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A GUIDE TO FINDING
“THE TRUE CHURCH”
Author: Glenda McLachlan
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THE BIBLE:
The bible: King James Version.
Written by over 40 individuals
Over six thousand years.
Composed of an intricate skilfully designed integrated message system
Which provably has its origin from outside our time dominion.
The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed.
The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.
The truth is in the details.
Archaeological discoveries.
Documentary studies.
Competent analysis.
The facts, the science and the evidence proves it.
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Introduction
Through a search to find the ‘True Church’ I was led to follow
a religion, locked into its rules rituals and traditions. I followed
it blindly and accepted its doctrine without question, many
times feeling very uncomfortable with parts of it, but I knew no
better. I felt the Lords love for me yet I never was truly
satisfied with the belief because it had
Contradictions within its own doctrine and also with the bible.
One day whilst reading the bible a scripture impacted on my
mind, calling me to prove all things. Had I done that?
Absolutely not! I had followed blindly, copying and doing all
that this religion required. Forever trying to prove myself
worthy of God’s love.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV)
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
I simply woke up, the door to my eternal existence opened
ever so slightly and I could see that I needed to go through
that opening to find my destiny and to find the truth and what
God wanted from me. I began to delve and prove everything I
had ever known about God and things that I had been taught
to believe. I shed off the layers of heavy burdens that had me
working my way to salvation, through repetitious rituals.
I disassociated myself from all my previous beliefs and
theories and began again, topic by topic, asking God through
prayer what I needed to know and what was truth and what
was fable. With every question and every thought, answers
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began flooding my mind and were all provable in scripture. I
felt strongly that I should write down all that I was
learning and not allow any influence or pre conceived idea to
thwart my new understanding. I studied the bible 18 hours a
day, 7 days a week and in doing this I walked away from
man- made religion and into the living gospel where I was
actually, truly following Jesus Christ by taking up the offer to,
“Come follow Me” and in doing that I became a member of
‘His Church,’ His Bride.
With the help and guidance of the Lord I have had an
amazing journey of astounding revelation, a complete change
of mind and heart, a whole new understanding of who God is
and of His intimate and unconditional
love for me. I have come to love the Lord with all my heart,
mind and soul and in knowing Him on a personal level I
realise that,
God Hates Religion!
Amos 5:21
"I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies
are a stench to me.
God hates religion! Many will be offended by such a
statement, for they have identified God with religion.
Religion, therefore, needs to be defined and differentiated
from the Christian gospel.
The English word "religion" is etymologically derived from
the Latin word ‘religo’ meaning to "bind up."
Religion binds people up in rules and regulations and in
ritualistic patterns of devotion.
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Christianity, on the other hand, was never meant to be a
religion. Christianity is the dynamic spiritual life of the risen
Lord Jesus indwelling the spirit of man so as to create
functional behaviour to the glory of God.
Granted, men have attempted to force Christianity into the
moulds and forms of religion. That is evident by all the
Chapels, Steeples, Temples, Sanctuaries and places of
Worship that dot the landscape of our society.
It is the propensity of man to formulate religion to take that
which is of the invisible God and attempt to make it
visible, tangible and controllable.
Man-made religion! The Apostle Paul refers to it as "self-
made religion" (Colossians 2:23), and goes on to indicate that
it is of no value against fleshly indulgence. In essence, Paul is
saying that "religion is of no value against man's sinfulness."
In fact, religion is a co-dependent enabler of the sins of
mankind.
Religion is essentially idolatry. Men worship their man-
made formations and structures, their ideological idols formed
in the concrete of inflexible minds.
When the Apostle Paul came to Athens (Acts 17:22), he
observed their idols and exclaimed, "Men of Athens, I
observe that you are very religious in all respects." The
Greek word that Paul used for “ligare” literally means "to
be tied up in false doctrine."
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Amos 5:21-24
"I hate, I reject your festivals; nor do I delight in
your solemn assemblies...take away from Me the noise
of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of
your harps."
Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is the proclamation
of the end of religion. If the cross is a sign, then it is a sign
that God put an end to religion and has solved the world’s
problems. It did not take a single human being to do it, or a
single religious work. Religion cannot do a thing to solve
mankind’s problems. It never will and never did.
Religion is inevitably the result of man taking that which is of
God and forming it, formulating it, in such a way that men
end up "playing at being God." Men can form idols out of
wood or stone in an attempt to represent God, or they can
formulate ideological idols, belief-systems,
doctrinal definitions, and theological thesis. The men who
thus form and formulate become the "chief priests" of the
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new religion because they are regarded as knowing the
most about what God is like.
Religion is a ritualised “Return to Bondage”
Many religions begin with the claim of a prophet or persons
whom an Angel appeared and instructed them with further
teachings and set up their rules and doctrines. Muhammad
visited by Gabriel, who left him feeling full of dread and
absolute fear, and Joseph Smith who was held down by an
unseen ‘spirit being’ that overpowered him until he had
given up hope, being full of dread and fear, in contrast to
the biblical Gabriel who visited Mary and Joseph and said
“Do not be afraid.”
Was it Gabriel, who visited Muhammad or Moroni who visited
Joseph Smith or was it Satan masquerading as an Angel?
2 Corinthians 11:14
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into
an angel of light.
In the bible the Apostles did not commune with the angels to
get their inspiration for Scripture, Angels brought a message
which came to pass shortly after their appearance, they did
not come with a whole other gospel or doctrine contrary to
the bible.
Christianity centres on Christ, its message content does not
come from angels. All these and other religions have had
communion with angels for their extra-biblical books or are
given new revelation for a new interpretation on the Bible.
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Mormons worship a God who was a man who previously
before that was an angel (Spirit child as they put it). In either
case it is idolatry. Since they are not worshipping the Eternal
Creator but an angel who incarnated becomes a god from
formerly being an exalted man.
Jehovah Witnesses say Michael the Arch-angel is no other
than the only begotten son of God, now Jesus Christ. It is
this same Michael that became flesh and died for the sins
of the J. W.’s. He was disintegrated after he died and then
copied by the Father by memory and raised in spirit again
as Michael. This Michael / Jesus came back in 1874
invisibly and then came to the Watchtower headquarters in
New York in 1914 to inspect Jehovah’s organization to see
if everything is running right. The good news of their earthly
kingdom is under angelic direction and support
(Watchtower April, 1 1972 p.200.)
The only angel the Bible writes about that wanted to become
a God is Satan.
Muslim, Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses have violated
the instruction of the Holy Spirit through Paul where in…
Galatians 1:6-9(KJV)
"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who
called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
which is really not another; only there are some who are
disturbing you, and want to distort the
Gospel of Christ But even though we, or an angel from
heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that
which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As
we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is
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preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you
received, let him be accursed."
Not only do they have another Gospel which removes them
from covenant with God, but it is an angel that has delivered
it. For the Mormons and J.W. it is the angel Jesus that
appeared to them, that they have received their instruction
from and are speaking about. This is not the Jesus of the
Bible neither is it the same message.
The need for more angels coming with another gospel
message and different messages at that, is not biblical and
not necessary. Christ overcame the world He said “It is
finished.” We were instructed to remain faithful until He
comes.
1 Corinthians 4:1 ‘Let a man consider us as servants of
Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God moreover it
is required in stewards that one be found faithful’.
Apostle Paul is saying God has entrusted us with His
mysteries but we must be faithful.
A good servant does what His master says. He is there to please his
master. Faith, hope and love would continue to be the basis in
Christian life until He returns. We have been asked to stand firm and
remain faithful to the teachings of the bible until He returns.
1 Corinthians 15:58
So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved!
Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your
labour is not in vain in the Lord.
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10. James 5:8
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s
coming is near.
Roman RULE
The Roman Emperor Constantine claimed he saw a vision of
a cross before a battle, believing it was of God he converted
to Christianity, bringing into it, his pagan beliefs and
established himself as the head of the Roman Catholic
Church around 313 A.D., which made this new "Christianity"
the official religion of the Roman Empire. This ungodly
system eventually ushered in the darkest period of history
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known to man, properly known as the "Dark Ages" (500-
1500 A.D.). Through popes, bishops, and priests, Satan
ruled Europe, and Biblical Christianity became illegal, bibles
confiscated and a false doctrine contrived and forced.
Millions of Christian Jews were slaughtered by this
pagan religion, those who did not conform to its
doctrine were hung on crosses outside of Jerusalem
and set on fire to burn as an example to those who
tried to defy it. Home groups were banned, bibles
burned. Christianity was punishable by death during
this era, yet pardon was available to those willing to
renounce their religion by offering sacrifice to the
emperor or Roman gods. Honouring Rome's gods and
goddesses was considered a civic obligation and, it
was the law.
But many Christians refused to break with their faith.
They were often executed and then hailed by their
coreligionists as martyrs.
First, the apostles were continually threatened and
pressured to deny their Lord during their ministry;
especially as they faced torture and martyrdom.
However, none of these men who spent time with
Jesus chose to save their lives by denying their faith in
Him.
Yet, history reveals that not one of these men, who
knew Jesus personally, ever denied their testimony
about Him despite the threat and reality of imminent
death. This proves to any fair-minded observer that
these men possessed an absolute unshakable
personal knowledge about the truth of the life, death,
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and resurrection of Jesus. Each of the Apostles were
called upon to pay the ultimate price to prove their
faith in Jesus, affirming with their life's blood that
Jesus was the true Messiah, the Son of God, and the
only hope of salvation for a sinful humanity.
The Apostles were murdered, thrown off buildings,
slaughtered, boiled in oil, hanged.
Paul was believed to have been tortured and then
beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67.
Peter was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross,
according to church tradition because he told his
tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way
that Jesus Christ had died.
The Papacy and Priesthood
In the Bible there are no popes or priests to rule over the
church. Jesus Christ is our High Priest (Heb. 3:1; 4:14-15;
5:5; 8:1; 9:11), and all true Christians make up a spiritual
priesthood (I Pet. 2:5). Jesus Christ has sanctified all
Christians who believe on Him. (Heb. 10:10-11), Jesus
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Christ is the High Priest and all who believe in Him and
follow Him are automatically part of his royal priesthood,
male and female. Priests in these days are unbiblical.
Furthermore, the practice of calling a priest "father" is
forbidden by Jesus Christ in Matthew 23:9. There is only
ONE mediator between God and men that is (I Tim. 2:5).
