The Incredible Human Potential (2025)

As a student at Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, in 1968, I was very tired one Friday night but pushed myself to attend the Bible study anyway. We held Bible studies every Friday night, but this one in particular stirred and inspired me like no study ever had!

Worldwide Church of God founder Herbert W. Armstrong gave that Bible study about the subject matter that later comprised his book The Incredible Human Potential—one of the greatest books in the world. That study helped me see and understand a lot more of the Bible.

Mr. Armstrong would send out recordings of his Bible studies to other congregations, thinking the ministry would let the brethren hear the audio or even speak about the same subject. He was shocked when many of the ministers didn’t pass along his message about the incredible human potential, which wasn’t written in a book until 1978, a full decade later. The next year, the state of California attacked the Church, and in 1986 he died, after which 95 percent of God’s people fell away from the biblical truth he had taught them all his life.

On Dec. 7, 1989, I was fired from my position as a minister in the wcg for writing Malachi’s Message. Ever since, the Philadelphia Church of God has delivered a strong message to the Laodiceans in God’s Church who turned away from God.

From 1997 to 2003, we fought the wcg in court for the copyrights to Mr. Armstrong’s main writings, including The Incredible Human Potential, so we could distribute them free of charge to anyone who requests them. God gave us the victory, and I continue to study that book over and over.

Spirit-Born Sons

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation [sun, moon, stars, planets] was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption [should read, birth] as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:19-23; Revised Standard Version).

The entire universe is now figuratively groaning because it is in a state of decay due to the rebellion of Lucifer, waiting for the spirit-born sons of God to restore it.

“What an amazing marvelous revelation of knowledge!” Mr. Armstrong wrote. “No more amazing, awesome, eye-opening passage could be written! It is so astonishingly revealing one doesn’t fully grasp it just reading quickly through” (The Incredible Human Potential).

Humans will be born again as sons in God’s Family! That’s the true born-again doctrine. We must do all we can to comprehend this glorious future.

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15). David understood that he would be resurrected in the future and look just like God! This is the truth of God!

1 John 3:2 says basically the same thing: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” All humans will one day have an opportunity to be resurrected and later born into God’s Family—transformed into actual spirit-born sons of God!

God planned this marvelous future for mankind from the beginning. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26).

The word image in this verse refers to the character of God; likeness is God’s appearance. He will form and fashion all mankind in His character image so we can go out and rule the universe—without destroying it like Satan did! We look like God, and we were created to become God’s sons.

Higher Than Angels

“Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?” (Hebrews 1:4-5).

That’s a good question: When has God ever called the angels His sons? Yet God calls humans His sons throughout the Bible! Our calling is much higher than the angels. Our future involves ruling over them.

God is spiritually begetting humans, just as a physical baby is conceived in his mother’s womb. He is “bringing many sons unto glory” (Hebrews 2:10). Real sons of God. Jesus Christ was born of Mary—not adopted. This is what God is talking about.

God is a Family! We are on Earth to prepare to be born into that Family. This is why God gives us physical family—a God-plane relationship. If this world only knew the awe-inspiring depth of family!

Wretched Human Nature

With such a spectacular future awaiting us, why do so many people simply not want to be part of God’s plan? “Because the carnal mind is enmity [hostile] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7).

What is wrong with man? Naturally, we are cursed with a carnal mind. We need God’s mind in us—Jesus Christ living in us. We must receive the Spirit of God before we can ever subject ourselves to the law and rule of God. With the Holy Spirit, we will love being ruled by Him! The prophets and apostles and other believers of old are recorded in the Bible as examples of this fact.

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9). The whole world is deceived about God’s master plan! Of course, the deceived don’t know they are deceived. Satan and millions of demons are now confined to our planet after twice trying to overthrow God, deceiving every human except the few who hear and respond to this message.

Do you really believe that the whole world is deceived? That is real! God says we must repent to escape the dreadful punishment of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5-6).

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Satan has blinded the world to the light of the one true gospel message! God wants to give us everything, if only we would see the shining light of His character through the spiritual darkness.

God foretold that His one true Church would always be a “little flock” (Luke 12:32). Even Christ Himself won just 120 converts. It is very difficult for a carnal human to repent and turn to God.

God is patient. The vast majority of humans who have never known or followed Him will get to know Him at the resurrection.

“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:5). We can’t trust ourselves to discern God’s truth. God must open our minds.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (verse 9). Reliance on our wretched human nature will lead us astray every time. Just look at this world! Everybody is going to war! Nuclear bombs are about to be dropped! We have to overcome human nature to be in God’s Family.

I urge you to request a free copy of The Incredible Human Potential and study it deeply. Here are some of the amazing chapter titles:

• “What Led to the Creation of Man?”
• “How God Planned to Reproduce Himself!”
• “Bridging the Gap Between Human Man and the Ultimate Spirit-Composed Sons of God”
• “Why Today’s World Evils?”
• “Why the Church?”
• “Just What Do You Mean… Conversion?”
• “World Peace—How It Will Come”

The Incredible Human Potential will inspire anyone with an open mind. Heed God’s warning! Enjoy real peace in your life.