Editing Herbert W. Armstrong (section)

===Teachings inferred from the Bible===
Armstrong taught that the observance of principles that he believed could be inferred from biblical intent.<ref name="Armstrong 1, 4–5">{{cite journal |last=Armstrong |first=Herbert |date=November 16, 1981 |title=How subtly Satan used MAKEUP to start the Church off the track |journal=The Worldwide News |pages=1, 4–5 |url=https://archive.gci.org/articles/the-first-reforms/}}</ref> Examples of these teachings include:
* Women were not allowed to wear makeup because it was believed that this was not pleasing to God. Armstrong stated

<blockquote>God's Church, the now imminent Bride of Christ, is not going to rise to meet the returning Christ in the air with painted faces and plucked and repainted eyebrows! How cleverly, without our suspecting it, did Satan influence leading ministers to derail the Church in many ways!...Now JESUS CHRIST, through His chosen apostle, is going to RULE on this question once and for all!...How did it get into our mid-and-latter 20th century society? FROM PROSTITUTES!...Women do not use makeup to PLEASE GOD today – for I can tell you ON HIS AUTHORITY it is NOT pleasing to HIM!<ref name="Armstrong 1, 4–5"/></blockquote>
* The use of medicine and doctors was discouraged because members were expected to place their faith in God for healing.<ref name="Plain Truth About Healing">{{cite book |last=Armstrong |first=Herbert |title=The Plain Truth About Healing |publisher=Worldwide Church of God |date=1979 |orig-year=1977 |url=https://www.herbert-w-armstrong.org/Books%20&%20Booklets/Plain%20Truth%20About%20Healing%20(Prelim%201979).pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326083617/https://www.herbert-w-armstrong.org/Books%20&%20Booklets/Plain%20Truth%20About%20Healing%20(Prelim%201979).pdf |archive-date=2009-03-26 }} – [https://www.coghomeschool.org/site/cog_archives/booklets/The%20Plain%20Truth%20about%20Healing%20-%20Part%201.htm 1979 edition in HTML]. This book was first published serially in ''Plain Truth'' magazine. PDF copies of this serial publication are available from [http://www.herbert-armstrong.org/Plain%20Truth%201930s/search.cgi?zoom_query=Plain+Truth+About+Healing herbert-armstrong.org] starting with the [http://www.herbert-armstrong.org/Plain%20Truth%201970s/Plain%20Truth%201977%20(Prelim%20No%2007)%20Jul.pdf#p=6 July 1977 issue]</ref> Armstrong stated:

<blockquote>Here's God's instruction to YOU, today, if you are ill. If we are to live by every Word of God, we should obey this Scripture. God does not say call your family physician...He does not say, call the doctors and let them give medicines and drugs, and God will cause the medicines and drugs and dope to cure you.... Instead God says call GOD'S MINISTERS. And let them PRAY, anointing with oil (the type and symbol of the Holy Spirit). Then GOD PROMISES He will HEAL YOU!<ref>{{cite book |last=Armstrong |first=Herbert |title=Does God Heal Today? |publisher=Radio Church of God |location=Pasadena, California |year=1952 |url=https://archive.gci.org/articles/the-first-reforms/}}</ref></blockquote>
* Various members suffered discomfort and even death due to reluctance to resort to medical help, yet Armstrong made use of doctors and medicine later in his life.{{sfn|Tkach|1997|loc=[https://archive.gci.org/articles/the-first-reforms/ 8]}}
* At least one writer, Jerald Walker, with experience of Armstrong’s sermons, spoke of his racism: segregation was to be enforced on earth as it was expected to be enforced in heaven.  In Armstrong’s view, black people were to serve white people.
* Divorce was strongly discouraged. At times this was strictly enforced by requiring members that had previously divorced and remarried to divorce their new spouses so that they were not "living in adultery".<ref name="Armstrong 8-9">{{cite web |url=https://www.herbert-w-armstrong.org/Books%20&%20Booklets/Divorce%20and%20Remarriage%20(1953).pdf |title=Divorce and Remarriage |last=Armstrong |first=Herbert |pages=8–9 |access-date=January 17, 2009}}</ref> Armstrong acknowledged that this belief caused significant hardship for many members but argued that this hardship was the consequent result of the earlier 'sin of divorce'.<ref name="Armstrong 8-9"/> This policy was changed by Armstrong at a later time. Interracial marriage was also discouraged as Armstrong emphasized requirements for Ancient Israelites (who, according to [[British Israelism]], became Western Europeans) to remain racially and religiously separate from other nations.{{sfn|Armstrong|1985|pp=[https://archive.org/details/mysteryofages0000arms/page/149 149], 151, 173}}
* As the Bible teaches that "the body is the temple of God's Spirit," Armstrong believed that it should therefore be kept in good health and presented in a manner glorifying to Christ. Members were consequently expected to conform to strict dress codes.{{sfn|Tkach|1997|loc=[https://archive.gci.org/articles/what-we-believed/ 7: What we Believed: A stroll through past headlines]}}<ref>{{cite journal |last=Armstrong |first=Herbert |title=HOW YOU DRESS FOR CHURCH – Could it keep you out of the KINGDOM? |journal=The Worldwide News |issue=May 21, 1979 |pages=1 |url=https://www.herbert-w-armstrong.org/Worldwide%20News/WWN%201979%20(Prelim%20No%2010)%20May%2021.pdf}}</ref> Long hair and piercings were not allowed for men, whereas makeup and short hair were frowned upon for women. Members were expected to dress conservatively and modestly, and required to do so for church. Smoking was considered to be a spiritual sin<ref>{{cite web |title=Is Smoking Sin? |last=Leap |first=Dennis |url=http://www.thetrumpet.com/index.php?q=4314.3672.0.0 |access-date=January 18, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080825041830/http://www.thetrumpet.com/index.php?q=4314.3672.0.0 |archive-date=August 25, 2008}}</ref> and was grounds for a minister to refuse baptism. Critics contend that these requirements base salvation on the 'teachings of men' rather than the grace of God or the instructions of the Bible.{{sfn|Tkach|1997|loc=[https://archive.gci.org/articles/what-we-believed/ 7: What we Believed: What is the Church?]}}
* Armstrong concluded that a third resurrection would take place, in which the incorrigibly wicked and those who had been converted (baptized members of WCG) but had 'fallen away' (left WCG) and who also had not repented in the "Great Tribulation" would be resurrected and sentenced to eternal death in the 'lake of fire.' Critics reject this interpretation.{{sfn|Tkach|1997|loc=[https://archive.gci.org/articles/what-we-believed/ 7: What we Believed: What does the future hold?]}}