Jesus Christ.
The Catholic Religion teaches that Peter was the first Pope
and the earthly head of the church, but the Bible never says
this once. In fact, it was Peter himself who spoke against
"being Lords over God's heritage" in I Peter 5:3. Popes do
not marry, although Peter was married (Mat. 8:14; I Cor.
9:5). The Bible never speaks of Peter being in Rome, and it
was Paul, not Peter, who wrote the epistle to the Romans. In
the New Testament, Paul wrote 100 chapters with 2,325
verses, while Peter wrote only 8 chapters with 166 verses. In
Peter's first epistle he stated that he was simply "an Apostle
of Jesus Christ," not a Pope (I Pet. 1:1).
The Roman papacy and priesthood is just a huge fraud to
keep members in bondage to a corrupt pagan church, who
worships Mother Mary and has altered and violated the
teachings of the bible, it shows itself in wealth and ornate
trappings, decked out in purple and scarlet, carrying a staff
with an emancipated Jesus on a cross or showing Him as a
weak and helpless baby in his mother’s arms. IT claims to be
god’s representative on the earth. It has pardoned sins and
ordained saints, it has corrupted the feasts of the Lord
replacing them with pagan festivals and added some
Christianity to them to fool the people and the followers of
Jesus Christ.
God sent His representative in Jesus Christ and His word.
There is no need for any man to represent God as the work is
finished with Jesus Christ. No man can speak for Him nor can
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any man change His commandments. No man can forgive
your sins and no man can change the plan of salvation. Jesus
Christ alone is our mediator with God there is none other
beside He.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved.
Catholics, Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witness and any
other form of religion bring another type of God, with different
characteristics who is changeable and different from the
biblical God. Their God has set them up as the true church,
and they have extra scripture and doctrine other than the
bible and are on earth as representatives from God, or ‘so
they believe.’
Many modern thinkers hold to the concept that "truth" is totally
subjective, and that the more mature a person is, the less
dogmatic he will be about anything. But the New Testament
view of maturity is different. Solid, stable truth is held up as a
worthy goal, and Christians are urged to get past the stage as
quickly as possible where they're apt to be blown back and
forth by "every wind of doctrine." We're not to be
stubborn, of course. But neither are we to be gullible.
Although we're to hold our convictions gently and humbly,
the fact remains that we are to hold them. And as time goes
by, we're to become more skilled at seeing
through deception. We can't acquire perfect knowledge, but
we certainly can grow to "full age" and be among those
"who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil."
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(Hebrews 5:14). In short, we can learn to discern -- and
we're in danger if we don't.
All those who have obeyed the gospel need to be reminded
that the devil's power to destroy people lays in his ability to
deceive them, leading them away from the truth upon which
their salvation depends. (John. 8:31, 32; 2 Cor. 11:1-4). His
weapon has always been the lie (John.8:44), and it is still the
horrible means by which he defrauds people of their hope.
(Col. 2:8, 18). For this obvious reason, the New Testament
warns against what the devil can do. In particular, it warns
against what he can do through those human deceivers who
further his program by being false teachers.
The greatest warning of the New Testament was to
beware of false teachers and false prophets.
(1) Jesus taught, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits" (Mathew. 7:15, 16).
The apostle Peter devotes most of 2 Peter to warning
against false teachers. Jude devotes his entire letter to the
same theme. John in his epistles repeatedly warns of false
teachers. Paul’s final words to the Ephesians warned them
of false prophets and teachers. Acts 20:28-30.
Prideful deception allows man to pervert the pure word of the
bible and they each bring with them further scripture,
diverting those who are unawares from the pure undefiled
word of God. Catholic Cannon, Muslim Quran, Book of
Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, to name a few.
Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. In what are regarded as
the more personalist religions of the West, doctrines and
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dogmas tend to function as aids to theological reflection. In
all the religions, doctrines emerge and develop in the service
of instruction for the faithful: interpreting their sacred
scriptures, understanding their obligations and duties, all of
which help to chart the religious pathway to wisdom,
rectitude, and fulfilment and are all subject to manmade
theory rather than the living word of God.
Deuteronomy 13:1-3.
"If a prophet arises among you . . . and if he says, 'Let us
go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and let us
serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that
prophet or to that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your
God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord
your God with all your heart"
It is when you step away from religion
and follow the teachings of the bible that
you can come to know the true and living
God.
He desires a personal relationship with you. You
cannot have that relationship if you are aligned to a
religion and have to follow their ideological system.
Jesus Christ gave the example of His church as ‘His
bride.’ Just as in marriage you cannot completely love
and fulfil your commitment to your spouse if you are
having a relationship with another. How can you love
the Lord your God with all of your heart mind and soul
whilst doing it from instructions of a religion that is
based on a particular belief system.
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Most religions have a form of Godliness! But deny the
power of our Lord and Savior!
2 Timothy 3:5
Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And
from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those
who creep into households and make captives of gullible
women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge
of the truth.
His is a clarion call to all Christians to
return to that pure, vibrant, simple
Gospel message that primitive
Christianity received directly from the Apostles. The ancient church lived by it,
and shared it with all who would
listen. And thus, they "turned the
World upside down" (Acts 17:6).
W H A T W A S E A R L Y
C H R I S T I A N I T Y L I K E?
The heart of Christian tradition and the Christian way
of life is Jesus Christ.
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The Church is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 5:23,
Colossians 1:24) and provides continuity for the Word
of God. The three distinguishing marks of the early
church were:
1. Separation from the world,
2. Unconditional love,
3. Childlike obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
S E P A R A T I O N F R O M T H E W O R L D
"No one can serve two masters," declared Jesus to his
disciples (Matt.6:24). However, Christians have spent the
greater portion of the past two millenniums apparently trying
to prove Jesus wrong. We have told ourselves that we can
indeed have both-the things of God and the things of this
world through a man-made version of what it was originally
intended. Many of us live our lives no differently than do
conservative non-Christians, except for the fact that we
attend church regularly each week. We watch the same
entertainment. We share the same concerns
about the problems of this world. And we are frequently just
as involved in the world's commercial and materialistic
pursuits. Often, our being "not of this world" exists in theory
more than in practice.
But the church was not originally like that. The first Christians
lived under a completely different set of principles and values
than the rest of mankind.
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They rejected the world's entertainment, honours, and
riches.
They were already citizens of another kingdom, and they
listened to the voice of a different Master. This was as true of
the second century church as it was of the first.
Lest we think that the early Christians were describing a
lifestyle they didn't really practice, we have the testimony of
the Romans themselves.
One pagan antagonist of the Christians remarked:
‘They despise the temples as houses of the dead. They
reject the gods. They laugh at sacred things. Wretched, they
pity our priests. Half-naked themselves, they despise
honours and purple robes. What incredible audacity and
foolishness! They are not afraid of present torments, but they
fear those that are uncertain and future. While they do not
fear to die for the present, they fear to die after death.’
When I first read the criticisms that the Romans levelled
against the Christians, I painfully realized that no one
would accuse Christians today of those same charges.
Religion teaches Salvation through Works!
Through infant baptism, taking sacraments, church
membership, praying to Mary, confession, temple worship,
ritual and tokens, (just to mention a few), these religions
have developed a system of salvation through
WORKS. God's word says that we are saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ, not through works:
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Ephesians. 2:8-9
"For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God: Not of works, lest any man should
boast."
U N C O N D I T I O N A L L O V E
Early Christians did not meet in church buildings. Homes
were their sanctuary. Synagogues were a room on the
home, often upstairs or built along the side the house, some
groups met by the river side for prayer meetings. Servants,
extended families, neighbours and their workers joined
them, but primarily the husband or main care giver was to
be head over their own home and to teach their family in the
ways of the Lord, thus making communities Christian with
neighbourly love toward one another.
The original church was never about a building or bricks and
mortar, it was about the indwelling of the spirit within man,
becoming perfected through a desire to live as Christ lived
and as taught to us by Jesus and the Apostles.
1 Timothy 3:4
One that rules well his own house, having his children
in subjection with all gravity;
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Matthew 24:43
But know this that if the good man of the house had
known in what watch the thief would come, he would
have watched, and would not have suffered his house
to be broken up.
Jesus and the Apostles went from house to house to
teach and read scriptures. The people only coming
together collectively when they gathered together in
Jerusalem for the Lords Feast Days.
Dictionary meaning of Synagogue: A house or place where
people gather, assemble themselves.
Mark 5:35
While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from
the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. "Your
daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher
anymore?"
Acts 18:7
Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the
house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.
Mark 5:38
When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus
saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.
_____________________________________________________
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Luke 8:41
Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came
and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his
house.
_______________________________________________
Acts 16:13
And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river
side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat
down, and spake unto the women which resorted
thither.
_________________________________________________
Acts 16:11-40
Lydia Baptized at Philippi
13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the
riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we
sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
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C H I L D L I K E O B E D I E N C E T O T H E
T E A C H I N G S O F J E S U S C H R I S T.
The last words Jesus spoke to the Apostles before He
ascended was.
Mat. 28:18-20
"And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, ‘All authority
in heaven and in earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go
and make disciples in all nations, baptizing them into the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I
HAVE COMMANDED YOU: and lo, I am with you always,
even until the completion of the age”.
Let's understand from the very words of Jesus Christ, that
the Apostles were to teach and do only those things they
had learned from Jesus.
THEY DID NOT LEARN nor did they teach ANYTHING
ABOUT SUNDAY AS A DAY OF WORSHIP.
We can be sure of that because the original Apostles never
taught it.
Sabbath-keeping is A Sign between God and His People
Ex. 31:12-13.
“And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak thou unto
the Children of Israel, saying, verily My Sabbaths, ye shall
keep: for it [the keeping of the Sabbaths] is a SIGN
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BETWEEN ME AND YOU throughout your generations; that
you may know that I am the LORD that doeth sanctify
you"
NOTHING COULD BE CLEARER! Part of that
sanctification is the keeping of God's Sabbaths AS a SIGN
between God and His followers.
The prophet Isaiah prophesied that in the end times, just
before the return of Jesus Christ, that salvation includes
Sabbath-keeping.
Isaiah. 56:1-2, 6, KJV.
