Apostolic Christianity

Restoring Apostolic Christianity

By Roderick C. Meredith

If Jesus of Nazareth were to return to the earth today, would He recognize the religion that is using His name? Not at all! Mankind has twisted Jesus Christ’s teachings so that the religion bearing His name has practically no relationship to what He and the Apostles actually lived and believed. Can you find a Church that strives to live by the teachings of true Apostolic Christianity? Can you prove for yourself what God’s Truth really is? This booklet will give you the all-important answers to those questions!

Yet most genuine religious scholars recognize that vast changes have overtaken professing Christianity—rendering it totally different from the Christianity of Jesus and the Apostles! As respected mainline Protestant scholar Jesse Lyman Hurlbut acknowledges: "For fifty years after St. Paul’s life a curtain hangs over the church, through which we strive vainly to look; and when at last it rises, about 120 A.D. with the writings of the earliest church-fathers, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St. Peter and St. Paul" (Story of the Christian Church, p. 41). If the leaders, during this time that Mr. Hurlbut elsewhere called an "age of shadows," were filled with and led by God’s Spirit, then why would the Church suddenly be "very different"? For the Bible tells us that Christ is "the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Yet the professing Christian church today is not even remotely the same as the one Jesus founded. Describing the time period after all the original Apostles and their successors had died out, Hurlbut writes: "The services of worship increased in splendor, but were less spiritual and hearty than those of former times. The forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and of worship. About 405 A.D. images of saints and martyrs began to appear in the churches, at first as memorials, then in succession revered, adored, and worshiped. The adoration of the Virgin Mary was substituted for the worship of Venus and Diana; the Lord’s supper became a sacrifice in place of a memorial; and the elder evolved from a preacher into a priest" (p. 79). Notice Mr. Hurlbut’s statement that "some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals." They "became" that way because God Himself had predicted that evil men and false leaders would take over most of the Church! Remember this inspired warning the Apostle Paul gave the Ephesian elders: "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears" (Acts 20:29–31). When Paul realized the depth of the apostasy that would overtake most of the Church, it hit him emotionally. He then "did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears"! Very few people today seem to be concerned enough about this massive apostasy to even begin to shed tears over this awesome change. HOW Could This Happen? This massive apostasy occurred because men and women back then, just like today, did not zealously prove to themselves where God’s Truth was being taught. That is why the living Christ corrected those Christians living near the end of the Apostolic Era: "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent" (Revelation 2:4–5). And what about today? How can we account for the more than 400 different denominations and sects—all calling themselves "Christian"? And all of them having some type of different ideas, traditions and approaches and yet claiming to follow the same Jesus Christ? Part of the answer is the fact that extremely few professing Christians really study their Bibles! So they do not "prove" virtually anything they believe by carefully researching it in the Bible! Oh, they may enthusiastically study books and articles on health, on self-improvement or on investing and making more money. But somehow it does not occur to them to thoroughly study the most vital subjects of all: Is there a real God? If so, what is His purpose in creating human beings? And how can we fulfill that purpose? Yet the Bible commands: "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Most people have just "accepted" the religion passed down through their families. Most have just "gone along" with the beliefs and the traditions taught to them as children. Noting the public’s lack of attention to their religion, Los Angeles Times religion writer Teresa Watanabe reported: "According to one religious research firm, two-thirds of Americans don’t regularly read the Bible or know the names of the Four Gospels. More than half of Americans surveyed can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. And the majority say they find the Good Book irrelevant.… ‘We still hold the Bible in high regard, but in terms of actually spending the time reading it, studying it and applying it—that is a thing of the past,’ said George Barna. The reasons cited range from changes in American culture to the intrinsic difficulty of the text itself. Now religious organizations are making a major effort to jazz up the ancient Scripture’s doddering image. Bible publishers are producing a dizzying array of products, with translations and editions pitched to every conceivable niche market, to convince people that the book is neither arcane nor irrelevant" (Los Angeles Times, July 23, 1999). Of course, the real underlying cause of this massive religious apostasy is that this is Satan’s world and that he has totally deceived the vast majority of humanity. In the comfortable surroundings of western civilization, most Americans, Canadians and others fail to realize that the overwhelming majority of human beings have never believed in any form of "Christianity"—let alone the real Christianity of Christ and the Apostles! The vast majority of humans are—and always have been—Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Shintoists, atheists or agnostics. A Very REAL Satan Is Involved If you will study and believe your own Bible, you will find that Satan the devil is described as the one "who deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). You will also find Satan referred to as "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2). For Satan "broadcasts" a selfish, rebellious attitude throughout this earth. He is the one who is influencing deceived men into injecting enormous amounts of licentious sex, violence and a general spirit of disrespect and lawlessness into the so-called "entertainment" you and your children see or hear on television, at the movies, on the radio or when playing various kinds of perverted computer games which simulate almost indescribable acts of perversion or violence. Do you know who is really laughing at all this "fun stuff"? Satan For by perverting mankind’s normal interest in sex and excitement, and by cleverly injecting sick humor into so many of television’s "situation comedies," Satan is able to cleverly mislead mankind into abusing, degrading and ultimately destroying itself if God does not intervene at the last minute to stop it (Matthew 24:21–22). Satan is truly the "god" of this present world! The Apostle Paul was inspired to write, "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Corinthians 4:3–4). Most important of all, Satan has injected into mainstream "Christianity" a whole series of totally false ideas about the origin and destiny of man, of what God is like, of what God’s awesome purpose is, and how we are to achieve that great purpose. Additionally, Satan has confused people about prophecy so much that most professing Christians and even most professing Christian ministers and priests simply throw up their hands and almost totally neglect biblical prophecy. Yet our Creator devotes about one-fourth of the entire Bible to the "sure word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19, KJV). Have you ever looked at traditional Christianity and asked yourself: "Is this religion really based on the Bible? Is this the religion founded by Jesus Christ and taught by His Apostles?" If Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, then his life should be an example for His followers. But practically no one actually follows His example! is! Christianity Without Christ? Instead, mankind has made its own religion that is almost completely different from what Jesus Christ preached and practiced. And they call that religion "Christianity," as if it were connected with Jesus Christ! As the philosopher and theologian Soren Kirkegaard put it: "The Christianity of the New Testament simply does not exist… what has to be done is to throw light upon a criminal offense against Christianity prolonged through centuries, perpetrated by millions (more or less guiltily), whereby they have cunningly, under the guise of perfecting Christianity, sought little by little to cheat God out of Christianity and have succeeded in making Christianity exactly the opposite of what it is in the New Testament" (Attack Upon Christendom, Kirkegaard, 1956, pp. 32–33). Those are strong words, but they are hardly unique. Professor Rufus M. Jones concurs, noting how Christ’s true teachings were quickly detached from the religion bearing His name: "If by any chance Christ Himself had been taken by His later followers as the model and pattern of the new way, and a serious attempt had been made to set up His life and teaching as the standard and norm for the Church, Christianity would have been something vastly different from what it became. Then ‘heresy’ would have been as it is not now, deviation from His way, His teaching, His spirit, His kingdom.… What we may properly call ‘Galilean Christianity’ had a short life, though there have been notable attempts to revive it and make it live again, and here and there spiritual prophets have insisted that anything else other than this simple Galilean religion is ‘heresy’; but the main line of historic development has taken a different course and has marked the emphasis very differently" (The Church’s Debt to Heretics, Jones, 1924, pp. 15–16). We should not be surprised that mankind tried to remake Christianity its own way. Mankind has tried for thousands of years to find its own way. Humanism, materialism, socialism, communism or capitalism—human society has invented so many philosophies in the vain hope of giving meaning to life without God, and creating through human effort a happy and prosperous society on the earth. The truth is clear. Modern "Christianity" has become "vastly different"—as Professor Jones wrote—from the Christianity of Christ! But what has been the result? Nations are almost constantly at war with each other, the rich prosper while the poor starve and disease runs rampant. "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation," wrote Henry David Thoreau. He was right! But neither Thoreau nor most of mankind have had their eyes opened to the solution, the Truth that would fill their lives with meaning and joy and peace. Some might say, "So what?" But this is no small matter we are talking about. Frankly, we are talking about the way to eternal life on the one hand, or eternal death on the other (Romans 6:23). For if you do not have the Christianity of Christ, you have no Christianity whatsoever! Jesus Himself warned, "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" (Matthew 7:21–23). It is important to realize that Christ will say to those failing to do the "will" of the Father: "I never knew you." In plain language, these deceived church goers will be told that they were, in fact, never acquainted with the Christ they claim to serve. They were never really converted. They were never really "Christian"! Again, Jesus said, "But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). A "lord" or "master" is someone you obey. But most professing Christian ministers and their followers do not follow the clear teachings and examples of Jesus and the Apostles. And most of them do not even bother to deeply study their Bibles to find what those teachings and examples are! Restoring Apostolic Christianity The key issue, then, is our desire and willingness to get back to the true Christian faith, "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Are you willing to genuinely try to follow the Christianity of Christ? Or are you willing to "take a chance" in your relationship with God and in your quest for eternal life? Frankly, the "little flock" (Luke 12:32)—the true Church of God—has always understood the need to pattern itself after the teachings and examples of Christ and the Apostles. Although very few have seriously attempted to follow this pattern, many scholars and religious historians have understood the concept of the "Jerusalem Church of God." This is a vital concept to understand if we are sincerely interested in contending "for the faith once delivered." The Apostle Paul was inspired to write to the Thessalonians, "For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 2:14). The book of Acts makes it clear that the earthly "headquarters" Church of God—for many decades—was the Jerusalem Church. It was here that the Holy Spirit was originally poured out on the true Christians (Acts 2). It was here where Peter, James and John carried on most of their ministry for many years (cf. Acts 4:1; 8:1; 11:1–2). Later, it was to the leadership at Jerusalem that Paul and Barnabas came to settle the major question of circumcision for the Gentiles and related questions (Acts 15:4-6). As renowned historian Edward Gibbon wrote: "The first fifteen bishops of Jerusalem were all circumcised Jews; and the congregation over which they presided united the law of Moses with the doctrine of Christ. It was natural that the primitive tradition of a church which was founded only forty days after the death of Christ, and was governed almost as many years under the immediate inspection of his apostle, should be received as the standard of orthodoxy. The distant churches very frequently appealed to the authority of their venerable Parent" (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chap. 15, sec. 1, p. 389). As indicated above, the only major ministerial conference indicated in the New Testament was held at Jerusalem. Here lived the leading original Apostles. Here was the true "mother" church (not Rome!). And it was to Jerusalem Paul and Barnabas had come even earlier, lest, as Paul had put it, "I might run, or had run, in vain" (Galatians 2:1–2). After the major Jerusalem conference, Paul and Silas traveled through Asia Minor visiting the churches: "And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem" (Acts 16:4). Paul Looked to Jerusalem Clearly the original Apostles and the Jerusalem Church of God set the inspired "pattern" for true Christianity—not just for that time—but for all time! Contrary to the heretical Protestant ideas that the Apostle Paul later was used by God to "reinvent" Christianity, the real Apostle Paul of the Bible—as we have seen—constantly showed deep respect for the original Apostles and deferred to the leadership at Jerusalem in all major matters! And it was the Apostle Paul who wrote the primarily Gentile church at Corinth: "Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters" (1 Corinthians 7:19). Noted historian Carl von Weiszäcker wrote in 1895: "Paul was far from confining his interest to the Gentile Christian Church which he had himself founded. His thoughts were much too lofty to leave Jewish Christianity to itself. He toiled not merely for his own work, but for the Church of God… the whole Church. He never forgot for a moment the true birthplace of the gospel. And for him the Christians in Jerusalem were always the [saints].… He did not however merely entertain a grand policy of ecclesiastical union, but his first and constant thought was that the primitive Church was the foremost divine institution under the Gospel.… In the early Apostles he saw… the Apostles of the Lord. From them the testimony of the Resurrection emanated (1 Corinthians 15:1 ff.). They were ever the apostles, whom God had placed at the head of His Church, the first of those divinely commissioned men who held the leading office in the Body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:28) (The Apostolic Age of the Christian Church, pp. 12–13). Later in Paul’s ministry, he traveled again to Jerusalem: "And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present" (Acts 21:17–18). Notice that Paul presented himself to James, the Lord’s brother, who by now was undoubtedly the chief Apostle at Jerusalem—Peter probably having gone to the "lost sheep" of the house of Israel in northwest Europe and the British Isles. After rejoicing in the good news Paul brought about God’s Work among the Gentiles, the Jerusalem leadership told Paul: "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law" (v. 20). The term "myriad" literally means "tens of thousands." So as not to confuse or discourage these many Jewish Christians, Paul was asked by the Jerusalem Church to go through an offering ceremony to publicly demonstrate that he was not teaching in any way against God’s laws. The Jerusalem leaders exhorted Paul: "Take these men along and be purified with them and pay all the expenses connected with the shaving of their heads. This will let everyone know there is no truth in the reports they have heard about you and that you still regularly observe the Law" (v. 24, Jerusalem Bible). If Paul had in fact been teaching against God’s Law in any way—especially the spiritual law containing the Ten Commandments—he most certainly would not have gone through this ceremony of the law of Moses! That particular ceremony—probably a thanks offering at the conclusion of the Nazarite vow—was not necessary for a New Testament Christian. But it was not "sinful" either! And Paul’s deep respect for God’s Law, for the original mother church and the pattern of obedience to God’s Law—all this guided Paul in his decision to go ahead and participate in this ceremony. By guiding Paul in this—and putting this example in the Bible—God is showing all of us that Paul’s approach was one of obedience to law, not one who tried to do away with or "reason around" God’s spiritual laws as so many Protestant theologians teach! What Did Christ Do on Earth? Nearly all professing Christians understand that in order to be an acceptable sacrifice for mankind’s sins, Jesus Christ had to keep the Law perfectly. But what law did He keep, and what did He expect of His followers? Here is how Christ Himself described His mission: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:17–20). Many Christians do not grasp the importance of those words. Christ said that not "one jot or one tittle" (the tiniest marks in the Hebrew script) of the law would pass from the law until heaven and earth pass away. Since heaven and earth have not passed away, we must understand that the law remains. And Christ condemned those who would falsely teach men to break even the "least of these commandments." Rather, He explained that those who both do and teach the commandments will be called "great" in the kingdom of heaven! Did His "fulfilling" the law somehow change these commands? Or did they change after Christ’s resurrection? No! Heaven and earth did not pass away at His resurrection. And we must understand what He meant when He said that he would "fulfill" the law. One scholar explains His words as follows: "Did [Jesus] fill or fulfill the [Law]? The common word plerôsai means ‘to fill.’ At [Matthew] 5:17 most translations render it ‘to fulfill.’ The theological implications often drawn are that [Jesus] fulfilled all the prophecies of the [Old Testament] pertaining to the Jews, so that none remain for them now; and that he kept the [Law] perfectly, so that no one need obey it today. But these conclusions do not follow logically, and in fact they contradict [Jesus’] immediately preceding statement that he did not come to abolish (or destroy) the [Law]. More fundamental for translation, however, is the question of whether plerôsai in this verse should be rendered ‘to fulfill’ at all. [This] translator’s view is that [Jesus] came to fill the [Law] and the ethical pronouncements of the Prophets full with their complete meaning, so that everyone can know all that obedience entails. For this reason the Jewish New Testament says that [Jesus] came ‘not to abolish but to complete.’ In fact, this is the subject of the entire Sermon on the Mount; and [Matthew] 5:17, understood in this way, is its theme sentence" (Jewish New Testament, Stern, 1995, pp. xxii–xxiii). In other words, Jesus came, as Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 42:21), to "magnify" God’s law and to show its fullest intent and purpose. What Jesus Christ sought to abolish were the abuses of the law, and the man-made traditions that perverted the law. His sacrificial death, foreshadowed by the temple sacrifices, made those animal sacrifices and washings irrelevant for Christians. But His life showed that the spiritual law—the Ten Commandments—was and would remain relevant for those seeking to obey Him. One cannot properly understand His teachings without understanding the Old Testament scriptures and the law they contain, as noted by Frederick Holmgren: "The Old Testament brings gifts to the Christian tradition. One of those gifts is the Torah (the Law).… Jesus embraced the Torah of Moses; he came not to end it but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17)—to carry its teachings forward. Further, to those who came to him seeking eternal life, he held it up as the essential teaching to be observed (Luke 10:25–28). Despite Jesus’ conflict with some interpreters of his day, both Jewish and Christian scholars see him as one who honored and followed the Law. When Jesus proclaims the coming rule of God, he speaks nowhere in detail about the inner character of this rule. He does not need to because that has already been described in the Old Testament.… The Old Testament is not an antiquated Scripture; its life-giving teachings are needed by the church" (Frederick C. Holmgren, "Preaching the Gospel Without Anti-Judaism," Removing Anti-Judaism from the Pulpit, ed. Howard Clark Kee and Irvin J. Borowski, 1996, pp. 72–73). Indeed, Jesus Christ taught from the Old Testament, and He lived by it, as did His followers. What Did the Apostles Teach? We have seen that Jesus Christ plainly upheld God’s law. Yet some churches falsely accuse the Apostles—especially the Apostle Paul—of teaching that Christians need no longer follow Jesus Christ’s example. Indeed, even in Apostolic times we see that some were twisting Paul’s words for their purposes (cf. 2 Peter 3:16). Yet when writing to the young evangelist Timothy, Paul plainly reminded him "that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:15–16). When Timothy was a child, the "Holy Scriptures" he knew were the Old Testament scriptures. Most of the New Testament books did not yet exist! Paul says that these Old Testament scriptures are "able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Paul saw no conflict between Old Testament scripture and Christian faith and practice, and confirmed that all Scripture (including the Old Testament) is profitable for doctrine and for instruction in righteousness. These are not the words of someone teaching that the God’s Old Testament laws have been done away! The Apostle Paul instructed Christians: "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). The Apostle John observed: "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:6). These two, like all the Apostles, knew that Jesus Christ came to show the perfect example, and that Christians ought to follow His example, strengthened by the Holy Spirit. This was the commonplace understanding in the Apostle Paul’s day, as Christianity spread across the Roman Empire. "Everywhere, especially in the East of the Roman Empire, there would be Jewish Christians whose outward way of life would not be markedly different from that of the Jews. They took for granted that the gospel was continuous with [the religion of Moses]; for them the New Covenant, which Jesus had set up at the Last Supper with His disciples… did not mean that the covenant made between God and Israel was no longer in force. They still observed the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles; they also continued to be circumcised, to keep the weekly Sabbath and the Mosaic regulations concerning food. According to some scholars, they must have been so strong that right up to the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 they were the dominant element in the Christian movement" (Judeo-christianisme, "Paul and Jewish Christianity," Davies, 1972, p. 72, quoted in Bacchiocchi, From Sabbath to Sunday, p. 151). So for about the first 40 years of Christianity, guided by the Holy Spirit, the "dominant element" in the Church of God was still following Christ’s example of keeping the weekly and annual Sabbaths commanded by God. They were still following the example set by the Jerusalem Church of God! Who dared to change all of that? As we have seen, it was not the Apostle Paul. It was certainly not any of the original 12 Apostles. Rather, as the time period—which is fittingly called the "Dark Ages"—began to get underway, misguided false religious leaders began to change virtually everything that had made the Christian religion totally different from the pagan cults of the Roman Empire. Some wrongly teach that after Jerusalem fell and the Temple was destroyed in 70ad, Christians were no longer to keep the law as had Jesus Christ and the Apostles. So it is important to note that the Apostle John, the last surviving Apostle, wrote the book of Revelation after the Temple was destroyed. And in that book, he upheld the law of God! "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city" (Revelation 22:14). John heard these words from God, and knew the importance of obeying Him: "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations" (Revelation 2:26). Clearly, Christians were keeping the law, living just as Jesus Christ did, long after the Temple was destroyed! Scholars concur. "The first Christians continued to observe the Jewish festivals [the biblically-taught festivals], though in a new spirit, as commemorations of events which those festivals had foreshadowed" (Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed., vol. 8, p. 828). What Was Apostolic Christianity Really Like? Most professing Christians today have no idea what first century Christianity was really like! Yet for decades—long after the cross and the reception of the Holy Spirit—the true Christians all believed and practiced a way of life and worship totally different from professing Christianity today! How was it different? As we saw earlier from Professor Davies, the early Christians "took for granted that the gospel was continuous with [the religion of Moses]; for them the New Covenant, which Jesus had set up at the Last Supper with His disciples… did not mean that the covenant made between God and Israel was no longer in force. They still observed the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles; they also continued to be circumcised, to keep the weekly Sabbath and the Mosaic regulations concerning food." Subtly, but surely, Satan the devil has deceived most of today’s professing ministers into believing that Christianity was a "brand new religion"—seemingly cut off from the Old Testament and the teaching God gave through Moses. And although some may not be consciously aware of it, a definite anti-Jewish bias crept into early Christianity and has continued to this day! But the biblical and historical facts show that Christianity was a continuation—an enlargement and "magnification" of the teachings God gave through Moses—not something brand new! As the Apostle Paul was inspired in the New Testament to explain to the Gentile Christians at Ephesus: "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2:19–20). So a basic part of the very "foundation" of Christianity was the writings and teachings of the Old Testament prophets—those writings which Christ and the Apostles referred to as "Scripture" again and again! For Jesus Christ was a circumcised Jew (Luke 2:21–22; Hebrews 7:14). It was Jesus’ "custom" to keep the seventh-day Sabbath—right along with the other Jews (Luke 4:16). Far from abrogating God’s Sabbath, Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for "man"—not just the Jews, and that He was "Lord" of the Sabbath. So the Sabbath is, in fact, the true "Lord’s Day" as far as a day of rest and worship is concerned! Long after the crucifixion, it was the Apostle Paul’s "custom" also to keep the seventh-day Sabbath (Acts 17:2). We also find Paul observing the annual biblical festivals such as Pentecost (1 Corinthians 16:8), Passover and Unleavened Bread (1 Corinthians 5:7–8) and other festivals. The true Church of God—named "Church of God" 12 times in the New Testament—was itself started on the Day of Pentecost, one of the seven annual Sabbaths God gave Israel. At His second coming, Christ Himself will return at the "seventh trump" (Revelation 11:15)—pictured by the Feast of Trumpets, another one of the biblical Holy Days. And the Living Jesus Christ, who inspired the entire Bible, also inspired His servant Zechariah to explain that after Christ’s second coming the whole world will be observing the Feast of Tabernacles! (read carefully the entire 14th chapter of Zechariah). Also, during the soon-coming Millennial reign of Christ, Isaiah tells us, "‘And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the Lord" (Isaiah 66:23). So true Christians who observe the biblical Sabbaths and biblical festivals are, in fact, "pioneers." They are not only following the "pattern" of Apostolic Christianity, but are "pioneering" the Way which all nations will soon be learning in tomorrow’s world! For example, the seventh-day Sabbath pictures the reign of Christ during the coming seventh millennium of human history. It is the "rest" which God commanded from the beginning (Hebrews 4:4). That is why Paul was inspired to write, "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God" (v. 9). It is important to realize that the Greek word here translated "rest" is sabbatismos—the "keeping of a Sabbath"—whereas katapausin is the normal Greek word for taking rest and is the word used throughout the rest of Hebrews 4. Incidentally, if you would like full, documented proof that Christians today should keep the biblical Sabbath, then write for our powerful and absolutely vital booklet, Which Day is the Christian Sabbath? It will be sent to you at no charge upon your request. Just write or call us at the address nearest you listed at the end of this booklet. God’s Sabbath and His annual Holy Days picture His great Plan. But true Apostolic Christianity, of course, involves far more than keeping the biblical Sabbaths. As we have already intimated, it involves an entire Way based on Jesus’ example and His teaching, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God" (Luke 4:4). of life of life Jesus MAGNIFIED God’s Law In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus certainly did not "do away" with God’s spiritual law (Matthew 5:17). Rather, He "magnified" the Ten Commandments. He explained that we must not only refrain from killing other human beings, we must not even look on them with contempt or hatred (vv. 20–23), as that is the "spirit" of murder. We are not to "hate" even our enemies. As Jesus said clearly: "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (v. 44). We are never to commit adultery. But, as Jesus clearly said: "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (vv. 27–28). The early Christians were taught that they should give in a very private manner—not showing off, or having a big "foundation" in their own name to perpetuate their honor in the giving (Matthew 6:1–4). True Christians were to pray and privately—not showing off their oratorical skills before men or using certain words or phrases over and over in "vain repetition" (vv. 5–13). And true Christians certainly would fast regularly (vv. 16–18), following biblical examples of doing without food and water in order to humble the self and get closer to the invisible God as Jesus did (Matthew 4), Moses did (Deuteronomy 9:9, 18) and the Apostle Paul did (Acts 9:9). In our materialistic age, we need to understand that the original Christians did not allow themselves to be overcome by the desires for money, or material things as most professing Christians do today (Matthew 6:19–20). As Jesus later warned His followers: "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful" (Matthew 13:22). Rather, as the book of Acts explains: "Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common" (Acts 4:32). First century Christianity was squarely based on the teachings of the "law and prophets"—except for those animal sacrifices and washings which pre-figured the sacrifice of Christ and the cleansing of the Holy Spirit. These sacrifices and washings were made obsolete (Hebrews 9:9–12). But the spiritual laws of God were never done away. Rather, as Jesus’ beloved disciple John was inspired to write: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). regularly A View of Apostolic Christianity If you could somehow "look in on" true Christianity during the first century and even beyond, what would you see? You would see a group of dedicated believers in Jesus as the promised Messiah. You would see a community of believers to whom the God of Israel, the God of Creation, was real. For these people would not just talk about the person of Jesus Christ. They would do With Christ living in them through the promised Holy Spirit, they would keep all ten of the Ten Commandments as a way As they learned to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18), there would be in their community no crime—no murder, rape, robbery or assault. No fornication or adultery. And except in rare incidents of sexual misconduct, there would be no divorce and remarriage (Matthew 5:32). Obviously, such Christians would have in their society no pornography and no gross sex and violence of any kind in their "entertainment"—whether in books, plays, or (among today’s Christians) television, movies, computer games or the Internet. Rather, all these dedicated, wholesome families would be obeying their "Lord," not just using His name while they contradicted by their lifestyle everything He taught (Luke 6:46). They would be resting and worshiping God on the seventh-day Sabbath as He commanded—constantly being reminded by this biblical day of worship that the true God is the Creator of all that is (Exodus 20:8–11). True Apostolic Christians, for instance, would never be found fighting or butchering their fellow Christians—as has happened over and over again in the last few centuries in France, Belgium, Germany and Italy. In first century Christianity, the members of God’s Church never prayed to dead, so-called "saints" or to idols. They never worshiped the Virgin Mary. Of course, they understood that as a normal wife, Mary had at least six other children by her husband after Jesus’ supernatural birth had taken place (Matthew 13:55–56). In first century Christianity, the dedicated ministers and elders in the Church of God were primarily husbands and fathers (1 Timothy 3:1–5; Titus 1:5–9). They were taught that in "latter times" some would be deceived by "doctrines of demons" into thinking it was wrong for men—certainly including ministers or priests—to marry (1 Timothy 4:1–3). Meeting regularly in plain surroundings on the day God made holy, His Sabbath, God’s ministers were instructed: "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Timothy 4:2–4). Indeed, as we have seen, mankind has been turned aside to "fables." Today, in dark, dank, foreboding cathedrals, priests and ministers in strange-looking "Mother Hubbard" gowns go through incomprehensible rituals, chant prayers and responsive readings—and expound the Bible itself very seldom. They have very little to say about the way which Christ and the Apostles taught or about the one-fourth of the Bible which was prophetic, or about the true purpose which God is working out here on earth. As the New Testament makes plain, first century Christians would be "feeding on Christ" (John 6:57) by constant study of the Bible. Remember God’s description of the Bereans? "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). First century Christians, then, would be trying sincerely, with God’s promised help, to live by every Word of God. They would be following Christ’s example of obedience to God’s laws—not the ways, the rituals or the religious festivals learned from the pagans around them. Again, they would not only believe in the person of Jesus Christ, but they would believe and practice what He taught: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23). And they would believe what the Apostle John wrote near the end of the Apostolic Age: "Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father" (1 John 2:24). Most first century Christians would have deeply understood the fundamental teaching of the Apostle Paul: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20, KJV). The Bible makes it clear that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). So true Christians—through Christ living in them—would be obeying the Ten Commandments as Jesus did, keeping the seventh-day Sabbath and biblical Holy Days as Jesus did and following the entire way modeled by Jesus Christ and the original Apostolic Church. As they worshiped together, sang together and served one another, they would have been filled with love—with worship and adoration toward the Great God, and with kindness and out-flowing concern toward one another. For Christ would be living within them His loving, serving and obedient life. And they would be filled with and led by God’s Spirit (Romans 8:14). That very love of God flows down the riverbed of the Ten Commandments. As Jesus’ beloved Apostle explains: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). of life the Scriptures daily of life of life. what He commanded. HOW Was the Truth Lost? Some teach that their denomination was given the authority to change Christ’s teachings, and that by this authority its members need no longer obey Christ’s commandments or follow His example. The largest professing Christian sect calls itself both universal and Apostolic, and claims to trace its human leadership back to the Apostle Peter, from whom it claims the authority to change biblical doctrines, even though Peter himself never did so. Sincere members of that church would be shocked to learn that many of those who today call themselves Christians can trace their faith not to Peter, but to Simon Magus, mentioned in Acts 8! This Simon Magus was at the heart of the apostasy that turned much of the Apostolic Church away from Christ’s teachings. Scripture recounts that all of Samaria gave heed to Simon Magus as someone great, calling him "the great power of God" (Acts 8:9–10). That phrase represents Simon’s "claim to be the bearer of divine revelation" (The New Testament Environment, Lohse, p. 269). Simon received baptism and became a nominal Christian, but the Apostle Peter recognized Simon as being "poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity" (Acts 8:23). Simon’s Samaritan religion was also greatly influenced by Greek philosophy, and early Christian writers reviled him. Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity notes: "Early Christian writers regarded Simon as the fount of all heresies" (p. 100). The Encyclopaedia Britannica (11th ed.) in its article on Simon Magus identifies him as the "founder of a school of Gnostics and as a father of heresy." Noted historian Edward Gibbon says the Gnostics "blended with the faith of Christ many sublime but obscure tenets which they derived from oriental philosophy" (The Triumph of Christendom in the Roman Empire, p. 15). Simon Magus and others sought to create a syncretistic faith, mixing popular devotions with their philosophies, and adding a covering of Christ’s words, to create a religion that could win mass acceptance. As noted historian Will Durant wrote: "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it. The Greek mind, dying, came to a transmigrated life in the theology and liturgy of the Church; the Greek language, having reigned for centuries over philosophy, became the vehicle of Christian literature and ritual; the Greek mysteries passed down into the impressive mystery of the Mass. Other pagan cultures contributed to the syncretist result. From Egypt came the ideas of a divine trinity… and a personal immortality of reward and punishment; from Egypt the adoration of the Mother and Child, and the mystic theosophy that made Neoplatonism and Gnosticism, and obscured the Christian creed; there, too, Christian monasticism would find its exemplars and its source. From Phrygia came the worship of the Great Mother; from Syria the resurrection drama of Adonis; from Thrace, perhaps, the cult of Dionysus, the dying and saving god.