. At first, I really did appreciate that you made the effort to respond. But, then, I very quickly realized that what you were trying to do was to make me FEEL wrong without ever taking the time or effort to prove that I WAS wrong. Such destructive manipulation is exposed by the enclosed GOOD NEWS article. I will follow the advice given about false guilt; that is, I will “reject it.”
If you really care, then could you CARINGLY show me exactly where I have transgressed the LAW OF GOD? (As opposed to the traditions of men, the group of men called “the Church” in Mark 7:7)
If you really are praying that I come back to the fold, then could you PRAYERFULLY share with me “the truth” which you possess and which, you claim, I lack? (As spiritually applying the lesson of James 2:15-16)
If you really have love for me, then could you IN LOVE point out any one scripture which would correct “my error”? (As evident by 2 Timothy 3:16)
What you have done—whether you care to admit it or not—is to PRE-judge me (and condemn me?) for breaking YOUR law, that is, what you interpret as being right—void of any biblical proof. If you fail to show “the love” that you have written about, then YOU will be the one in danger of having “jumped ship”—THE SHIP of which Christ is captain!!!
Of course, what you are assuming (and you do so erroneously, as I have PROVED in writing) is that the ship run by Mr. Tkach is the same as GOD’S SHIP. But where is your proof? The Bereans checked out the Apostle Paul and they were commended by *him for doing so. Will you even do the same? It’s foolishness to trust in Mr. Armstrong’s appointment of Mr. Tkach; for, God’s servant Samuel **appointed Saul to be the King. It’s foolishness to trust in Mr. Armstrong’s choice of Mr. Tkach; for, God’s Son chose Judas to be an Apostle.
The ship that you are desperately clinging to is going down. But, since your mind seems already made up, could you—AT LEAST—answer just one question for me? WAS Mr. Armstrong’s commission the work of God or the work of a man? If you answered that it was “of God,” then WHY don’t you believe what he told you???
But even Christ’s apostle has no authority to SHUT OFF the authority above him. (PT 8/79)
But this Church of God is a SPIRITUAL ORGANISM—NOT a humanly organized and purely humanly led and influenced operation of MAN, started BY man, RUN by man! (GN 6/79)
However, if you can’t bring yourself to respond to this, I will understand that you don’t want to face this harsh reality and that you are afraid of the plain truth. In that case, please, PLEASE, don’t feel sorry for me. Save your sympathy for yourself. And please be careful lest such pious sentiments smother TRUE, “deep” love.
God must be worshipped in spirit and IN TRUTH. Won’t you even CONSIDER that you are IN ERROR? (1 Cor. 10:12)
I am praying that you don’t reject this admonition given in the way of true love. May this Passover find you in the TRUE BODY OF CHRIST.
Jules Dervaes
NOTE: These errors were later found.
* The Bereans were commended by Luke who wrote Acts.
** Saul was chosen king by use of the lot (God’s choice) and then Samuel anointed Saul.