"Thus says the LORD, Keep ye judgment and do justice: For
My salvation is near to come [that is the return of Jesus
Christ], and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is
the man that doeth this, and the son of man that lay hold on
it; that keep the Sabbath from polluting it, and keep his
hand from doing any evil....Also the sons of the stranger,
that join themselves to the LORD [the conversion of the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ], to serve Him, and to love the
name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone that keep
the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My
covenant [The New Covenant]"
God tells us there is a blessing for keeping His holy
Sabbath. Moreover, Gentiles are also to keep the
Sabbath. God never at any time appointed another day
of worship for Gentiles. The truth is that all sin is the
transgression of the law and that curses are the result of
sin.
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God gives a special blessing, if we truly honour and keep His
holy Sabbath. Notice God’s promise:
Isa. 58:13-14, KJV
"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing your
pleasure on My holy day and call the Sabbath a delight, the
holy of the Lord, honourable; and shall honour Him, not
doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight yourself in
the Lord; and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of
the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father;
for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
God is speaking of His Holy Day, he did not say make your
own day and choose whatever day of the week you want. He
has clearly stated the
Sabbath that he sanctioned before Israel was founded, is the
one and only Sabbath day to be honoured as it is His Holy
convocation with us.
John 1:1-3
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him
not anything was made that was made." 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
What is this plainly telling us? Let's examine it in the light of
what we already know. We have seen that IN THE
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BEGINNING GOD CREATED ALL THINGS, AND THE ONE
WHO DID THE CREATING WAS THE ONE WHO BECAME
JESUS CHRIST.
This knowledge is of the utmost significance because it
means that Jesus Christ is the Creator of the seventh-day
Sabbath. He was the one who blessed it, sanctified it,
made it holy, and commanded that it be kept forever.
Furthermore, the Apostle John is telling us that the Lord God
of the Old Testament, who became Jesus Christ of the New
Testament, was, in fact, the one who gave the Ten
Commandments and all of the laws, commandments,
statutes and judgments to ancient Israel at Mt. Sinai.
God has told us that these laws, commandments, statutes
and judgments are holy, righteous and good. God gave
these to us for our well-being and for our good that He might
bless us in everything, because God loves us. (See Deut.
4:1,37-40; 5:29-33; 6:1-6,17-18,24-25; 7:6-15; 10:12-15;
11:1-28—Please read all these Scriptures before you go on.
It is extremely important, so that you will understand the full
impact of Jesus' teachings in the New Testament).
When Jesus Christ began His ministry, He set the record
straight, as to where He stood in relationship to God's laws.
These were the very laws and commandments, which He, as
the Lord God of the Old Testament created and commanded
to be kept forever!
"Will I believe God, the Word of God, Jesus Christ and
His teachings, or will I believe the teachings and
doctrines of men?”
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Exodus 20:8-11
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you
shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work:
you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant,
nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger
who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the
heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and
rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
Mathew 5:18
"For truly I say unto you, until heaven and earth shall pass
away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the
law until everything has been fulfilled.”
Do heaven and earth still exist? The answer is a
resoundingly, YES! They still exist. What does that mean?
The heaven and earth are a witness that the laws and
commandments of God are still in full force and effect.
The Ten Commandments were written in stone by the
finger of God, unchangeable to stand for ever. They were
placed in the Ark of the
Covenant, whereas the Laws of Moses of which there
were some 616 laws were placed in the side of the Ark.
These were sacrificial laws and most were fulfilled and
no longer necessary, as Christ was our ultimate
sacrifice.
How does Jesus Christ look at commandment-keeping?
What does He say about commandment-breakers?
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Jesus clarified which laws and commandments He was
talking about!
Mathew 5:19
"Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called
least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever shall practice
and teach them, this one shall be called great in the
kingdom of God.”
Jesus Christ Himself said that we are blessed, if we do and
teach even one of the least of the commandments.
Furthermore, when asked what a person must do to inherit
eternal life, Jesus gave this answer: "...If you desire to enter
into life keep [Greek: poiaoo--means to be practicing] the
commandments" (Mat. 19:17).
This is exactly what early New Testament Christians were
taught. In the 90’s AD, the apostle John made it clear that
Christians were to keep the commandments of God.
I John 3:22, 24
“And whatever we may ask we receive from Him, because
we are keeping His commandments and are practicing
those things that are pleasing in His sight….And the one
who is keeping His commandments dwells in Him, and
He in him; and by this we know that He is dwelling in us: by
the Spirit which He gave to us”.
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Mat. 22:37-40
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and
with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the
first and greatest commandment; and the second one is
like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these
two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Jesus expanded the meaning of these two great
commandments even more as recorded in the Gospel of
John. Jesus said, John 14:15-24
“If you love Me, keep My commandments…. The one who
has My commandments and is keeping them, that is the
one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me shall be
loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest
Myself to him…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;
and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and
make Our abode with him. The one who does not love Me
does not keep My words; and the word that you hear is not
Mine, but the Father's, Who sent Me.”
Jesus Christ observed the weekly seventh-day Sabbath;
it was something that He always did. We find this
account preserved for us in the Fourth Chapter of the
Gospel of Luke. This event is extremely significant
because the occasion was when Jesus began preaching
the Gospel in Galilee:
Luke 4:16
“And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up;
and according to His custom, He went into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.”
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After Jesus left Nazareth, He continued throughout all
Galilee and was teaching the people on the Sabbath
days. He did not proclaim that He had come to do away
with the Sabbath commandment. Notice! “Then He went
down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and TAUGHT THEM
ON THE SABBATH DAYS. And they were astonished at His
teaching: for His word was with power" (Luke 4:31-32).
Jesus preached on many consecutive Sabbaths. The
Sabbath as we have previously learned was made to be
a blessing for all mankind. Jesus used the Sabbath to
preach, teach and extend the blessings of God through
healing and casting out demons. Jesus Christ used the
Sabbath to release people from sin-- Hence, the Sabbath
day is a day of redemption and salvation--a day of
blessing!
This is why Jesus continually healed on the Sabbath
day. In the account in the Fifth Chapter of John, we
again find the loving, forgiving, healing attitude and acts
of Jesus contrasted with the hypocritical, super self-
righteousness of the Pharisees. So much so, that in the
minds of the Pharisees, Jesus' act of healing on the
Sabbath, constituted what they claimed to be Sabbath-
breaking.
In reality, Jesus' act of healing was an extension of God's
loving kindness, which was a most appropriate
expression of the meaning and intent of the Sabbath day.
God created the Sabbath so mankind could be in contact
with the True God and receive His blessings. What
greater blessing could a crippled man receive from God,
than to be healed on the Sabbath-day?
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Jesus Christ Is Lord of The Sabbath. He Is Not Lord Of
Sunday!
After another dispute about Sabbath-keeping, because
the disciples plucked ears of grain to eat, Jesus made it
absolutely clear that He was Lord of the Sabbath day!
"And He said unto them, THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR
MAN, NOT MAN FOR THE SABBATH [Jesus ought to have
known, because He created it!] THEREFORE THE SON OF
MAN IS LORD EVEN OF THE SABBATH” (Mark 2:27-28,
AT). Nothing could be more truthful—Jesus Christ as Creator
of the Sabbath owns it.
WHAT DAY DID JESUS SAY WAS THE LORD'S DAY, HIS
DAY? WAS IT SUNDAY? Absolutely not!
The Lord’s Day is not Sunday, as most professing Christians
have been taught, Jesus said that the Lord’s Day was the
Sabbath day. He is Lord of that day! The Sabbath Day is
the seventh day of the week, known as Saturday. It is
not Sunday, known as the first day of the week.
Therefore, the true Lord’s Day of the New Testament is
the seventh day weekly Sabbath.
The Apostles Kept The Sabbath.
In fact, history shows that it was almost 313AD years before
the official substitution of Sunday for the Sabbath was
orchestrated by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who made
Christianity the official state religion to secure political
advantage over a defeated contender for the office of
Emperor. His rival supported a policy of persecuting and
killing Christians. Constantine was quick to grasp the political
advantage of accepting and supporting Christians, but that
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acceptance came with a price: It gave him State control over
all religious matters.
Nowhere in the Bible does either the Father or Jesus
Christ ever grant permission to change the time of the
Sabbath from the seventh day to Sunday, the first day
of the week. No human being, institution or state has
ever had the right to tamper with what God has made
sacred.
In the book of Acts we find that the apostle Paul taught
the people on the Sabbath. In fact, when Paul first
began preaching in Greece proper, he observed the
Sabbath. It would have been a perfect time for Paul to
begin teaching the Gentiles that they did not have to
observe the seventh day Sabbath, wouldn't it! But did
he?
NO, HE DID NOT!
Let's see some more examples of Paul's teachings and
practices.
Acts 17:2
"And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and
three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the
Scriptures.”
Paul Taught the Gentiles on the Sabbath Day.
The apostle Paul and Barnabas did not teach the
Gentiles that grace eliminated the need to obey the
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Fourth Commandment. Rather, they were told to
continue in the grace of God with Sabbath- keeping!
Because this is such an important matter, and the
Scriptures clearly reveal that Paul did not teach Sunday-
keeping, it needs to be repeated:
Acts 13:43
“Now after the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews
and the worshiping proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas,
who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the
grace of God. Then on the coming Sabbath [not the next
day Sunday--but the next Sabbath], almost the whole city
was gathered together to hear the word of God” came
almost the whole city together to hear the word of God"
In his epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul taught that
grace establishes the law. Notice:
Rom. 3:30-31
“Since, indeed, it is one God who will justify the circumcision
by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. Are we, then,
abolishing law through faith? MAY IT NEVER BE! On the
contrary, we are establishing law.”
Again, Paul makes it absolutely clear that a Christian
cannot continue in sin, transgressing the
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commandments of God—including the Fourth
Commandment. He leaves no doubt whatsoever. Notice:
Romans 6:1
“What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, so that
grace may abound? MAY IT NEVER BE! We who died to
sin, how shall we live any longer therein? Or are you
ignorant that we, as many as were baptised into Christ Jesus,
were baptised into His death?”
If One Transgresses One of the Commandments, He
is Guilty of Breaking Them All!