… The Mithraic ritual so closely resembled the eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass that Christian fathers charged the Devil with inventing these similarities to mislead frail minds. Christianity was the last great creation of the ancient pagan world.… [The Eucharist] was a conception long sanctified by time; the pagan mind needed no schooling to receive it; by embodying the ‘mystery of the Mass,’ Christianity became the last and greatest of the mystery religions" (The Story of Civilization, Vol. 5, Durant, pp. 595, 599). In the fourth century after Christ, the Roman emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as his religion. More properly, one might say that he "adapted" it, since the original Apostolic Christianity was dramatically transformed under his imperial influence. Under Constantine’s direction, the Council of Nicaea was held in 325ad. Though he had not yet been baptized, Constantine presided over the council’s opening session and took part in its discussions, believing that it was his duty as emperor to oversee the establishment of doctrine for the church. But was Constantine presiding over the council as a former pagan now turned Christian, or did he use the Council of Nicaea to infuse his pagan background into what would become "official" Christianity? Respected historian Paul Johnson has observed the following regarding Constantine’s religious views: "There is some doubt about the magnitude of Constantine’s change of ideas.… He himself appears to have been a sun-worshipper, one of a number of late-pagan cults which had observances in common with the Christians. Thus the followers of Isis adored a madonna nursing her holy child; the cult of Attis and Cybele celebrated a day of blood and fasting, followed by the Hilaria resurrection-feast, a day of joy, on 25 March; the elitist Mithraics, many of whom were senior army officers, ate a sacred meal. Constantine was almost certainly a Mithraic, and his triumphal arch, built after his ‘conversion,’ testifies to the Sun-god, or ‘unconquered sun.’ Many Christians did not make a clear distinction between this sun-cult and their own. They referred to Christ ‘driving his chariot across the sky,’ they held their services on Sunday, knelt towards the East and had their nativity-feast on 25 December, the birthday of the sun at the winter solstice. During the later pagan revival under the Emperor Julian many Christians found it easy to apostatize because of this confusion; the Bishop of Troy told Julian he had always prayed secretly to the sun. Constantine never abandoned sun-worship and kept the sun on his coins. He made Sunday into a day of rest.…" (A History of Christianity, Johnson, 1976, pp. 67–69). If you read the above historical quotes carefully, you will understand that—during the appropriately named "Dark Ages"—nearly all the aspects of paganism were introduced into professing Christianity. False concepts of the "mystery of the mass," the worship of the Virgin Mary patterned directly after the worship of the pagan goddesses, the idea of a "little Lord Jesus" being born on December 25, calling it "Christmas" and connecting it with all the pagan rituals of the Saturnalia—all these false concepts and more were woven into what became "mainstream" Christianity. Centuries later, the Protestant "reformers" were able to see a few of the problems of this Roman religion. But most of these pagan concepts were so thoroughly inculcated into their minds that the reformers made only a very few "surface" changes. The "Reformation" Reformed Very Little Martin Luther—the "father" of the Reformation—and other reformers still held hostile attitudes against all things "Jewish," including the Sabbath of Jesus Christ, the annual festivals and, in fact, literal obedience to the Ten Commandments. That is one reason Martin Luther presumptuously added something to God’s own Word! In Luther’s translation of the New Testament, he deliberately added the word "alone" to Romans 3:28. Luther was so adamant against the necessity of obeying God’s law—confusing it perhaps with Catholic canon law and Catholic rituals—that he added a word to God’s inspired revelation! Romans 3:28 in the New King James Version reads: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law." Luther added the word "alone" (sola in Latin) so that in his German-language New Testament the phrase became "justified by faith alone"—a plainly wrong change without support in the text. When one critic raised an objection to his changing Scripture, Luther haughtily replied: "Should your Pope give himself any useless annoyance about the word sola, you may promptly reply: ‘It is the will of Dr. Martin Luther that it should be so.’" (John Alzog, Manual of Universal Church History, Dublin: M.H. Gill and Son, 1902, p. 199). And, we may add on good authority, no other reason for such unscriptural changes as these was ever given. When it came to Luther’s own personal doctrinal convictions, Martin Luther was truly a self-willed man. His third tractate of 1520, On Christian Liberty, asserts that a Christian man is spiritually subject to no man or to any law. He contended that since we are justified by faith alone, we are no longer under obligation to keep the law of God. And, as is well known, Luther called the book of James an "epistle of straw" because James clearly taught the necessity of obedience to the Ten Commandments! Notice James 2:10–12: "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty." It is exceedingly clear in this passage of inspired Scripture that James is talking about the ten "points" of the Ten Commandments. He tells Christians to keep the whole law. James then concludes by teaching New Testament Christians to "speak and to do" as those who will be judged by God’s law. So although often sincere, the Protestant reformers carried over most of the anti-law, anti-obedience attitudes they had come to adopt in their rebellion against "Mother Rome." Yet, like Rome, they were still involved in a paganized system of false doctrines, wrong Holy Days and false concepts of God, which God Himself describes in Revelation 17:4–5: "The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." As this form of "Christianity" became the state religion, masses of former pagans "converted." Many did so out of convenience rather than conviction, and kept their old beliefs privately. Others came to the new syncretistic faith uneducated in its beliefs, and able to receive only the most basic instruction. A PAGANIZED "Christianity" The church gained from Constantine and the Empire not just new doctrines, but new organization. Rome had a long-standing imperial cult, and its practices found a home in this compromised Christianity. Will Durant observes: "Christianity… grew by the absorption of pagan faith and ritual; it became a triumphant Church by inheriting the organizing patterns and genius of Rome.… As Judea had given Christianity ethics, and Greece had given it theology, so now Rome gave it organization; all these, with a dozen absorbed and rival faiths, entered into the Christian synthesis. It was not merely that the Church took over some religious customs and forms common in pre-Christian Rome—the stole and other vestments of pagan priests, the use of incense and holy water in purifications, the burning of candles and an everlasting light before the altar, the worship of the saints, the architecture of the basilica, the law of Rome as a basis for canon law, the title of Pontifex Maximus for the Supreme Pontiff, and, in the fourth century, the Latin language as the noble and enduring vehicle of Catholic ritual. The Roman gift was above all a vast framework of government, which, as secular authority failed, became the structure of ecclesiastical rule. Soon the bishops, rather than the Roman prefects, would be the source of order and the seat of power in the cities; the metropolitans, or archbishops, would support, if not supplant, the provincial governors; and the synod of bishops would succeed the provincial assembly. The Roman Church followed in the footsteps of the Roman state; it conquered the provinces, beautified the capital, and established discipline and unity from frontier to frontier. Rome died in giving birth to the Church; the Church matured by inheriting and accepting the responsibilities of Rome" (The Story of Civilization, Vol. 5, Durant, pp. 575, 618–619). As new and false elements were added to this "Christianity," the authentic elements were crowded out. Sometimes this occurred because of anti-Semitic feelings. Since Jesus Christ was physically from the tribe of Judah, many Gnostics denied His bodily appearance—they refused to accept that their God had been from this much-despised tribe. Others perverted Christ’s teachings because they hated the nation from which those teachings came. They knew that Christians kept the "Jewish" Holy Days and adhered to other practices that pagan observers found offensive. Early church historian Eusebius wrote of those who, holding this sentiment, sought to replace the New Testament Passover that Christ kept with the Easter festival drawn from Ishtar-worship: "It appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast we should follow the practice of the Jews [of keeping Passover on the 14th of Nisan], who have impiously defiled their hands with enormous sin, and are, therefore, deservedly afflicted with blindness of soul.… Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Savior a different way.… Beloved brethren, let us with one consent adopt this course, and withdraw ourselves from all participation in their baseness.… For how should they be capable of forming a sound judgment, who, since their… guilt in slaying their Lord, have been subject to the direction, not of reason, but of… every impulse of the mad spirit that is in them?… Strive and pray continually that the purity of your soul may not seem in anything to be sullied by fellowship with the custom of these most wicked men.… All should unite in desiring that which sound reason appears to demand, avoiding all participation in the perjured conduct of the Jews" (Eusebius, The Life of Constantine, bk. 3, chaps. 18–19, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 1979, vol. 1, pp. 524–525). A Far "Different" Way Yes, many taught that "we have received from our Savior a different way." But that way is not found in the Bible. Instead, it is found in the customs of the Greeks and Romans and other European converts who adopted Christianity on the surface but kept their old ways. With the passage of time, these old ways overwhelmed the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles, as discussed by John Romer below: "Subtly, so subtly that the bishops themselves had not seen them, the old gods had entered their churches like the air of the Mediterranean. And they live still in Christian ritual, in the iconography and the festivals of Christianity. When Julian arrived in Antioch in 362… the great Christian city was in mourning, bewailing in the Levantine manner the annual death of Adonis, Venus’s beautiful lover. At Ephesus, though the sanctuary of Diana, goddess of the city, was taken down… her statues were carefully buried in dry sand. And when the Third Council of the church assembly at Ephesus solemnly voted that henceforth the Virgin Mary should be honoured with the title of Theotokos, the God-bearer, Ephesus, itself for centuries the city of the virgin hunter Diana, became the city of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. In Egypt, too, the ancient sign of life, the ankh, which the gods had carried in their sculptures for thousands of years, was easily transformed into the Christian cross; the figure of Isis nursing her child Horus, Isis Lactans, became the figure of the Virgin with Jesus at her breast.… At Rome, Romulus and Remus were swapped for the biblical saints Peter and Paul. And still in the fifth century, the Pope had to stop the early morning congregation of St Peter’s from walking up the church steps backwards so as not to offend Sol, the rising sun god. Similarly, 25 December, now Christ’s birthday, was also the day of Sol Invictus’ festival and Constantine’s birthday. This festival was celebrated by cutting green branches and hanging little lights on them, and presents were given out in the god’s name. Sol’s weekly festival Sol-day—Sunday—became the Christian Sabbath. Just as Apollo of Delphi had made a beautiful transformation to become the Roman Sol Invictus, so later he became a Christ of the sun. All three of them are sometimes pictured in their fiery chariots… with… radiant haloes" (Testament: The Bible and History, Romer, 1988, pp. 230–31). So we can see that true Christianity has been opposed from the very beginning by those who would turn it away from the true God whose commandments Jesus Christ upheld. But many of today’s professing Christians do not realize just where those commandments came from, and who proclaimed them on Mount Sinai. The God of the Old Testament In Matthew 22:42–45, Jesus challenged the religious leaders: "‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The Son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him "Lord," saying: "The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’"? If David then calls Him "Lord," how is He his Son?’" The Pharisees were not able to answer. For they knew that King David of Israel certainly had no human "lord." This scripture had to be describing two personalities in God’s Family—one greater than the other. And, as should be obvious to us, David’s immediate "Lord"—the one who later became Jesus of Nazareth—was told to sit at the right hand of the Father until it was time for Him to become King of kings. Yet the Jews had known that the coming Messiah was to be a literal "son of David." How could this one also be David’s "Lord," but have a still "greater" Lord telling Him what to do? In 1 Corinthians 10:1–4, we read that ancient Israel was baptized into Moses and they all "ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ." Again, it is clear—as a number of Bible commentaries acknowledge—that the spirit Personality who dealt with ancient Israel was the One who became Christ. For, as we have seen, Jesus said that "no one" had ever seen "God"—obviously meaning the One we call the Father. Yet, right after giving the Ten Commandments and some of the statutes to ancient Israel, we find that the "God of Israel" did indeed appear to some of Israel’s leaders! "Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank" (Exodus 24:9–11). So more than 70 of the leaders of Israel "saw the God of Israel"—not God the Father, but the "Word" who later became Jesus Christ (John 1:1–12). Could anything be more clear? It was the One who became Jesus Christ who literally walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He was the One who dealt directly with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was the One who spoke "face to face" with Moses (Numbers 12:8). He was the One who spoke the Ten Commandments from the top of Mount Sinai! He was the One who commanded the seventh-day Sabbath. If all professing Christians were taught the truth that the One who became their Savior is the One who gave the Ten Commandments, perhaps their actions would be quite different. The world would be a much safer place! All would realize that true Christianity is a law abiding religion—a way of life based on the great spiritual law of God. They would learn that—although no one is suddenly perfect, and we are commanded to grow in Christ’s character—it is possible to follow Christ’s inspired example through His Spirit within us. How Can a Christian Live as Christ Did? The Bible makes it plain that Christians are to keep God’s commandments. The Apostle John wrote: "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:3–6). But how can Christians walk "just as He walked"? If Jesus Christ had to come and give His life because all have violated God’s law, how can anyone keep that law? Again, perhaps the most concise explanation was given by the Apostle Paul. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20, KJV). A Christian does not obey the law on his own, but through the power of Christ living in Him. Paul goes on to emphasize that law-keeping comes through the grace of God, and that law-keeping does not earn grace. "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain" (Galatians 2:21). With God’s grace, a converted Christian will keep the law; but without that grace, no amount of effort will bring righteousness and salvation. What Should a Christian Do? One can recognize a true Christian as someone striving, through Christ’s help, to live by every word of God (cf. Matthew 4:4). "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). By yielding to Jesus Christ, the fruits of the Spirit will become more and more evident in a Christian’s life. A Christian is more than someone who "knows" the truth. The Gnostics believed that "knowledge" brought salvation, and some today would deny that one has to "do" anything as a faithful Christian. Yet Scripture gives a very different instruction: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Christians are to do as Christ did. In the "Great Commission" He instructed His followers: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19–20). Christians are to take His message to "all the nations" and teach "all things" that He commanded! They were not to change His message so much that it is today almost unrecognizable! Sadly, many who call themselves Christians today—even commandment-keeping Christians—have turned inward. Saying that they must "prepare the bride" (the Church) for Christ’s return, they neglect the Bridegroom’s instructions. How can the Church "prepare" for His coming by neglecting His instruction to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all nations? (Matthew 24:14). It cannot! That is why the Living Church of God has sent you this booklet, and why we print booklets, magazines, a Bible study course and other publications. It is why we broadcast the Tomorrow’s World telecast. It is why we use the Internet and other tools that God provides to do His work as He opens doors for His Message to be given to the world as a witness before He returns! It is important that all our readers fully recognize that those of us in this Work—those of us on the staff of the Tomorrow’s World magazine, of the Tomorrow’s World television program and, indeed, all of us involved in this Work of the Living Church of God—are all dedicated to the task of restoring Apostolic Christianity! As you read our articles and booklets, and as you view the Tomorrow’s World program, it is vital that you recognize "where we are coming from." For we intend to continue to preach and teach the same message that Jesus and the early Apostles did. We intend to restore—in all of its spiritual aspects—the way of life that Jesus and the Apostles lived and taught. Also, guided by God’s Spirit, we will continue to preach the inspired prophecies of the Bible and warn those willing to listen of what lies ahead. As the time of God’s intervention in human affairs and the soon-coming Great Tribulation approaches, it is absolutely vital that you and your loved ones make sure that you truly belong to Jesus Christ—the Christ of the Bible—that you are worshiping God "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23), and that you are part of the true Church of God which teaches and practices Apostolic Christianity: the Christianity of Jesus and the original Apostles. "He who has an ear, let him hear" (Revelation 3:13).