The major commandment that is rejected by mainstream
Christianity today, is the Fourth Commandment. Yet, as
strange as it may seem, those who reject this
commandment will profess to keep the other
commandments and claim that they are doing the will of
God. But the apostle James declares that breaking even
one of the commandments of God is sin, and brings the
same condemnation as breaking them all.
James 2:10
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in
one point, he is guilty of all.
1 John 2:1-29
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his
commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but
whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is
perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: ...
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In his epistle, James shows that Jesus’ teachings
concerning the spirit of the law did not eliminate the need
to obey the Letter of the Law. James explains Jesus’
command to “love your neighbour as yourself” requires
obedience to the commandments of God. James
specifically refers to the Sixth and Seventh
commandments, and makes it very clear that to break
any of God’s commandments is sin:
James 2:8-12
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if you have
respect of persons, you are committing sin, and are
convicted by the law as transgressors; because whoever
shall keep the whole law, but sin in one aspect, becomes
guilty of all. For He who said, ‘You shall not commit
adultery,’ also said, ‘You shall not commit murder.’ Now if
you do not commit adultery, but you commit murder, you have
become a transgressor of the law. In this manner speak and
in this manner behave: as those who are about to be judged
by the law of freedom”
The same standard also applies to the Sabbath
commandment of God, to keep the seventh day Sabbath
holy.
Let us examine God’s Word:
Ex. 20:8-11, KJV
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days
shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is
the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any
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work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant,
nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is
within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven
and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the
seventh day:
Where fore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and
hallowed it."
This was instituted in the beginning, before Israel was
chosen to receive the Laws of God.
Nowhere in the entire Bible, do we find a single
Scripture that changes the day of rest and worship
from, the seventh day of the week, Saturday, to the first
day of the week, Sunday. There are some Scriptures
that have been misinterpreted to make it appear that
Sunday is the day on which Christians should worship.
However, when those Scriptures are properly
understood and interpreted, it is clear that Jesus Christ
did not change the Sabbath day from the seventh day
of the week to the first day of the week.
Paul preaching until midnight on the first day of the week at
the time of the crucifixion is one such example where
modern Christendom says that shows now Sunday worship,
the first day of the week because that is the day the Lord
was resurrected. However Paul preaching on that particular
first day of the week is the practice of unleavened feast and
Passover observance, in which the first day of the week and
the following days are special biblical readings.
Unleavened feast including Passover extends for several
days. Thus Jesus on the day of His resurrection walked with
two men seven miles and taught from the Old Testament,
reading from the Torah on this day which is the practice kept
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annually for Passover and unleavened bread observance. If
Christians understood the Feasts of the Lord they would know
that Paul was keeping unleavened bread observance of
Passover by preaching on that particular first day of the week.
He was not changing church to Sunday.
The Sabbath day begins at sunset Friday evening until the
evening of Saturday.
John 20:19
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the
week, when the doors were shut where the disciples
were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and
stood in their midst and said unto them,
“Peace be unto you.”
The reason the disciples were assembled clearly tells us it
was for ‘fear of the Jews,’ it does not say that they were
changing the Sabbath day to the first day of the week. Jesus
had been crucified and they were in hiding, but Paul still kept
the unleavened feast biblical readings, but this is not for a
church service on Sunday.
Matthew 26:17
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the
disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us
to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
The disciples certainly understood the feasts and the
requirements for the 7 day observance of Passover and
Unleavened bread.
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Rejecting the Commandments of God Is Lawlessness.
Everyone who teaches disobedience to the laws and
commandments of God is following in the steps of Satan,
who was the first lawbreaker. That is why Jesus told the
Pharisees that their father was the devil (John 8:44). While
professing to teach and practice the laws and
commandments of God, they were teaching and practicing
their own religious laws and traditions in place of the
commandments of God.
During His ministry, Jesus condemned the religious leaders
of Judaism for their traditions, which they held in higher
esteem than the laws and commandments of God. He
made it clear that in observing their own human traditions,
they were rejecting the commandments of God:
“…The Pharisees and the scribes questioned Him, saying,
Mark 9:11
‘Why don't your disciples walk according to the tradition of
the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?’ And He
answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy
concerning you hypocrites, as it is written,
Matthew 15:8 “This people honour me with their lips, but
their hearts are far away from Me.” But in vain do they
worship Me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of
men. For leaving the commandment of God, you hold
fast the tradition of men, such as the washing of pots
and cups; and you practice many other things like this.’
“Then He said to them,
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Mark 7:5-13
‘Full well do you reject the commandment of God, so
that you may observe your own tradition. For Moses said,
“Honour your father and your mother”; and, “The one who
speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.” But
you say, “If a man shall say to his father or mother,
‘Whatever benefit you might receive from me is corban’ (that
is, set aside as a gift to God), he is not obligated to help his
parents.” And you excuse him from doing anything for
his father or his mother, nullifying the authority of the
Word of God by your tradition which you have passed
down; and you practice many traditions such as this.”
In his first epistle, the Apostle John clearly defines
lawlessness:
I John 3:4,
“Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law, for sin is
the transgression of the law.” The literal meaning of the
Greek text. Here is a more precise translation of John’s
words:
“Everyone who is practicing sin is also practicing
lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness.”
To practice lawlessness is to live in a state of sin, committing
sin as a habitual way of life. In other words, lawlessness is
the habitual breaking of God’s laws and commandments,
which is sin. Religious leaders who teach and practice
lawlessness, appear to be righteous because they use the
names of God and Jesus Christ and quote Scripture.
However, they are not true servants of God because they
reject His laws and commandments.
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A close examination of the history of Christianity will show
that this is precisely what has happened. They have
established their own self-righteous religions and have
rejected the true righteousness of God. True Christianity, as
originally taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles, was
subverted from within by false teachers of lawlessness. The
teachings of these “ungodly men” that Jude and Peter wrote
about were passed down in the writings of the “early church
fathers” and were accepted by the Roman church as
authoritative traditions. Through the centuries the Roman
church grew in power, using its influence to stamp out vestige
of the true teachings of Jesus Christ. After a power struggle
between the Bishop of Rome and Constantinople, the church
split into the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox
churches. As the influence of the Orthodox Church
dominated the East, so the teachings of the Roman Catholic
Church moulded the thinking of the entire Western world.
The promotions of lawlessness have succeeded in deceiving
the vast majority of professing Christians into accepting a
false grace. As the New Testament shows, this distorted
view of grace does not lead to salvation. In the Judgment
Day, the teachers of lawlessness, who have been honoured
as religious leaders and have even done noteworthy deeds in
the name of Jesus Christ, will be rejected:
Mat 7:22-23,
“Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy through Your name? And did we not cast out
demons through Your name? And did we not perform many
works of power through Your name?' And then I will confess
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to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work
lawlessness”.
If you believe that Sunday worship is Christian, and that
God's inspired Word, the Holy Scriptures teach Sunday-
keeping, then search the Scriptures and you will not find
it anywhere:
God blessed the seventh-day and named it Sabbath. (Ex.
20:10-11).
If God named the seventh day of the week Sabbath?
Nowhere in the Bible do we find a command to observe any
other day of the week as holy, as a substitute or replacement
of the seventh-day Sabbath.
Just as there is no record in all the scriptures where God
has changed any of the Ten Commandments and given a
different meaning to them. He wrote them is stone to
show they were unchangeable!
But still we think we can change one of them?
Below this scripture is not saying to not keep the Sabbaths, it
is telling us to not allow ourselves to be judged on keeping
them as the Pharisees tried to do to Jesus.
Colossians 2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink, or in
respect to a holy day or the new moon or the Sabbath days,
The Sabbath commandment, one of the longest of the Ten, is
one of the commandments God gave to His people to
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observe that shows our love and obedience towards God.
(Ex. 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15; Mat. 22:37-40).
Jesus kept and observed the Sabbath, which expressed His
love and obedience toward God the Father. (Luke. 4:16).
Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, and as such the Sabbath
is the TRUE LORD'S DAY. (Mk.2:28; Isa. 58:13; Mat. 12:8).
Jesus Christ recognized the Sabbath commandment as
binding. (Mat. 12:12; 5:17-18; Mk. 3:4).
Jesus Christ kept His Father's commandments which
included the seventh-day Sabbath. (John 15:10; 8:29; 5:46-
47).
The Sabbath was observed at the time of the crucifixion.
(Luke. 23:56).
Observance of the Sabbath was the practice years after the
crucifixion. (Acts 17:2).
Paul recognized and observed the Sabbath during his
ministry, about 45 A.D. (Acts 13:27).
Paul taught the Gentiles on the Sabbath day, at their own
request. (Acts 13:42).
Paul preached to an entire city on the Sabbath day. (Acts
13:44).
Paul attended a prayer meeting on the Sabbath day, when no
synagogue was available. (Acts 16:13).
It was Paul's custom to preach Jesus Christ on the Sabbath
day. (Acts 17:2-3).
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At Corinth Paul preached every Sabbath for eighteen months
(Acts 18:14.11).
James recognized the seventh-day Sabbath many years after
Christ's resurrection. (Acts 15:21).
The seventh-day Sabbath will be observed and kept during
the time of the millennium. (Isa. 66:23).
If the above does not prove it to you then the following
scriptures tells you that if the day of rest had been
changed then Jesus would have told you so……
Hebrews 4:4-16
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on
this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his
works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter
therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered
not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, he limit a certain day, saying in David, To-day,
after so long a time; as it is said, To-day if ye will hear
his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not
afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remains therefore a rest to the people of God.
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10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath
ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any
man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart.
The Apostle Paul made it clear that the day of rest, the
seventh day Sabbath was to be observed as a holy day.
As above scripture shows the sanctity of the seventh-day
was never changed by Jesus Christ, nor by the Apostles, to
the first day of the week, neither did it change after the
resurrection of Jesus Christ nor otherwise. Paul is clearly
instructing us in the above scriptures to observe the Lords
day of rest as sanctified by God. He even goes so far as to
say that if you think it was changed to another day then
Jesus would have told you so.
As part of our Christian requirements to receive eternal life
that we must keep all of God’s Ten Commandments (Mat.
19:17; Rev. 22:14).
The seventh-day Sabbath remains as the day of rest for
God's people.
Jesus warned that in the end time, as the tribulation was
beginning, that we should not flee on the Sabbath (Mat.
24:20).
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The sign of God's people in the end time is that they would be
keeping the commandments of God (Rev. 12:17; 14:12).