Herbert W. Armstrong was ahead of his time!

I'm often accosted by some who mindlessly cut and paste a list of Herbert W. Armstrong's "failed prophecies."

I respond Herbert Armstrong was ahead of his time and served as an early warning system. What follows is one of these many exchanges:

...is it really enough to dismiss this written record as "being ahead of his time?"

Yes. Why don't you just be honest and admit you hate Herbert W. Armstrong because he spoke the plain truth that CANNOT be refuted? that your traditional Churchianity is merely baptized paganism the Bible condemns as part of Mystery Babylon? For exposing your SUNday as a pagan counterfeit of the biblical Sabbath; your pagan holidays you've sought with your replacement theology to replace the biblical festivals; that sheeple like you bleat they're born again and don't have a clue what they're talking about, since we're born again at the Resurrection only; that God is not the sadist traditional Christians make Him out to be; that the meek inherit the Earth -- not float off to Heaven; that you're not an immortal soul, eternal life is a gift from God; the wicked will be destroyed, ashes under our feet; we can become literal God-beings, members of the Kingdom-Family of God?

Why don't you just confess and forsake your sins of murderous hatred against HWA for slaughtering your "sacred cow" and exposing it as religious bull from Babylon?

Haven't I refuted Herbert Armstrong by showing his timing was off?

No. The apostle Paul also thought Christ would return in his lifetime. He was ahead of his time, as he, like Herbert W. Armstrong, later realized.

The enemies of God and Herbert W. Armstrong can't refute the plain truth of the Bible that anybody can read and see for themselves. That's why they have such a murderous hatred against Christ in him, just like the "religious" violently opposed Jesus for standing up for the TRUTH over their tradition.

May such misguided folks repent of their mob mentality against God's servants, and learn to go against popular error instead and start teaching the plain truth of the Bible (that contradicts their present idolatrous traditions). Otherwise they'll die in their sins and traditional darkness (John 15:22).

...by what criteria did he speak truth?

Mr. Armstrong spoke the plain truth by the criteria of the Bible that counterfeit Christianity has rejected for their own traditions. The Bereans were noble for checking out what Paul said compared to THE BIBLE - not compared to their traditions (Acts 17:11).

...are you denying he said the things I posted?

I said Herbert Armstrong was ahead of his time. The PRINCIPLES of prophecy he spoke of remain absolutely true: a final revival of the unholy Roman Empire is prophesied and the EU is forging ahead with that Frankenstein Monster now.

I'm stating categorically that what you've thrown up against Herbert Armstrong is a DIVERSIONARY TACTIC, a dishonest attempt to discredit him, since you can't refute the black and white of the Bible he taught on the plain points I've made and you know it. Who do you think you're fooling by such pretense? God? Man? Why play your foolish games?

Proof that you're offering lame excuses is because every one of your popular traditional ministers or groups have taught and said worse things that, unlike HWA, aren't even true according to biblical prophecy, such as Russia attacking America (when Mr. Armstrong alone warned it will ultimately be a German-led Europe that attacks us that even some Protestants now agree is true) and yet we never see you get all hot and bothered about them or post against them or call them false prophets. Why your glaring double standard? Perhaps you're too blind to see it yourself, but now that it's been brought to your attention, prayerfully think about it and see this is the plain truth.

"For exposing your SUNday as a pagan counterfeit of the biblical Sabbath; your pagan holidays you've sought with your replacement theology to replace the biblical festivals" --

I believe Judaizers were addressed by Paul, not by me.

According to your vain traditions and popular error, Paul would be a Judaizer since he kept and taught the biblical Sabbath and festivals, just like Jesus did and will command all nations to keep when He returns and reigns in Jerusalem.

Are you in denial of this plain truth? It says Christ will command both Jews, Israelites and Gentiles, all nations, to keep the Feast of Tabernacles -- not pagan Xmas or Easter (should tell you a lot right there!)- when He reigns from Jerusalem with the glorified Saints, then brilliant God-Beings. Is Jesus a Judaizer? Rather, your kind are Roman wolves in sheep's clothing with your replacement theology, seeking to demonically replace the Sabbath with pagan Sunday, the biblical festivals with your hollow days of pagan origins that GOD HATES, and you do many other similar things with your idolatrous and tinsel traditions.

"...that God is not the sadist traditional Christians make Him out to be; that the meek inherit the Earth - not float off to Heaven;" -- who said anything about floating off? I have specifically said our hope is in the new earth.

Thankfully, you're correct about the New Earth, but your traditional Churchianity teaches folks go to "heaven or hell" when they die, which is a RELIGIOUS LIE. And I see you still misrepresent God as a sadist rather than a loving God who puts the wicked out of their misery, who mercifully destroys them completely in the Lake of Fire and lets them return to dust while the rest become divine.

"that you're not an immortal soul, eternal life is a gift from God;" -- Yes, a gift already given to all.

Another RELIGIOUS LIE. Why don't you believe the clear teachings of the Scripture rather than Catholic-Babylonian doctrines of demons? Satan said, "You shall surely not die." In other words, you're an immortal soul! Yet God's Word says the soul that sins it shall die, and Revelation speaks of the second death (from which there is never a resurrection), and Jesus spoke about destroying both body and soul in "Hell fire." Why don't you believe Him? God isn't the sadist you counterfeit Christians with your serpentine ministers make Him out to be.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not PERISH (death), but (on the other hand) have everlasting life."

Life or death - those are the only two choices. Not life and life. And who would consider it a gift if they had eternal life in torment? You're not even being logical or biblical. "The wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life" (Romans 6:23). Life or death, plain and simple. And "no murderer has eternal life dwelling in him" (1 John 3:15).

"the wicked will be destroyed, ashes under our feet; we can become literal God-beings, members of the Kingdom-Family of God? Why don't you just confess and forsake your sins of murderous hatred against HWA for slaughtering your "sacred cow" and exposing it as religious bull from Babylon?" --

I don't believe you ever answered as to why HWA was lying to you about the Greek language, his sole basis for his beliefs; that it does not concern you......

Why are you still wrestling dishonestly, desperately, with YOUR straw man? I've clearly shown how biblical it is to know and believe and teach we're to become literal God-Beings and I don't need to know Greek to read it in the Bible and believe the simplicity that is in Christ.

Why are you so dishonest and trying to squirm around clear statements like "flesh and blood does NOT inherit the Kingdom of God," and "we shall see Him as He is for we shall be like Him," and even as we've born the human image of Adam, so we'll bear the divine image of Christ, the FIRSTBORN OF MANY BRETHREN.

Why don't you believe those clear Scriptures that you're afraid to address and go off on your little tangents, dishonestly? Why don't you let the Truth set you free from your lying traditions? Why resist the Holy Spirit of truth? You should praise God for exposing such darkness to you and be glad to forsake the Babylon you're in enslaved within.

Regardless, it's your choice: you can become dust or divine, have eternal life or eternal death. But, like God, I encourage you to CHOOSE LIFE.

 

Herbert W. Armstrong Was Ahead of His Time!

12 Days of Global Warming

Spiritually bankrupt souls like hypocrite Al Gore crave some messianism in their lives and so preach the false gospel of global warming.

The Reason for the Season?

The Reason for the Season?

By Douglas S. Winnail

Billions of people are caught up in Christmas celebrations each year, but do they really understand the truth about Christ’s birth? The answer is right in the pages of your Bible!

At year’s end, busy shoppers and party-goers turn their attention to annual Christmas celebrations. But how often do they stop to ask: Why? What do trimming a tree, decorating the house with lights, stockings, pine boughs and flying reindeer, hanging mistletoe and taking the children to see Santa Claus have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ—the supposed "reason" for the season? Why do sleigh bells and carols about "peace on earth, good will toward men" ring hollow as headlines report increasingly violent crimes, international terrorism, spreading droughts and famines, continuing wars and declining morals? Why do so-called Christian nations perpetuate anti-Christian customs that make life an endless round of momentarily pleasurable, but largely meaningless, social activities? Though credible scholars and historians universally recognize the fact, the average professing Christian has no idea that the customs surrounding Christmas originally had nothing to do with Jesus Christ! Even the widely held idea that Jesus was born on December 25 is known to be a fabrication! Contrary to the common tradition, Jesus was probably born in the fall, because Scripture recounts that sheep were in the fields (Luke 2:8)—a situation that would not exist in December. Jesus was also six months younger (Luke 1:24–27, 36) than John the Baptist, who was conceived in late June (after his father had served the eighth course of Abijah—see Luke 1:5; 1 Chronicles 24:1–19). Josephus, the Jewish historian, explains that 24 courses of priests served in the temple for week-long periods twice a year, beginning in the month of Nisan (in the spring, about April). John, conceived in June, would have been born in March, meaning that the six-months-younger Jesus would have been born in September—not on December 25! So, why do people celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25—even though Scripture nowhere gives that date, and does not even teach that Christians should celebrate Christ’s birthday at all? Late December is the time of the winter solstice, one of the major festival periods in the ancient world. Historians note "the birth of many solar saviors and dying gods is celebrated at this time, usually on December 25th" and that "Christmas is a wonderful amalgamation of many religious traditions, ancient and modern, pagan, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Mithraic, and Christian" (The Pagan Book of Days, pp. 132–133). Modern Christmas is a composite of several year-end festivals celebrated in pagan Rome. The Saturnalia, (December 17–21) was a time of "extravagant decadence" when slaves and masters traded places for a few days. It was a season of revelry where the common greeting was "bona Saturnalia." Next came the Sigillaria—the feast of dolls—on the 22nd when toys were purchased and given to children. The Brumalia (December 25) was celebrated as the "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun, when the days began to lengthen after the solstice" (Christmas and Christmas Lore, Crippen, p. 7). These were times of feasting, drinking and debauchery. The Egyptians also celebrated the rebirth of the sun in the form of an infant several thousand years before the Romans (see The Golden Bough, St. Martin’s ed., pp. 471–472). By contrast, the early Christian Church did not celebrate Jesus’ birthday as long as the teachings of the Apostles remained intact. In fact, as late as 245ad, the church scholar, Origen "repudiated as sinful the very idea of keeping the birthday of Christ" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th ed.). However, in an effort to gain converts, "the church at Rome definitely fixed on the 25th of December as the birthday of the Lord" in the 4th century (Crippen, p. 6). The choice of the winter solstice festival and the birthday of the sun-god were deliberate. New "converts" could continue their popular pagan customs uninterrupted—but under a new "Christian" name! People follow the same fabricated practice today—largely ignorant of what is hiding behind the "Christian" façade. But have you ever wondered if there is more to life than this? Have pagan customs adopted by mainstream Christianity replaced more meaningful biblical practices? The Hidden Dimension It may come as a surprise, but the Bible outlines a specific series of festivals or feast days that the people of God are commanded to observe. While many have been taught that these festivals were Old Testament practices and are no longer relevant to Christians, nothing could be further from the truth! The festivals outlined in Scripture (see Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16) are extremely significant and packed with meaning. They outline God’s plan of salvation for humanity, and reveal the major steps or events in that plan. The sequence of the festivals reveals the true purpose of human life! That purpose is exciting, inspiring—and humbling—yet it has been obscured by pagan holiday traditions professing Christian churches have absorbed! Church services—commanded assemblies—on each of the Holy Days review the meaning of the festivals. Notice what historian W. D. Davies wrote about early Christian practices: "Everywhere, especially in the East of the Roman Empire, there would be Jewish Christians whose outward way of life would not be markedly different from that of the Jews. They took for granted that the gospel was continuous with [the religion of Moses]; for them the New Covenant, which Jesus had set up at the Last Supper with His disciples… did not mean that the covenant made between God and Israel was no longer in force. They still observed the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles; they also continued to be circumcised, to keep the weekly Sabbath and the Mosaic regulations concerning food." [Judeo-christianisme, "Paul and Jewish Christianity," 1972, p. 72, quoted by Samuele Bacchiocchi, From Sabbath to Sunday, p. 151]. Historian Edward Gibbon made a similar observation: "The first fifteen bishops of Jerusalem were all circumcised Jews; and the congregation over which they presided united the law of Moses with the doctrine of Christ. It was natural that the primitive tradition of a church which was founded only forty days after the death of Christ, and was governed almost as many years under the immediate inspection of his apostle, should be received as the standard of orthodoxy. The distant churches very frequently appealed to the authority of their venerable Parent" (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chapter 15, section 1, p. 389). What is this sequence of biblically ordained festivals? The annual sequence begins in March-April, with the Passover, followed by the Days of Unleavened Bread. The Passover is an annual reminder of our need for a Savior and forgiveness of sin. The Passover lamb offered in the Old Testament (Exodus 12:3–6) foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ to die for the sins of mankind (John 3:16). Even after Jesus fulfilled the symbolism of the sacrificial lamb (Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29), the Apostles and the early Church observed the New Testament Passover (Luke 22:14–16; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26) as an annual memorial of Christ’s sacrifice. During the seven Days of Unleavened Bread, leaven is removed from dwellings, conveying the lesson that to obey God we must put sin (symbolized by leaven) out of our lives. This is what Christian growth—repenting, changing, growing and overcoming—is all about. The Apostles and the early Church kept the Days of Unleavened Bread to perpetuate the meaning of those days (Acts 2:38; 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:7–8). The next New Testament Church festival, Pentecost, comes in late May or early June, commemorating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples (Acts 2). The Feast of Pentecost ("pentecost" comes from the Greek for "count 50") is also called the Feast of Harvest or Firstfruits because it came at the beginning of the summer harvest. This harvest was small, picturing God’s plan to call just a small group of people to salvation in this present age (Matthew 13:10–17; John 6:44–66; 1 Corinthians 1:26–28), before He begins working with all mankind. The annual observance of Pentecost is a constant reminder that God has a special purpose for those called to be firstfruits (Revelation 14:1–5), and of the special understanding that comes by receiving and nourishing the Holy Spirit (John 14:15–16, 26; 16:13; 2 Timothy 1:6–7). These first three annual festivals picture events in God’s plan of salvation that have already happened. Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection fulfilled the meaning of the Passover nearly 2,000 years ago, so we no longer sacrifice a lamb—but we continue to observe the Passover at His command as a memorial of that important event (Luke 22:19). The Days of Unleavened Bread picture Christians’ ongoing process of putting out sin from our lives. The events of the Day of Pentecost—the giving of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the New Testament Church—inaugurated the Christian era in 31ad. The next four festivals in God’s sequence are still prophetic, picturing major events that have yet to occur! When we observe these festivals, we can better understand the future, and we can have hope. These festivals outline the remaining steps that will culminate in God’s plan of salvation for humanity—a plan that has largely been hidden from the world by false man-made holidays such as Christmas! Revealing the Future The Feast of Trumpets pictures a soon-coming event that will change the course of human history forever—the return of Jesus Christ. Bible prophecies associate the Second Coming of Christ with the blowing of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15). Trumpets are used to make announcements, mark the feasts and sound alarm during times of war (Numbers 10:1–10). Cataclysmic events will precede the Second Coming of Christ (Matthew 24; Revelation 6; 8; 9). Jesus will return to a planet torn by war and tribulation to save mankind from utter self-destruction (Matthew 24:3–7, 21–22). He will conquer human armies that will resist His return (Revelation 19:11–19). At His return the saints (the "firstfruits") will receive immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51–54) and reign with Christ on this earth (Daniel 7:26–27; Revelation 5:10). The annual observance of the Feast of Trumpets keeps us mindful of these incredible events. It supplies real hope in a world filled with bad news. The Day of Atonement pictures the fact that Satan—the real instigator of the evils and troubles in this world—will be bound for a thousand years when Christ returns (Revelation 20:1–2). This future event was foreshadowed in the Old Testament observance of this festival when the priests sent a goat into the wilderness bearing the sins of Israel. Though modern translations of the Bible refer to this animal as the "scapegoat," suggesting it was without guilt, Jewish traditions correctly identify this goat as symbolic of the prince of fallen angels—Satan (Leviticus 16:8–10). The other goat used in this ceremony, killed for the sins of the nation, foreshadowed Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. God’s command that we fast on the Day of Atonement teaches us the need for humility and reminds us of our need to become at-one with God (see Leviticus 23:27; Psalm 35:13; John 17:11). The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the coming of the Kingdom of God to this earth. This seven-day festival offers an annual foretaste of the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ and the saints (Revelation 20:4–6). During this period, also called the "Millennium," the government of God will bring peace and justice to this earth and restore all things (Isaiah 9:6–7; Acts 3:19–21). It will be a time of harmony (Isaiah 11:6–9), health and abundance (Isaiah 35; Amos 9:13). The government of God will proclaim the laws of God from Jerusalem to the whole world (Isaiah 2:2–4). Unlike our present age, when only a very few receive the knowledge of God’s Way, during the Millennium all will be taught to obey God and experience the wonderful blessings that come as a result! The Last Great Day is the final festival on God’s annual calendar. It pictures the Great White Throne Judgment period, described by the Apostle John (Revelation 20:11–12), when the Holy Spirit will be made available to those who had never before had their minds opened to God’s way (John 7:37–39; Ezekiel 36:24–27). They will be resurrected and have their first opportunity to accept Jesus Christ and obey Him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Yes, the message of the Last Great Day is that those who died without hearing the Gospel are not lost! They are not burning right now in hell. They are waiting in the grave for this great resurrection. Those who then choose to live according to God’s way will receive immortality, but those who reject God’s way will be consumed in a lake of fire (Revelation 20:14–15). Warnings and Hope "That sounds interesting," you may be thinking, "but what does it matter if I observe Christmas instead of those Old Testament festivals?" You may feel that you "love the Lord" and that you are honoring Jesus by celebrating His birth. "I’m just ‘baptizing’ those old pagan customs by offering them to the Lord," you may think. Well, what does the Bible say about this approach? God told the nation of Israel to follow His commandments and not alter them (Deuteronomy 4:1–2). Through Moses, God repeatedly warned the Israelites not to forget His commandments (Deuteronomy 8:10–14) and to avoid being captivated by the false religious practices of pagan nations. God specifically warned, "do not inquire after their gods, saying ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods" (Deuteronomy 12:30–31). Again, in this context, God states: "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:32). These clear warnings are repeated in the Old and New Testaments. The prophet Jeremiah pointedly told the Israelites, "Learn not the way of the heathen.… For the customs of the people are vain" (Jeremiah 10:2–3, KJV). Jesus even said, of religious people, that "in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8–9, KJV). The Apostle Paul gave similar admonitions (1 Corinthians 10:6–7; 2 Corinthians 6:14–17). However, in spite of these clear warnings, the history of the Israelites—and of the modern professing Christian churches—has been to ignore and reason around God’s very clear instructions. Rebellious human beings have substituted customs that God says are evil, for festivals God designed to keep them mindful of His great plan of salvation and the true purpose of life. People professing to be Christian have listened to false teachers "who call evil good, and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20). They have been deceived by religious leaders, "who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18). They have "exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature [pagan customs] rather than the Creator" (Romans 1:25). But you, personally, can make a different choice. When you start observing the biblical festivals God has ordained, you will begin to understand what life is all about. The Bible and the world around you will begin to make sense as never before. The excitement and fulfillment you will experience will make the frivolities and falsehoods of pagan holiday practices seem empty by comparison. If you have not already done so, please write to the regional office nearest you (listed on page 30 of this magazine) and request your free copy of our booklet, The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan. Then you will truly begin to understand the reason for the season!