Sabbath is a day of rest from work and to be kept Holy
unto the Lord.
Catholic and Protestant Admissions about
Sabbath/Sunday, and the Trinity Doctrine.
“Our opponents sometimes claim that no belief should be
held dogmatically which is not explicitly stated in scripture,
but the Protestant Churches have themselves accepted such
dogmas, as the Trinity, for which there is no such precise
authority in the Gospels.” (Graham Greene, (celebrated
Catholic Author,) Life Magazine, 30Oct. 1950.
http://www.trinitytruth.org/paganoriginsofthetrinity.html
The Roman Catholic Church understands that the Bible
specifically sanctifies the seventh-day weekly Sabbath.
Furthermore, it also admits and boasts that the establishment
of Sunday worship is based solely on the ecclesiastical
authority of the Roman Catholic Church and not on the
authority of the Scriptures. Here are some famous
statements made by the Catholic officials in regard to the
seventh-day weekly Sabbath and the first day of the week--
Sunday.
"You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you
will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of
Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of
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Saturday, a day which we never sanctify" (Cardinal Gibbon,
Faith of Our Fathers, 1892, p. 111).
"Sunday is a Roman Catholic institution, and its claims to
observance can be defended only on Catholic
principles...From the beginning to the end of Scripture there is
not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly
public worship from the last day of the week to the first"
(Catholic Press [Sydney Australia], August 25, 1900).
The Roman Catholic Church boasts that by its authority alone
they changed the day of worship from the Sabbath to Sunday:
“Question: Which is the Sabbath day?
Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.
Question: Why do we worship [on] Sunday instead of
Saturday?
Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because
the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 336),
transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.
Question: Have you a way of proving that the Church [Roman
Catholic] has the power to institute festivals of precept?
Answer: had she no such power, she should not have done
that in which all modern religions agree with her—she could
not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day
of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day,
a change for which there is no Scriptural authority” (Doctrinal
Catechism, p. 147 and The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic
Doctrine, p. 50, 1927 edition).
Catholic Church claiming to have authority and that they
have the power to change God’s Law.
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No man has that authority on this earth, nor in the heavens
above. Any religion, man or culture who states that they have
the authority to change the laws of God are of Satan. If the
Catholic Church does not have authority then no other self-
professed prophet or saint can change the Laws of God.
"The observation of the first instead of the seventh day rests
on the testimony of the Catholic church, and the Catholic
church alone" (Hobort Church News [Episcopalian], July 2,
1894).
The overwhelming evidence of the Bible and history proves
that the Seventh day Sabbath—is the true day of rest and
worship of God. God puts His presence into that day. He
fellowships with His people on that day, as well as, the annual
Holy Feast days which, He has commanded to be observed
in worship of Him.
What is God’s mark, sign or symbol of authority?
Ezekiel 20:12
Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign
between me and them that they might know that I am the
Lord that sanctify them.
Hebrews 10:16
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says
the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
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And I will write them on their minds.”
God is saying in the scriptures above that He gave us His
Sabbath as a glorious sign of His power to create and His
power to sanctify convert and save us. In the bible, the words
seal, sign, and mark are used interchangeably: God’s sign,
the Sabbath, represents His Holy power to rule as Creator
and Saviour.
Revelation 7:1-3 says it will be written upon the foreheads,
minds, of His people. Hebrews 10:16 It will signify that they
are owned by Him and have His character. Hebrews 4:4-10
confirms this by saying that when we enter His rest (receive
salvation), we should keep His seventh-day
Sabbath Holy as a symbol, or mark of salvation.
True Sabbath-keeping signifies that a person has
surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and is willing to follow
where-ever Jesus leads.
Since the symbol, or mark of God’s authority and power is
His holy Sabbath day, it seems likely that the symbol, or
mark, of God’s challenger, the beast, might also involve a
holy day. Let’s see if it does. What does papacy say is her
symbol or mark of authority?
Taken from Catholic catechism: “Had she not such power,
she could not have done that in which all modern religionists
agree with her she could not have substituted the
observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the
observance of Sabbath the seventh day, a change for which
there is no scriptural authority.”
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Pope demands Sunday to be a day of Rest!!!
The Pope is calling for the world to acknowledge and
honour Sunday as a day of rest. Legislation that will force
the world to worship and rest on Sunday is being put into
place. There are many voices clamouring to fulfil exactly
such a goal, using the economy, the environment, and
even the family as reasons to legislate Sunday rest.
The ungodly Roman Church is rising again in these last
days to force it’s pagan sun god worship, to fulfil prophecy
and usher in the final battle of the Anti-Christ’s attempt to
overrule the world before the Kingdom of God comes in its
fullness.
Forced Sunday worship is the mark of the beast!
********
There are some who still argue that Sabbath keeping
and the feast observances are for Israel.
I feel at this point I need to clarify who is Israel? Where
they are and what is their part in prophecy.
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EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH
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(GENESIS 48:3-20)
"And Jacob said unto Joseph, thy two sons, Ephraim and
Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt
before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben
and Simeon, they shall be mine... And Joseph took them
both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand,
and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand,
and brought them near unto him. And Israel stretched out
his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was
the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head,
guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my
fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me
all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed
me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named
on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand
upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held
up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto
Manasseh's head And Joseph said unto his father, Not so,
my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon
his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my
son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also
shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater
than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel
bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as
Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh." -
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To fully appreciate the significance of the blessing of
Joseph's two sons, we need to understand some
background with regard to both history and prophecy
in relation to Israel.
The promises to the tribes of Israel were specifically
reserved for the "LAST DAYS", or "CHRISTIAN ERA" -
Genesis 49:1, Hebrews 1:1,2. The rebellion of the ten
tribes in the North, against the Throne of David, in the time
of Solomon's son, Rehoboam, is foretold in 1 Kings 11:9-
13, and 29-32. This northern ten-tribe division retained the
name ISRAEL. The tribe of Judah, in the South, were
granted the loyal support of the tribe of Benjamin, and were
collectively known as JUDAH. Understanding this division
of ISRAEL and JUDAH is essential, in order to rightly apply
prophecy. 2 Kings 17 gives a summary of how, because of
sin, God took ten-tribe ISRAEL away from the throne of
Judah, and eventually caused them to go into exile in
Assyria. They did not return! The fact is, both Ezra and
Nehemiah record that only 42,360 of the tribes of Judah
and Benjamin, returned to Judea from exile in Babylon,
together with a "mixed multitude" see Ezra 2:64, Nehemiah
7:66, 13:3. From these, the Jews of Jesus' day descended.
It is clear therefore, that to identify ISRAEL in both history
and prophecy we have to distinguish Israel from the Jews.
It was prophesied that ISRAEL would lose their identity,
God referring to them as "not my people", in other words, a
people who would not be identified as Israel (Hosea 1:10,
2:23), yet we may identify Israel by the destiny they were to
fulfil! I Chronicles 5:1 tells us the "BIRTHRIGHT was given
unto the SONS OF JOSEPH". This means that, through the
descendants of the SONS OF JOSEPH, God would fulfil
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the great promises of Israel's greatness! That greatness
included the promise given to Jacob in Genesis 35:11:
"I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply: a NATION and
a COMPANY OF NATIONS shall be of thee, and Kings
shall come out of thy loins... "
Clearly ISRAEL was to be a NATION with a
MONARCHY, which would expand to become a
"COMPANY OF NATIONS"!
The account of the blessing of Joseph's sons, EPHRAIM
and MANASSEH, is recorded in Genesis Chapter 48. It is
staggering that Jacob chose his grandsons, the sons of
Joseph to be bearers of the BIRTHRIGHT. That birthright
was the passing on of the promises given to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob himself! This included the promise given
to Jacob that his seed would become a "NATION AND
COMPANY OF NATIONS"! The reason was that, though
they were actually his grandsons, Jacob adopted the sons
of Joseph as his own sons. It was, in fact, the highest
honour he could give to Joseph, that his sons would not
only be equal with the other sons of Jacob, but would have
the birthright. Yet Jacob went further than this. Although
Manasseh was the elder of the two lads, whilst giving both
EPHRAIM and MANASSEH a share of the birthright, Jacob
gave the firstborn-portion to EPHRAIM! In fact, Ephraim is
God's firstborn! (Jeremiah 31:9)
To identify modern ISRAEL, we are clearly looking for a
people who, though not recognised as Israel, have the
hallmarks of Israel-identity. God had told Abraham his seed
would be GREAT and their name "GREAT"! Jacob's
descendants were to become a "NATION AND COMPANY
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OF NATIONS", a prophecy entailed in the birthright given
to the sons of Joseph.
The indisputable fact that no other Nation is
named "GREAT", or has become a Company or
Commonwealth of Nations in precisely this way, is in itself
irrefutable proof that GREAT BRITAIN is EPHRAIM, and
that the prophecy had firstborn fulfilment in the Nation of
Great Britain and its Commonwealth of Nations, the
"Multitude of Nations" prophesied by Jacob. The Roman
Empire, at its height, tyrannically ruled approximately a
quarter of the then known world. At its height, the benign
British Empire ruled over a third of the earth's surface,
becoming the greatest Empire of all time,
its "branches ran over the wall!"(Genesis 49:22.)
Many of these nations now have independence, yet
Queen Elizabeth II remains "Head of the
Commonwealth", representing over 30% of the
world's population.
The portion of the birthright given to MANASSEH is
unquestionably fulfilled in the UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. Joseph represented the greatest, richest
power on earth in his day, and that blessing was
passed on to both his sons, first Ephraim and
second Manasseh. Ephraim's position has
diminished, at this time, partly for reasons of
judgment, and partly to allow Manasseh to enjoy, in
turn, Joseph's pre-eminence in wealth and power.
But this does not alter history, or reverse Ephraim's
prophetic mandate.
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Clearly EPHRAIM is the leading tribe of Great Britain and
the Commonwealth of Nations. As firstborn of the
birthright, EPHRAIM-BRITAIN became the greatest,
richest power on earth. For this reason, as well as many
others, GREAT BRITAIN is identified as EPHRAIM! The
firstborn was known as the "bull" - a symbol of Great
Britain (Deuteronomy 33:17).