Grateful for Joseph's Birthright!

George Washington issued our country's first Thanksgiving Proclamation on October 3, 1789. In it, President Washington wrote:

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor . . .

"Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be--That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

"And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions--to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best."

As the United States is Manasseh, the son of Joseph, who was prophesied to become a SINGLE GREAT NATION, we have shared in JOSEPH'S BIRTHRIGHT and have every reason to be grateful to God for His Faithfulness and tender mercies this Thanksgiving Day and every day!

Joseph isn't Jewish!
The Plain Truth About the Lost Ten Tribes
The United States in Prophecy!

The Crucifix

The Crucifix - a Christian or pagan symbol?

By Wyatt Ciesielka
Sabbath, November 21, 2009

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has sparked a heated debate with the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and Italian mayors over the role of the crucifix in Italian society (Christian Telegraph, November 18, 2009). But, a more fundamental issue should be addressed. Is the cross even a Christian symbol in the first place?

Alarming the churches and local authorities is the ECHR’s ban on displaying crucifixes in Italian schools. Greek Bishop Nicholas “lamented that at this rate youngsters will not have any worthy symbols at all to inspire and protect them” (BBCNews, November 12, 2009). The leader of the Greek Orthodox church, Archbishop Ieronymos, “echoed comments by the Catholic Church that the ECHR is ignoring the role of Christianity in shaping Europe’s culture, laws, and identity” (Interfaith.org, November 16, 2009).

But what is the real history and meaning behind this religious symbol? Did Jesus Christ, the Apostles, or the original New Testament Church adore the cross as “a worthy symbol to inspire and protect them?” Should you?

The story of the cross as a religious symbol begins in ancient Babylon. Upon Nimrod’s death, his wife Semiramis exalted her infant son, Tammuz, as Nimrod re-born. God-king worship became quickly entrenched among the ancient Babylonians…and the Tau symbol – the first character of Tammuz’ name became a key symbol in Babylonian worship.

It is historically indisputable that the Tau was an integral part of pagan religious worship in pre-Christian culture. The cross was sewn into pagan priests’ costumes, worn by vestal virgins, and adorned pagan temples. (See, Alexander Hislop’s: The Two Babylons and The Catholic Encyclopedia, “The Cross and Crucifix,” page 517, 1913 edition). The Tau took various forms such as Τ and ϯ and would sometimes incorporate a circle representing the sun – an integral part of the Babylonian Mystery Religion.

After death, Nimrod was worshipped under various names including Marduk, Bel, Baal and Beelzebub. Baal-worship, a continuation of Babylonian religion, was what God rebuked ancient Israel for when they “did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs” (Judges 3:7). It was in service to this pagan deity that ancient Israel sacrificed their infant children as burning sacrifices (Jeremiah 32:35). Baal worship was a terrible abomination in God’s sight.

But Nimrod worship spread throughout the ancient world. Nimrod-reborn as Tammuz was associated with the Tau symbol in the pre-Christian, pagan worship of the ancient Babylonians, Orientals, Philistines, Egyptians. It crept into what became the Roman Catholic Church and then was adopted by the various Protestant denominations. The pagan Tau now adorns most church buildings and priestly costumes – just as it did in the ancient, pagan world! But it never adorned Christ, the Apostles or the membership of the original New Testament Church.

To argue that this heathen symbol “is now OK to use and honor because the meaning now points to Christ,” is not only to ignore that Jesus Christ and the Apostles and the original New Testament Church never worshipped or revered the cross (they saw it for what it was – a pagan symbol and a cruel instrument of death), but is also to ignore the words of Jeremiah the prophet – “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen” (Jeremiah 10:2, KJV).

While human memory is short, and most simply do not understand the pagan history of the cross, the Almighty God does remember where the symbol came from! He remembers the cry of burning infants sacrificed to Baal (Ezekiel 16:20&21)! He remembers the cruel instrument of crucifixion upon which many died, even including His Son.

For more on how ancient pagan Babylonish practices been adopted into modern false-Christianity, read the Tomorrow’s World article, The Lady of Nations; the study paper, Who is the Harlot of Revelation 17?; and the booklet The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor or Soon-Coming Reality?.

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C.H. Spurgeon on Christmas and Roman Catholicism

Charles Haddon Spurgeon on Christmas

From a sermon preached by C. H. Spurgeon on Dec. 24, 1871:

We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas. First, because we do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be sung in Latin or in English. Secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Savior; and consequently, its observance is a superstition, because not of divine authority. 'Superstition' has fixed most positively the day of our Savior's birth, although there is no possibility of discovering when it occurred. ... It was not till the middle of the third century that any part of the Church celebrated the nativity of our Lord; and it was not till very long after the Western Church had set the example, that the Eastern adopted it. ... Probably the fact is that the "holy" days were arranged to fit in with the heathen festivals. We venture to assert, that if there be any day in the year, of which we may be pretty sure that it was not the day on which the Savior was born, it is the 25th of December. ... Regarding not the day, let us, nevertheless, give God thanks for the gift of His dear Son.

C.H. Spurgeon on Roman Catholicism

"Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho." Joshua 6:26
"Since he was cursed who rebuilt Jericho, much more the man who labours to restore Popery among us. In our fathers' days the gigantic walls of Popery fell by the power of their faith, the perseverance of their efforts, and the blast of their gospel trumpets; and now there are some who would rebuild that accursed system upon its old foundations. O Lord, be please to thwart their unrighteous endeavours, and pull down every stone which they build. It should be a serious business with us to be thoroughly purged of every error which may have a tendency to foster the spirit of Popery, and when we have made a clean sweep at home we should seek in every way to oppose its all too rapid spread abroad in the church and in the world. This last can be done in secret by fervent prayer, and in public by decided testimony. We must warn with judicious boldness those who are inclined towards the errors of Rome; we must instruct the young in gospel truth, and tell them of the black doings of Popery in the olden times. We must aid in spreading the light more thoroughly through the land, for priests, like owls, hate daylight. Are we doing all we can for Jesus and the gospel? If not, our negligence plays into the hands of priestcraft. What are we doing to spread the Bible, which is the Pope's bane and poison? Are we casting abroad good, sound gospel writings? Luther once said, 'The devil hates goose quills,' and doubtless, he has good reason, for ready writers, by the Holy Spirit's blessing, have done his kingdom much damage. If the thousands who will read this short word this night will do all they can to hinder the rebuilding of his accursed Jericho, the Lord's glory shall speed among the sons of men. Reader, what can you do? What will you do?"

From "Evening By Evening" by Charles Spurgeon
Uhrichsville, Barbour and Company, 1991.

David Ben-Ariel, Herbert Armstrong, Lost Ten Tribes

Here is the data for David Ben-Ariel that EzineArticles.com gathered for October 2009.