Let us not forget, however, that BRITAIN once
occupied that position in a far greater capacity than
ANY other nation, past or present! Also, whilst the
riches and power of MANASSEH-U.S.A. are
contained within a single
republic, EPHRAIM represents the combined
population, wealth and influence of GREAT
BRITAIN, its MONARCHY, and COMMONWEALTH
OF NATIONS!
(10) Ephraim would be a "Multitude of Nations" and
Manasseh a "Great People":
The prophecy contained in Genesis 48:19 is a
confirmation of Genesis 35:11, that Israel would be a
Nation and Company of Nations. The major
fulfilment of this prophecy to Israel was entailed in
the birthright given to Ephraim and Manasseh, and it
was Ephraim, the designated firstborn, who was to
fulfil the greater part, becoming a Company of
Nations!
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As the "Firstborn", Ephraim would have the primary
hallmarks of Israel Identity:
Israel was to be a great nation, actually
named "GREAT" (Genesis 12:2).The word "name"
here is more than a descriptive term, but is a word
commonly used with reference to a NAME! The
double use of "great", coupled with the
word "name" indicates that Israel would not only be
great but would actually be named "GREAT"!
They were to be relocated in ISLES, in the North-
West (Isaiah 41:1, 8, 42:4, 49:1-3,12). They would
number many millions, and would possess
the "gates of their enemies" (Genesis 22:17, 24:60).
They would "dwell in the midst of the earth" (Genesis
48:16) and be a colonising people (Isaiah 49:20).
They would be a monarchy whose 'hand' or power-
base would be "IN THE SEA" [i.e. in ISLES] (Psalm
89:25). Each of these marks of identity has been
fulfilled by Great Britain.
Britain's Ephraim-Mandate is evident in that it was
Britain that colonised and built the world's greatest
Empire, and established its Commonwealth of
Nations. It was Britain that led the way in Industrial
Revolution. Britain was in the forefront of many
major technological and engineering developments,
including building the first computer.
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In fact, there have sadly been attempts to re-write
history, in order to play-down or ignore the
significant role played by Britain, in major
technological, scientific and military achievements.
For a number of years America has been
enjoying Manasseh's portion of the birthright. Some
believe that, although Jacob appointed his younger
brother Ephraim as Israel's firstborn, this did not
prejudice Manasseh's inheritance as Joseph's
firstborn. In other words, whilst Ephraim would
inherit the primary Israel birthright, territorial
blessing and monarchy, Manasseh would receive
the double-portion of Joseph's material legacy of
wealth and power.
With the greatest respect and honour to those
Americans, who fought or gave their lives in two
World Wars, it cannot be denied, as a fact of history,
that Great Britain and its Commonwealth allies
fought a substantial part of two World Wars prior to
U.S. involvement. As one writer states: "The first and
second World Wars were won by Britain and her
daughters, with the U.S.A. assisting and assuring
victory AFTER the trend of the struggle had been
decided in both cases".
The British R.A.F., with Commonwealth support,
defending the British Isles against the axis-powers'
air attack, fought and won the Battle of Britain in
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1940. There is no parallel in modem history! It was
the major turning-point of World War II (see
1Chronicles 17:9-10).
It is to be noted that when the United States did join
the war effort, they did so, not as individual states,
but as a SINGLE nation or people (MANASSEH) -
joining forces with an alliance of nations - Great
Britain and the Commonwealth of
Nations (EPHRAIM) (Deuteronomy 33:17).
The initial, decisive role played by the British-
Commonwealth Alliance of Nations all giving
allegiance to the British Crown - the Throne of
David - in the two greatest Wars of human history -
as well as all the other facts mentioned - are
undeniable proofs of the identity of Great Britain and
the Commonwealth as EPHRAIM,
the firstborn of birthright Israel!
It is not without significance that it is the British Flag,
the Union Jack - signifying the Union of Jacob - that
has the diagonal cross at its centre, symbolic of
Jacob's crossed hands, which affirmed the role to be
fulfilled by Ephraim! The British Flag is the symbol
of Ephraim's Blessing.
Even the name 'BRIT-ISH' derives from the Hebrew
meaning 'Covenant-Man'!
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Reference could also be made to the location of the
Throne of David in Great Britain, which is, in itself,
essential to the distinctive role of EPHRAIM-
BRITAIN as the heartland of the Birthright
COMPANY OF NATIONS! According to Hebrew
scholarship, the
name "Ephraim" denotes 'aristocracy'. It is GREAT
BRITAIN that has an aristocracy -
Without doubt, that which above all, gives Ephraim-
Britain precedence is its THRONE! Its cohesive
influence, and the respect and loyalty it commands
both within and beyond the Commonwealth,
represents perhaps the greatest influence and
stabilising factor in the modern world. Concerning
that Throne, God said there would always be a
descendant of David to occupy the throne of the
house of Israel (Jeremiah 33:17).The British Throne
is the Throne of the house of Israel. Israel is located
where the throne is, reigning not only over Israel in
the Isles, but over all the other branches of the
house of Israel, who still give allegiance to that
Throne!
I should add, allegiance is to the Throne, and what it
represents. The Royal Family is fallible, like the rest
of us. But what that Throne represents is a Covenant
that cannot be broken, and a Kingdom that cannot
be shaken, and He shall come whose right it is, to
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take His Throne, as great David's greater Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ!
Close to 100 nations joined in the celebrations of the
Queen's Jubilee on June 2nd-3rd 2002. This event
has helped to awaken us to the amazing significance
of the British Monarchy, as the Throne of David, a
significance rooted in Israel's history and Biblical
prophecy. BRITAIN-EPHRAIM, even in its present
spiritual blindness, is still fulfilling a role of far greater
significance than most people recognise?
Essentially, we are all one people, and there are
representations of both tribes of Ephraim and
Manasseh on both sides of the Atlantic, though in
differing proportions. All the tribes of Israel are
undoubtedly represented, in varying degrees, in all
the Israel nations, and therefore we all have an
equally significant role to play regardless of what
tribe we represent.
At the end of the day, the primary issue is that we
recognise our collective Israel identity. Tribalism and
narrow nationalism really has no place in God's
economy. Regardless of what part of Israel we live
in, we should rejoice in the fulfilling of the plan and
purpose of God, and we should glory, not in our
nationhood, or even our Israelitish identity, but in
the GOD of Israel- "He that glories, let him glory in
the Lord".
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Hasten the day, when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself
will reign, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and all
the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and He shall reign for ever
and ever!
Prince Williams Crest. Lion of Judah, Unicorn of Ephraim
and the Harp of King David.
THE LAW VERSES GRACE.
What is the meaning of grace? Does it nullify—“do away
with”—the law? Is grace a “license” to sin? Does “not under
the law” mean grace has replaced it—and removed any
need for Christians to produce good works?
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What did Christ and His apostles teach?
What does the Bible really say?
What is the New Testament teaching on “law and grace”?
Is it one or the other—law versus grace—or both—law and
grace?
This is a subject of great controversy, leaving many confused.
This need not be. Here is the plain Bible teaching!
The meaning of grace in the New Testament has nothing to
do with abolishing God’s laws. False teachers who promote
“grace” over obedience are unaware that the New Testament
was written for those whom God calls to assume roles of
great responsibility in His kingdom. These false teachers
misunderstand because God has neither opened their minds
nor given them His Holy Spirit, which is necessary to
comprehend His truth.
The Christian calling (Rom. 8:29-30) is based on grace—
unmerited pardon of past sins and forgiveness upon
genuine repentance. Christians understand that the very
salvation offered to them is a gift, and that they must
continue to live a lifetime of obedience and overcoming.
(Acts 5:32, John 14:15)
The Law in perspective
Many religionists claim that God’s law was abolished by
Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. They think that mankind is no longer
burdened by the stringent requirements of that “harsh law”
that stands in their way of freedom— of “having a good time.”
But the Apostle Paul wrote, in Romans 7:7, “What shall we
say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. No, I had not known sin,
but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had
said, you shall not covet.”
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Most churchmen have traditionally condemned the law while
absolving sin. However, it is not the law that is at fault, but
sin. On our own, we cannot discover God’s perfect law. God
has to reveal and teach it to us. Leaders of professing
Christianity insist that God’s spiritual law—is done away.
They call it the “law of Moses,” claiming that it was
abolished by Christ’s sacrifice. But they do not know the
difference between the Levitical sacrificial rituals, ‘the Law
of Moses’ and ‘the law of God.’
The Ten Commandments were not called the Law of Moses,
but rather the law of God. The Law of Moses consisted of:
(1) the civil laws—the statutes and judgments that Moses
relayed to the people from God,
recorded in Exodus 21-23 and the remaining books of the
Law—and (2) the ritualistic laws (Greek: ergon) added later,
summarized in Hebrews
9:10. These ordinances regulated the Levitical sacrifices
(Lev. 1-7) and related duties. Ergon means “works,” as in the
“works of the law” (Gal.2:16). This referred to the labour
involving Levitical rituals - abolished by Christ’s sacrifice.
The Ten Commandments were never part of the Law of
Moses or the Levitical sacrificial system. The civil laws and
sacrifices were based on God’s Commandments, which
make up the core of God’s laws. Thus, the Ten
Commandments precede and transcend every lesser law
based upon them—statutes, judgments, precepts and
ordinances. Most professing Christians falsely brand the
Ten Commandments as the “Old Covenant.”
Consider this analogy: The idea promoted by most
professing Christians—that God’s spiritual law, the Ten
Commandments, has been abolished—is as ridiculous as
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claiming that the physical laws of gravity and inertia are no
longer enforced. Theologians cannot negate God’s law any
more than scientists can void the laws of gravity and
inertia.
How did the leaders of the New Testament Church view the
laws of God?
Paul wrote,
“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and
just, and good” (Rom. 7:12).
The Apostle John wrote, “For this is the love of God that we
keep His commandments and His commandments are not
grievous” (I John 5:3).
And Christ summed up the matter, saying… Mathew 19:17
“…if you will enter into life, keep the commandments.”
In Matthew 7:21, He also said, “Not everyone that says unto
Me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
does the will of My Father which is in heaven”!
The “Grace” of False Christianity.