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Fearing death?

Re: Do you fear death?

I don't fear death...
I trust in the tender mercies of God to bless me to be in the First Resurrection at Yahshua's glorious return!

When we die, we're dead until the resurrection. Nobody goes to "Heaven or Hell," contrary to traditional misunderstandings and popular religious lies.

Pearly Gates (David Ben-Ariel YouTube Video)


Dead & Buried (David Ben-Ariel YouTube video)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Where's our attitude of gratitude?

The Israelite Origins of the United States

This recent exchange with a gentleman at the History Channel Forum is just in time for Thanksgiving Day. God help us to remember our Hebrew roots and biblical responsibilities and always have an attitude of gratitude for His tender mercies!

The twelve tribes themselves are not European in origin

The Twelve Tribes of Israel - the Anglo-Saxon-Celtics and white peoples of Northwestern Europe -- are Israelite in origin. We're the so-called "Lost Ten Tribes." We were taken captive by the Assyrians and later, as prophesied, migrated north and west into Europe and King David's dynasty continues in the Sceptered Isle.

Of the 12,000 from each tribe to be taken on judgement day, how many do you think will be of mixed blood?

If they're so mixed the Holy Spirit wouldn't have inspired John to write specifically of the unique tribes of Israel. They're obviously not "mixed" enough to disqualify them from being considered, in God's eyes, this or that specific tribe of Israel. Undoubtedly we have married among ourselves to some extent, yet still this or that tribe dominates in our ancestry, having sifted through various countries (we can say we're English, Irish, Dutch), but we're still ISRAELITES.

When Revelations was written the author probably had no idea that the Jews would have dispersed across the globe as they have or intermarried as they have with other peoples

John was a prophet and the Holy Spirit undoubtedly inspired him to know the other prophecies in the Law and the Prophets that clearly foretold the reach and expansion of all Twelve Tribes to the far ends of the Earth - not just the Jews! The Jews are only a small part of the big family of Jacob-Israel.

It's written in Amos that we (the Northern 10-tribed Kingdom of Israel) would migrate, sift through the nations, and yet not lose our identity (as far as our ethnic make-up is concerned, our basic DNA).

assuming that you are a Gentile

God's mercy extends to all peoples, although His plan calls for the Jews (and Israelites) first and then the Gentiles. God has called our peoples, the Jews and the Joes, Israelites, to ultimately become His Servant Nation to bless all nations.

I am a Joe (descended from Joseph/Anglo-Saxon-Celtic heritage), as well as a Jew, scion of King David, as our family goes back to the British and Scottish Royal Families. Apparently I'm also a descendant of two Mayflower Pilgrims, John and Priscilla Alden, and collateral descendant of three American presidents.

[The Scripture] doesn't apply to America because we were given nothing. We TOOK everything we have from the natives

The United States was given primarily to the descendants of Joseph and the other Northern tribes of Israel, with some Jews living among us (even though God has given them a Jewish Homeland).

Just like ancient Israel had to be willing to fight to secure their inheritance, so did we. Sometimes we were more honorable than others, just like Jacob with Esau, but regardless Manifest Destiny was to be and was fulfilled in us. We didn't take from the natives as it wasn't theirs to begin with -- it belongs to our Great Creator God and to whomsoever He gives it, as is His divine prerogative.

The various natives took from each other and had a violent history towards different tribes and were carried away with their raw paganism. Some were more advanced than others.

Deuteronomy 6:10-12
10 “So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full— 12 then beware, lest you forget the LORD...

we built the cities, invented our gadgets and things, built a gargantuan economy, paved the roads, assembled a massive military, etc. all by ourselves. God had nothing to do with these things

God works in and through and for people at the same time. He warned us not to develop such an unhealthy and pompous attitude of vainly imagining we did all these things without His help and inspiration, even giving us the health to accomplish great things. God has blessed our efforts. It's true that God helps those who help themselves. The "Protestant work ethic" is a biblical work ethic.

Deuteronomy 8:9-20
9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. 11 "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God...17 then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.'

18 "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

As Abraham Lincoln warned, he said we had forgotten our Great God and encouraged all to repent and pray that God might save our nation. We were spared that God might fulfill His many prophecies, His wonderful promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob about the peace and prosperity of their descendants because of ABRAHAM'S OBEDIENCE.

God has given us these many things and wonderful years and we have forgotten him as self-made men and women who vainly imagine we don't need God and this is all our doing, the work of our hands, so God - who controls the weather - will strip these things out of our hands and show us how we're at His mercy to humble us and bring us back to Him and remind us to keep His commandments, His holy Sabbath and biblical festivals, the "Jewish holidays," and reject the replacement theology and pagan holidays of bloody Rome!

If we have god to thank for the invention of the airplane then we have him to thank for 9/11.

That's just plain ridiculous. What we do with a gift is our responsibility. Everything has the potential to be a blessing or a curse. God gives us free moral agency to determine what we will for ourselves, what we will do with what we've been given: whether we'll squander our inheritance or use it wisely, with an attitude of gratitude and loving obedience.

I see you conveniently did not address Isaiah 24 I quoted, which says:
1. Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty, He makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad its inhabitants.
2. And it shall be, that as it is with the people, so with the priest; as it is with the servant, so with his master; as it is with the maid, so with her mistress; as it is with the buyer, so with the seller; as it is with the lender, so with the borrower; as it is with the taker of usury, so with the payer of usury to him.
3. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, the haughty people of the earth languish.
13. When this happens: in the midst of the land among the people, it shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and like the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. 14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. 15 Wherefore glorify you the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. 16. From the furthermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe to me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yes, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. 17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 And it shall be, that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth shake. 19 The earth is completely broken down, the earth is fully dissolved, the earth is exceedingly moved. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and its transgression shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

These verses prophesy destruction of everything and everybody which does not jibe with what you're telling me.

I did not ignore it and I did address it. Mankind will get to the point of no return: except for divine intervention no flesh would be saved alive, no human being would remain, just as Yahshua and the Prophets foretold. Within that Scripture it reveals survivors who are praising God, which I have highlighted.

Matthew 24:21-22
21 For then there will be great tribulation [Time of Jacob's Trouble], such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake [the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob] those days will be shortened.

Isaiah 1:9
9 Unless the LORD of hostsHad left to us a very small remnant,
We would have become like Sodom,
We would have been made like Gomorrah.

Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“ Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the LORD your God,The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

God always saves a remnant to keep His promise alive to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that He would be their God and the God of their descendants (which means they must always have some descendants). This GOOD NEWS is why the first chapter of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall is appropriately called, "Survival Guaranteed!"

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Watch the United States in Prophecy! for further information.

Check out the new David Ben-Ariel blog!

God Given Names

Monday, November 9, 2009

I was born David A. Hoover on January 10, 1960 in Bowling Green, Ohio. However, I legally changed my name to David Ben-Ariel (with the help of my Jewish lawyer) during the Spring of 1989. It cost me $300.00.

It also required that I take out a small ad in a newspaper announcing my intentions 30 days beforehand. I placed my ad in the Bowling Green Sentinel.

I also had to appear before a judge (it depends on what county you were born) for him to privately question my motivations. Continue reading “God Given Names”

 

Israel’s Unjust Deportation of David Ben-Ariel

November 9, 2009

As a Christian-American member of the Temple Mount Faithful Movement, I had been privileged to participate in their legal demonstrations during my 10-month stay in Jerusalem awaiting dual citizenship. Israeli television often showed me with my Jewish friends carrying Israeli flags throughout the Old City. Continue reading “Israel’s Unjust Deportation of David Ben-Ariel”

The Plain Truth

Do You Prefer TRADITION Over Truth?

Is the Plain Truth Too Strong?

The Rapture

Don't Fall for the Rapture!
We meet the returning Christ in the air and RETURN TO EARTH - to the Mount of Olives - and reign with but under Him, composing the Kingdom of God: just like the Bible clearly says once we remove traditional blinders.

The REAL JESUS Can't Return Until...
Prophecy clearly reveals that the REAL JESUS CHRIST will not return to Earth from Heaven (in full view of all mankind -- not from some secret EU or Vatican chamber or desert cave) until after Jerusalem has suffered under a Gentile EU occupation for three and one half years

The Rapture or Place of Safety?
We know those who are accounted worthy to escape WWIII, those with a prayerful attitude and watchful spirit, growing and overcoming and sensitive to the lead of the Holy Spirit (Luke 21:34-36), will be more than provided for in "Her Place," as our gracious Lord of Hosts has promised (Revelation 12:14).

http://www.davidbenariel.org/

The Plain Truth Prevails!

Enemies have attacked http://www.davidbenariel.org/ but the plain truth of the Bible, history and currents events, as shared by David Ben-Ariel in his many articles, can be found in many other places throughout the Internet world. The plain truth prevails!

Jeremiah 15:10-21
10 Woe is me, my mother,
That you have borne me,
A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!

http://www.davidbenariel.org

http://beyondbabylon.blogspot.com

http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/73354/david_benariel.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=David_Ben-Ariel

http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/author.cgi?C=10267

http://rs39.com/davidbenariel/

http://www.pushhamburger.com/david.htm

Many YouTube videos, including
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDxc1ZTFGCk

Google David Ben-Ariel!

Speaking of Science

Christianity, Judaism, and Science

1 Timothy 6:20 (King James Version)
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called...

Legitimate science is not opposed by true Christianity or Judaism, as evident by books like these:

The Hidden Face of God: Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth
by Gerald L. Schroeder

The Science of God: The Convergence of Scientific and Biblical Wisdom
by Gerald L. Schroeder

And articles:

Does The Bible Teach There Were Human Prototypes? by David Ben-Ariel

And booklets:

What Science Can’t Discover About the Human Mind by Herbert W. Armstrong.



http://www.davidbenariel.org/

Encouragement from a Sister

Nancy commented on Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

I'm glad someone isn't afraid to actually put the TRUTH out there that is in the Holy Bible, which other "Christians" blatantly ignore. They are not innocent because they do not know the truth which they can easily find in the Holy Bible...if they read it. Thanks a lot!

God Bless you brother in the name of Christ.
 
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Thank you for encouraging all who dare to share the plain truth of the Bible.

Please watch:
The Plain Truth (David Ben-Ariel YouTube Video)

Hateful Gentilizers!

Re: To your seed I have given this land

not a Jew nor is he an Israeli. He is an admitted homosexual and a Judaizer who was born and raised as in the United States as David Hoover

What chutzpah! Where did I claim to be an Israeli? Unlike the president usurper Obama, I was born and raised in these United States of America, the Promised Land of Manasseh (the son of Joseph), a natural born citizen.

Who do you think you are to determine who is a Jew when you've already exposed your woeful/willful ignorance of Jews (Judah) and Joes (Joseph)? I am an Israelite of Anglo-Saxon-Celtic origins, as well as of the tribe of Judah through my descent from the British Royal Family (and Scottish ancestry).

German-American Israelites?
Joseph isn't Jewish!

You're a hateful Gentilizer! However, such Jew hatred is nothing new under the sun. The early Church of God had to contend with deceived and deceiving Gentiles, under heavy pagan and demonic influence, attempting to distance the Sabbath-keeping Church of God from its Jewish/biblical roots by hatefully branding those who held their holy ground as "Judaizers." Such accursed replacement theology accounts for the baptized paganism apostate Christians are steeped in, counterfeit Christianity has fallen for, and why traditional Christians remain stuck in the muck of Babylon and refuse to hear and heed Christ's command to come out of it! I make mention of this in my YouTube video, The Plain Truth.

I am an admitted REPENTANT homosexual, to the glory of God (having written all about it in God and the Gays), and you reflect the darkness of Satan and his demons, the accuser of the brethren, rather than rejoice over repentant sinners like the holy angels in Heaven do. Shame on you! At least you serve as a useful idiot providing opportunities for me to dare to share the plain truth. God always frustrates Satan's agenda and advances His own, turning lemons into lemonade and how sweet it is!

Yes, my former name was David Hoover, which you only know about due to my God-given Names article which explains how I came to receive my God-given name of David Ben-Ariel, something truly spiritual folks appreciate.

http://www.davidbenariel.org/

Alternative to UN (YouTube Video)

An Alternative to the UN
The hypocritical UN, that diseased body of the dysfunctional family of nations, is worthless except as a polluted podium for the sworn enemies of freedom, righteousness and democracy.