Let’s examine traditional Christianity’s teaching of grace. It
teaches that the Old Covenant was the Ten
Commandments. It maintains that Christ came to establish
a “New Covenant” containing only grace and promises—
liberty to do whatever one pleases. Law is not included in
their package. In their own minds, these creative
religionists have devised a way to “have a good time” and
have a clear conscience. They had to eliminate the source
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of their gnawing guilt. The solution was simple: “Grace
alone ‘saves’ men. The burden of commandment-keeping
is no longer necessary.”
This diabolical teaching would lead you to believe that the
law of God is harsh and cruel. It proclaims that the fault of
the Old Covenant was with the law, and since God gave the
law, the fault must have been His.
Read what Christ says to those who follow these false
precepts: Mark 7:7-9. “Howbeit in vain do you worship Me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying
aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of
men…Full well you reject the commandment of God, that
you may keep your own tradition.”
Notice the warning that God inspired in the book of Jude:
Jude 3-4 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto
you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write
unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For
there are certain men crept in unawares who were before
of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning
the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the
only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Even before the New Testament was completely written,
ungodly men had crept into the Church in an attempt to
corrupt it by turning grace into lasciviousness. This was
precisely the false gospel taught by Simon Magus,
Nicholas of Samaria, Cerinthus and other “founders” of
counterfeit Christianity.
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In the above passages, “under the law” means under the
authority of the old covenant law. That is also its meaning in
the only other occurrence in the New Testament:
Romans 6:14-15
“Sin shall not be your master, because you are not under
law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we
are not under law but under grace? By no means!”
We are not under the authority of the law, but under the
authority of grace — but grace does not mean that we are
free to do our own thing. Rather, grace comes with obligation
— we are under the law of Christ. We are to obey him.
Therefore, the law no longer has authority over us, since we
belong to Christ, not to the law. Christ is the one we obey, so
that we can bear spiritual fruit. The law is contrasted with
Christ, and it is the old covenant law that Paul is talking about
— the Torah, the Law portion of the Scriptures. We can be
under the law, or under Christ. Being under both is not an
option.
Galatians 4:30
Paul’s allegory of the covenants, Abraham, Hagar and
Sarah. Hagar stands for the old covenant (verse 24), and
Paul tells us to get rid of her (verse 30). Those who are
under her covenant are slaves, whereas those under the
authority of the new covenant have the full rights of children.
(verse 4). In Galatians 5, Paul makes it clear again. Although
the old covenant law enslaves those who are under it, we
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have been set free from that law (verse 1). But if we submit
to the old covenant law of circumcision, then Christ is of no
value to us (verse 2). We are either under the new covenant
or the old; we cannot be under both. The basis of our
Relationship with God should be faith in Christ, not the Law
of Moses.
But if we want to be under the old covenant, then we are
“obligated to obey the whole law” (verse 3). Christians,
however, are not obligated to obey the whole law. Paul is
not talking about just sacrificial or ceremonial laws —The
entire Law of Moses is fulfilled in Christ and Christians are
not under its authority, they are under Christ.
Christians obey some of the laws of Moses, of course. We
should not covet or lie to one another. But we obey these
laws not because Moses wrote about them, but because
they are part of the Christ-like life. We are under Christ, not
Moses.
As one more illustration of Paul’s use of the word law, let’s
look at Ephesians 2:11-19. Paul is saying that gentiles
were once separated from the covenants, separated from
Christ. But in Christ they have now been brought near. How
is this possible? Because Christ has destroyed the barrier
that kept the gentiles away. He has abolished the law.
Which law? The law that had commandments and
regulations separating Jews from gentiles.
Because Jesus has destroyed the legal basis for
discriminating against gentiles, gentiles have become part
of God’s people. Does this mean that gentiles have to
become like Jews? No, as the Jews were under sacrificial
laws and had to obey laws pertaining to Israel.
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Moses' law was the temporary, ceremonial law of the Old
Testament. It regulated the priesthood, sacrifices, rituals,
meat and drink offerings, etc., all of which foreshadowed
the cross. This law was added "till the seed should come,"
and that seed was Christ (Galatians 3:16, 19). The ritual
and ceremony of Moses' law pointed forward to Christ's
sacrifice. When He died, this law came to an end, but the
Ten Commandments (God's law) "stand fast for ever and
ever." Psalm 111:7,8.
There are two laws that are made crystal clear in the
following verses below. Daniel 9:10 is talking about God's
law and verse 11 is talking about Moses' law:
"Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God,
to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants
the prophets."
Daniel 9:10, 11.
"Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by
departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the
curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the
law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned
against him."
Special Note: Please note that God's law also called the
Ten Commandments has existed at least as long as sin
has existed. The Bible says, Romans 4:15 "Where no law
is, there is no transgression [or sin]."
So God's Ten Commandment law existed from the
beginning. Men broke that law. Adam and Eve being the
first to be dealt consequence for sin. Cain killed Abel and
God dealt out consequences for sin before Israel existed.
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1 John 3:4
"Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin
is the transgression of the law."
Because of sin (or breaking God's law), Moses law was
given (or "added" Galatians 3:16, 19) till Christ should
come and die.
Two separate laws involved:
God's law and Moses law.
One
The major point of difference between these two laws is the
way they were recorded:
Exodus 31:18 “And He gave unto Moses, when He had
made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai,
two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the
finger of God.”
No one can confuse the Ten Commandments writing with
the way the Mosaic Law was produced:
Deuteronomy 31:9, “And Moses wrote this law.”
Two
Another major point of difference between these two laws
is the way they were given to God’s People.
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Deuteronomy 4:36; 5:22, “Out of heaven He made thee to
hear His voice, that He might instruct thee:…These words
The LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out
of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick
darkness, with a great voice: and He added no more.
And He wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered
them unto me.”
It is important to notice that after God wrote the Ten
Commandments, He “added no more” to this Law, yet God
gave Moses statutes, precepts, judgements, and
ordinances afterwards.
If the Mosaic Law was part of the Ten Commandments,
there would be a contradiction here, because God did add
more to this law! But there was no contradiction, because
God considered the Ten Commandments to be a separate
Law. The Ten Commandments were spoken by God
Himself to the people, so that God would instruct them.
There was no mediator involved!
Moses was not the mediator of the Ten Commandments.
But he was the mediator of the sacrificial laws:
Exodus 33:9. “And it came to pass, as Moses entered into
the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at
the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with
Moses.”
2 Chronicles 34:14, “Hilkiah the priest found a book of the
law of the LORD given by Moses.”
Unlike the Ten Commandments, in which God talked
directly to the people, the sacrificial and ceremonial laws
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were spoken to Moses only. Moses was the mediator of
these temporary laws, but not the Ten Commandments.
Three
God made known this distinction to Moses, and Moses
explained it to the people at Mt Horeb:
Deuteronomy 4:13-14, “And he declared unto you his
covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten
commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of
stone. And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach
you statutes and judgements, that ye might do them in the
land wither ye go over to possess it.”
Please notice how Moses clearly separated the Ten
Commandments which “he commanded you”, from the
statutes which “he commanded me” to give the people.
See also Exodus 19:7; 39:1,5,7,21,26,29,31,32,42,43;
40:19,21,23,25,27,29,32 and Leviticus 7:38;
Four
“Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of
the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe
to do according to all that I have commanded them, and
according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded
them.”
Here we are assured that the statutes which Moses gave
the people were called a “law” Two different laws are being
described now. God speaks of the Law.”
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I commanded (The Ten Commandments) and also of the
law “Moses commanded” (the Law of Moses).
(See also Leviticus 9:5 and Deuteronomy 33:4 for the
commandments of Moses. Deuteronomy 6:2; 8:11; 11:22,
27,28; 13:18; 15:5; 19:9;27:10; 28:1,15 and Joshua 22:5 for
two different laws. And Revelation 12:17 and 14:12 for the
commandments of God)
Five
Daniel was inspired to make the same careful distinction:
Daniel 9:11, “Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law,
even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice;
therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is
written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we
have sinned against him.”
Once more we see “thy law” (God’s law, the Ten
Commandments) and “the law of Moses” (the
commandments of Moses), and are different in content.
There are no curses recorded in the Ten Commandments
that God wrote. Only the book of Moses has curses
(Deuteronomy. 29:20,21,27,2 Chronicles 34:24).
(See also Exodus 20:6 for a passage on how the Ten
Commandments were considered God’s commandment,
and not Moses commandments)
Six
The following verses show that the “Ten Commandments”
and the “law of Moses” are 2 separate laws, because they
were separated physically:
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Deuteronomy 31:24-26, “And it came to pass, when Moses
had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book,
until they were finished.
That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of
the covenant of the Lord, saying, Take this book of the law,
and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord
your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.”
The book of statutes and judgements which Moses wrote in
a book was placed in a pocket on the side of the ark. In
contrast, the Law written by God on tables of stone was
placed inside the Ark of the Covenant.
Exodus 25:16, “And thou shalt put into the ark the
testimony which I shall give thee.”
The spiritual lesson of this physical separation is that we
are to spiritually separate the Ten Commandments from
the laws of Moses.
Seven
And finally, the most important point. Did you know God
himself wrote the Ten Commandments a second time?
Moses broke the first Ten Commandments.
Exodus 34:1, “Hew thee two tablets of stone like unto first;
and I will write upon the tablets the words that were on the
first tables, which thou didst break.”
Deuteronomy 10:1 “Hew thee two tables of stone like unto
the first, and come up onto me into the mount; and make
thee an Ark of wood.”
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Now, first of all, if the Ten Commandments were part of the
Law of Moses, there would be no need for God to write the
Ten Commandments a second time after Moses broke the
original Ten Commandments. Why? Because the Ten
Commandments would already exist within, and be
included in and be a part of the book of Moses. The book of
Moses still existed at that time, and was still being
observed. But God wrote the Ten Commandments a
second time, which would have been meaningless if it was
considered a part of the Law of Moses, or the book of
Moses. So obviously, God considered His Law (His Ten
Commandments) to be separate from the Law of Moses
(the commandments of Moses). This shows that the two
laws are to be considered separate and distinct laws from
each other.
It is evident that these Ten Commandments were in place
from the beginning as God delivered consequences to Cain
for the murder of his brother.
Conclusion.
To summarise, we can note several distinction in the two
laws. They were originally written on different materials,
were spoken by different law-givers, were placed in
different locations in the ark, and they had totally different
content.
This shows, by example, how they are to be considered and
treated as separate laws.