(read more ...)

Halloween is for pagans, not Christians!

Christians and Halloween

By Richard F. Ames | Thursday, October 29, 2009

Is it "fun" to play at evil? Should we follow our neighbors, like proverbial lemmings, off the dangerous cliff of pagan practices? Most of society has accepted the lie that Halloween is "innocent fun" and eagerly train their children to take pleasure in symbols of pagan, and even Satanic, evil?

Is it "fun" to play at evil? Should we follow our neighbors, like proverbial lemmings, off the dangerous cliff of pagan practices? Most of society has accepted the lie that Halloween is "innocent fun" and eagerly train their children to take pleasure in symbols of pagan, and even Satanic, evil?

That’s right! When parents let their children dress as witches, demons, goblins or skeletons, they are teaching their children values that will last long after the costume comes off! Parents should have common sense, let alone basic values of right and wrong. Teaching our children to imitate evil is an abomination in God’s sight — and we will reap what we sow! By observing Halloween, we teach our children to make light of Satan the Devil — or even to think like him! Should we then be surprised when our children remain curious about evil — or even invite it — for the rest of the year.

In Luke 7:21, we find that our Savior cured many individuals who were plagued by evil spirits. "And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight." Do we live contrary to our Savior’s example? Do we teach our children to attract and cultivate evil spirits at Halloween? Certainly, dressing up like a demon or a witch INVITES evil rather than opposes it!

The Apostle James advises us to resist evil, not entertain it! James 4:7, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." That is your Creator’s instruction to you! "Resist the devil!" Do NOT join the masses in celebrating the dark world of Satan and the occult!

The Bible plainly speaks of fallen angels called demons. The apostle Paul warns us about these "spiritual hosts of wickedness" in Ephesians the sixth chapter. Read this strong admonition starting in Ephesians 6:11, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Some parents encourage their children to participate in the world of demons. Are some of you parents sacrificing your children to Satan and to wicked spirits? We MUST resist the world’s way of supporting the horrendous evil rampant about us. One can understand the blindness of non-Christians in participating in traditions of darkness. But for professing Christians to clothe themselves and their children with the outright symbols of evil is an affront to the name of Christ! Such practices are wicked, evil, and sinful! It’s time for such so-called Christians to repent of supporting the Devil and rebelling against Christ!

Parents also teach their children the concept of "trick or treat." The child in essence tells an adult, "You had better give me some treat or I will trick you, or damage your property!" What kind of a Christian precept is that? It is definitely not Christian! It is teaching the "get" motive and intimidation! Jesus taught the way of life that emphasizes giving, NOT selfish getting! As the Apostle Paul stated in Acts 20:35, "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"

Our nation needs to wake up to its evil practice of embracing the occult and the symbols of wickedness. The Creator God will judge all who participate in such dark traditions. Professing Christians, who ought to know better, need to stand up for the righteous training of their children, and not surrender to the sacrificing of their children to the underworld of evil.

To read more on this subject read our article entitled "Dangers of the Occult" on the Tomorrow’s World website.

The Plain Truth

David Ben-Ariel dares to share the plain truth of the Bible, as taught by Herbert W. Armstrong, as well as addressing current events like how president usurper Obama has failed to prove he is a natural born citizen!





Emperor Obama

Drunks and Whores (David Ben-Ariel YouTube video)

Will God Curse Our Countries for Christmas?
 
The Plain Truth About Easter
 
The Plain Truth About Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God
 
http://www.davidbenariel.org/

Pagan Anglicans and Catholics

Radicals from the Anglican faith are leaving their Anglican

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They're all family, Catholics & Protestants, immersed in much of the same baptized paganism (stuck in the muck of their replacement theology of Christmas, Easter and Sunday instead of Sabbath and the biblical festivals like the early Church of God faithfully kept and the legitimate Church of God keeps today), so why not acknowledge their harlot mother and submit to their false father figure? It's prophesied they will have their dysfunctional family reunion and then turn against those who expose them as counterfeit Christianity, apostate Christians, the Mystery Babylon religion in Christian drag.

www.davidbenariel.org

Put out the darkness of Diwali!

President Obama celebrates Hindu holiday

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As a former Hindu, I find it abominable that the president usurper would pollute the White House with such paganism and afford the dark religion such honor. It's bad enough the baptized paganism of traditional Christianity (Christmas and Easter) defiles the place!

Obama is definitely not enlightened but deceived at best, drunk on the spirits of ecumenism.

A Higher Calling: Quest for the Kingdom of God

Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God Mentioned in Israeli Newspaper

http://www.davidbenariel.org/

Halloween

Every year at Halloween, well-meaning parents dress their children in grotesque and ghoulish costumes. Is Halloween really harmless? Who and what's behind this bizarre holiday?

Is Halloween Harmless?

Crosses the teachings of Christ?

Re: We have used the word unchristian

Crosses the teachings of Christ
Nice word play, even if unintentional. However, there are no holy sprites.
;-)

What teachings do you assume professing Christians break? And how often can you break them before He will no longer forgive you? Or how many times can you break them before you can't honestly be considered a Christian any more? Must we perfectly follow Yahshua without fail? Shouldn't we encourage folks: Don't Give Up! - but rather go and sin no more?

Don't you believe God tempers judgment with mercy? Considers our attitude and not just our actions?

My plain truth articles strongly condemn professing Christian practices like SUNday observance instead of the holy seventh day Sabbath; pagan hollow daze like Christmas and Easter instead of the biblical festivals like Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles; the false belief we can pig out on anything now rather than keep the dietary laws; but I'll gladly leave the final judgment to the God of Judgment, who has given that authority to Yahshua.

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.


Plea to Diehard Catholics & Protestants to Repent

www.davidbenariel.org

The Festival of Tabernacles

http://www.ucg.org/about/feast-of-tabernacles.htm

The Feast of Tabernacles

Chronicling the activities of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, the book of John points out that when the "Feast of Tabernacles was at hand," Jesus Himself "went up to the feast" and taught at the Temple in Jerusalem. This was done in observance of the final of three annual Festival seasons that are outlined in the Bible, particularly in the book of Leviticus.

These three seasons, the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Pentecost and the Fall Festival season, were all observed by Jesus and the first-century Church. The latter season is capped by the eight-day Festival of Tabernacles and Last Great Day (Leviticus 23:33-36).

"As part of the United Church of God's commitment to follow the example of the first-century Church, we keep these days, even though they are essentially nontraditional in today's age and not largely observed by other religious organizations," explained Clyde Kilough, president of the United Church of God.

This same commitment leads members of the United Church of God to observe a seventh-day Sabbath on Saturday as Christ did.

Kilough pointed out that from a biblical perspective, the Festival of Tabernacles pictures the coming time when Jesus will return to earth and directly rule the world for 1,000 years.

"As the Feast of Tabernacles represents a coming time of unprecedented harmony and peace, we conduct this annual eight-day event with a strong family focus," Kilough explained. Accordingly, members and families take part in daily church services and a whole range of positive family-based activities throughout the Festival.

This eight-day Festival represents the prophesied fulfillment of the coming Kingdom of God, which Jesus taught about extensively during His earthly ministry. The annual festivals observed earlier in the year by the Church represent the Christian's redemption from sin through Christ's sacrifice, the commitment of Christians to put sin out of their lives and the coming of God's Holy Spirit to strongly empower a Christian to live life in harmony with God's law and prepare for eternal life.

In 2009, United Church of God members and families will travel to more than 50 Festival of Tabernacles sites around the world to take part in this biblical assembly. Church members traditionally observe the earlier festivals in their local areas. However, proper observance of the Festival of Tabernacles requires that members reside in temporary quarters (called "booths" or "tabernacles" in the Bible – Leviticus 23:42).

The Church rents large conference centers or facilities to accommodate daily worship during the Festival, and members typically stay in nearby hotels to fulfill the temporary nature required by the biblical command. "Staying in a temporary dwelling such as a hotel underscores the transitory nature of this present world and illustrates how it will be replaced by the prophesied Kingdom of God," noted Kilough.

This year the Festival of Tabernacles will be observed by about 20,000 members and families of the United Church of God October 3 through October 10, 2009.

"The emphasis placed by Christ on the coming Kingdom of God is intense, and Church members accordingly take the opportunity to observe this Festival very seriously," explained Kilough.
Because the Festival of Tabernacles occurs during a nontraditional time when vacations and school absences are not common, the Church encourages members and families to notify employers and schools well in advance of their plans.

This helps minimize misunderstandings and to obtain school assignments and other information.
"This way Church children don't fall behind in academics while they are briefly absent from school to observe the biblical festivals with their families," Kilough related.

The Church president also noted that the vast majority of teachers and administrators are "very cooperative across the United States" in helping students prepare for their brief absences to observe the biblical festivals.

Feast of Tabernacles locations sponsored by the United Church of God.

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About the United Church of God, an international association
Basing its beliefs on the biblical practices of the original 1st Century Church, the United Church of God maintains congregations in more than 40 countries around the world. Following the recorded example of Jesus Christ and the first apostles, the Church observes a seventh day Sabbath and the annual Holy Day seasons as outlined in the Old and New Testaments. The main offices of the Church are located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

This is the United Church of God - Preaching the Gospel, Preparing a People
The mission of the United Church of God is to proclaim to the world the little-understood gospel taught by Jesus Christ—the good news of the coming Kingdom of God—and to prepare a people for that Kingdom. This message not only offers great hope for all of humanity, but encompasses the purpose of human existence—why we are here and where our world is headed.

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Feast of Tabernacles & Last Great Day Related Resources

The Feast of Tabernacles: Jesus Christ Reigns Over All the Earth
The seven-day Feast of Tabernacles pictures the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ over the earth after His second coming.

The Feast of Tabernacles
How is the festival that represents the sixth step in God's plan to be observed?

The Last Great Day
The seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles are followed by another high day, on which God commands an assembly. This eighth day is the Last Great Day of the fall festival season, and it represents the final, or seventh, step in God's plan of salvation.

The Feast of Peace
God instructed the ancient Israelites to leave their homes every year to observe a festival in a location He chose. What is the significance of this feast, and what does it mean for you?

Are the Biblical Holy Days Christian Festivals?
Why do most people keep holidays that are different from the festivals listed and described in the pages of the Bible? When were the biblical feasts abandoned, and why? How can we be sure which sacred days Christians should observe? Here are the answers!

The Biblical Festivals That Reveal Christ's Role in God's Plan
Jesus Christ celebrated seven festivals every year that most Christians today can't even name, yet they have His imprint all over them. He is the reason for each of these seasons, and they have great meaning for anyone who would like to follow Him better. What are these festivals, and what do they reveal about our Savior and King?

The Biblical Festivals That Show How God Will Bring World Peace
Will mankind ever experience lasting peace? Humanity's track record isn't very good. But a series of biblical feasts reveals how God will indeed bring lasting world peace!

Should You Keep the Festivals Jesus Observed?
Jesus observed the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles and the other festivals that God gave to Israel. Should you follow His example? Are those sacred festivals still applicable for Christians?

God's Harvest Feasts: His Assurance of Hope for Mankind
Despite the enormous problems facing humanity today, mankind has great hope for the future. Proof of that hope lies in God's harvest celebrations laid out in the Bible.

Knowing God for the First Time
A time is coming when all mankind will come to know God. But meanwhile, through His festivals, God offers us the opportunity to experience now what the whole world will experience in the future.

The Biblical Map to Jesus Christ's Return
Maps show the way from where you are to your final destination. The Bible provides the only spiritual map to our ultimate destiny. Doesn’t it make good sense to plan your life's journey by learning how to read the genuine biblical map?

God's Plan to End Evil and Suffering
Is God blind to evil and human suffering? Why doesn’t He intervene to put a stop to it? Or could it be that it’s we who are blind to what God is doing and that humankind must learn some major lessons before He puts an end to evil?

Coming: God's Solutions to the World's Problems
Nearly everywhere we look, the world seems to be spinning out of control. Why do we see so many problems? Can we find a solution? Does the Bible offer hope for answers?