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In addition, the Ten Commandments were spoken from
God’s mouth (Exodus 18:19; 20:1, Deuteronomy. 4:10. 12;
5:22-26; 18:16, Nehemiah 9:13), and God said he would
not “alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” (Psalm
89:34). The Ten Commandments went out of God’s lips,
so the Ten Commandments could not have been altered!
Psalm 111:8
Ten Commandments (God's Law) "stand fast for ever and ever.”
Jesus said in Mt.22:40: “To love the lord your God with all
your heart your soul and your mind and love your neighbour
as yourself. On these two hang all the law and the prophets.
So Jesus sums up the Spirit of the law in this simple saying
love God, love your neighbour as you would yourself.
Many of the commandments from the OT are found in the
N.T. become intensified.
John.15:12: “this is my commandment that you love one
another as I have loved you.”
The commandments are fulfilled first by love. The only way
this can be realized is to have the love of Christ in us by the
Holy Spirit so we can obey from a sincere heart.
Moses covenant-Lev. 19:8: “Love your neighbour as
yourself.”
New Covenant- John l5:13: “Love your neighbour even as I have
loved you.”
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Eph. 6:1-3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this
is right. “Honour your father and mother,” which is the first
commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and
you may live long on the earth.”
Here Peter quotes one of the 10 and then gives new
application, instead of long life in the land it now is expanded
to on the earth. The reason is because it is no longer
exclusive to Israel.
Hebrews 7:12:
Under the law we needed to forgive to be forgiven, under
grace we forgive because we have been forgiven.
It is a whole new incentive and motivation. One was to
receive, the other is because we have received.
This is the concept of grace, He died for us while we were
sinners not when we stopped sinning.
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SEVEN FEASTS OF THE LORD
Again I have been told by well-intentioned Christians
that these feasts are only for Israel. As we have already
established we are Israel. It is us who have forgotten
our identity. Even so in my investigation on feasts I
soon discovered the feasts are not only for Israel but
for all.
In Deuteronomy 16: 10-11.
10"Then you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the
LORD your God with a tribute of a free will offering of your
hand, which you shall give just as the LORD your God
blesses you;
11. And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God,
you and your son and your daughter and your male
and female servants and the Levite who is in your
town. And the stranger and the orphan and the widow
who are in your midst, in the place where the LORD
your God chooses to establish His name.
The Seven Feasts of The Lord are key points on a road map
in holy history. They tell the story of the main Covenant
events between God and His Elect people as they occur
here on the earth and in time. The story begins back with
the people God called in Old Testament times.
And it extends right through to the apocalyptic events John
saw in vision and wrote about in the Book of Revelation.
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The Seven Feasts will take us beyond the Apocalypse. The
seventh feast, the joyous Feast of Tabernacles, will come
into its ultimate fulfilment as the true new age dawns. This
will bring in the Millennium of Messiah, that glorious age to
come. The deserts will bloom and streams of waters will
break forth upon the dry ground. God will camp out with
mankind for 1,000 years as Emmanuel, "God with us". And
as a shepherd feeds and tends his sheep He will draw His
people to Himself.
The first four of the Seven Feasts of Israel have already
been fulfilled.
They were fulfilled in spectacular fashion. They were fulfilled
right on the auspicious Hebrew calendar dates on which they
have been celebrated in times past, the same dates that will
be celebrated forever more.
The three spring feasts were fulfilled by Jesus our Saviour.
The Summer Feast of Pentecost was fulfilled as well.
It was fulfilled by the Holy Spirit 2,000 years ago.
Here is the situation so far.
1. Passover Fulfilled!
(By Jesus/Yeshua at His crucifixion on Nisan 14 in the spring
of 32 A.D.)
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread Fulfilled!
(By Jesus/Yeshua at His burial in the tomb on Nisan 15 in the
spring of 32
A. D.)
3. Feast of Firstfruits Fulfilled!
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(By Jesus/Yeshua at His Resurrection on Nisan 17 in the
spring of 32
A. D.)
4. Feast of Pentecost Fulfilled!
5.
(By the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost on Sivan 7 in the
summer of 32 A.D.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(A gap of 2000 years or so has allowed the Light of
Israel to go forth into the nations for the Gentiles to be
evangelized).
- - - - - - - - - - - - WE ARE HERE - - - - - - - - -
.
Now here come the next three holy days on the Hebrew
Calendar.
Feast of Trumpets
Day of Atonement
Tabernacles.
They are awaiting fulfilment and are probably just up
ahead.
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They are; The festivals of the Lord found in Leviticus 23
were given to us by God so His people could understand
the coming of the Messiah
(Mashiach) and the role that the Messiah (Mashiach) would
play in redeeming and restoring both man and the earth
back to God following the fall of man in the Garden of
Eden. Although most non Jewish Bible believers have
heard of the feasts, the deep meaning and the importance
of these feasts are almost universally not understood.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Gentile believers in
Colossae that the feasts of the Lord, the new moon, and the
Sabbath (shabbat) days were a shadow of things to come to
teach us about the Messiah (Mashiach).
If they are a shadow of things to come. How
important to understand them do you think it
would be?
(Colossians 2:16-17). Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus,
which means "salvation") was the substance or fulfilment of
the greater plan that God revealed and foreshadowed in
these seven important festivals.
To all the readers who are familiar with the festivals, you will
be fascinated to discover that the first four feasts or festivals,
which are Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Hag
HaMatzah), First Fruits (Bikkurim), and Pentecost (Shavuot),
primarily teach about the significant events, the first coming
of the Messiah (Mashiach) and why these events were an
important part of God's redemption of man.
In addition, you will discover that the last three feasts,
which are the Feast of Trumpets (known as Rosh
HaShanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and
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the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles (Sukkot), give
fascinating insight concerning important events that
surround the second coming of the Messiah
(Mashiach).
WHY STUDY THE FEASTS?
Many non-Jewish Bible believers wonder why they
should study and observe the feasts. I believe there are
two good reasons. First, although all Bible believers love
God with all their heart and seek to serve Him daily, most
Bible believers do not have an in-depth understanding of
the Bible and do not understand the deep depth of the
personal relationship that God desires us to have with
Him. Most Bible believers understand their personal
relationship with God the same way I viewed my
Personal relationship with God for many, many years: Attend
the religion or local congregation of your choice, faithfully
and regularly and be a good, moral, honest, and decent
person in living your daily life, following man- made
traditions.
Now with my new devotion to finding my purpose, God
began to teach me and show me the deeper things
concerning my personal relationship with Him, and a spiritual
understanding of the festivals was a big key to unlocking this
mystery.
If you are a Bible believer and you desire to understand God
in a greater way than you do today, the festivals will reveal
to you the deeper things concerning your personal
relationship with Him. In the Feasts is God’s plan of
salvation for the human race.
The festivals are God's feasts and His appointed
times that we are to observe.
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God gave the festivals to teach about the death, burial, and
resurrection of the Messiah (Mashiach); the empowering of
the believers by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh); the
resurrection of the dead; the coronation of the Messiah; the
wedding of the Messiah; the tribulation (Chevlai shel
Mashiach); the second coming of the Messiah; the
millennium (the Messianic age or the Athid Lavo); and
much, much more.
The Bible provides several powerful reasons for studying
and understanding the seven festivals of the Messiah:
The feasts are in the Bible, and all the Bible is inspired by
God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The feasts are a shadow of things to come that teach us
about the Messiah (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1).
The feasts are prophetic types and examples
foreshadowing significant events in God's plan of
redemption. (1 Corinthians 10:16, 11).
God gave the feasts so we could learn and understand
God's plan of redemption for the world and our personal
relationship to Him (Romans 15:4).
The feasts, as part of the Torah (which means
"instruction"), are as a schoolmaster or tutor that leads us
to the Messiah (Galatians 3:24).
The feasts will point to the Messiah and God's plan for the
world through the Messiah (Psalm [Tehillim] 40:6-8;
Hebrews 10:7).
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Yeshua (Jesus) came to fulfill all that was written in the Old
Testament (Tanach), which consists of three parts: the
Torah, the prophets (Nevi'im), and the writings (Ketuvim -
personified by the Psalms) concerning Him (Luke 24:26-
27,44-45; John [Yochanan] 5:46-47).
The feasts set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth
(Hebrews 8:1-2,5; 9:8-9,23; Exodus [Shemot] 25:8-9,40;
26:30; Numbers [Bamidbar] 8:4; Ezekiel [Yechezekel] 43:1-
6,10-12). God gives the natural to explain the spiritual (1
Corinthians 15:46-47). By studying the natural, we can
understand the spiritual (1
Corinthians 2:9-13; 2 Corinthians 4:18.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE WORD FEAST IN THE
BIBLE?
Two important Hebrew words appear in Leviticus
(Vayikra) chapter 23, and each word is translated as feast
in English. In verse 2, the word for feast is the Hebrew
word mo'ed, as it is written, "Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts [mo'ed] of
the Lord...." The word mo'ed means "an appointment, a
fixed time or season, a cycle or year, an assembly, an
appointed time, a set time or exact time.
By understanding the Hebrew meaning of the English
word feast, we can see that God is telling us that He is
ordaining a "set time or exact time or an appointed time"
when He has an appointment with humanity to fulfil certain
events in the redemption.
In fact, Yeshua (Jesus) came to earth at the exact time
ordained by God (Galatians 4:2,4), and God has an exact
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time or set appointment when, in the future, He will judge
the world (Acts 17:31).
In verse 6 is another Hebrew word translated as feast,
as it is written, "And on the fifteenth day of the same month
is the feast [chag] of unleavened bread...." The Hebrew
word chag, which means a "festival,"³ is derived from the
Hebrew root word chagag, which means "to move in a
circle, to march in a sacred procession, to celebrate,
dance, to hold a solemn feast or holiday."
By this we can see that God gave the festivals as cycles to
be observed yearly so that, by doing them, we can
understand God's redemptive plan for the world; the role
that the Messiah (Yeshua) would play in that redemption;
and our personal relationship to God concerning how we
grow from a baby Bible believer to a mature Bible believer.
Although God gave us the festivals to observe, God never
gave the festivals so we would obtain salvation from Him
by observing them because salvation only comes by faith
(emunah); however, God did give the festivals for the
purpose of teaching and instructing His people concerning
His plan of redemption and our personal relationship to
Him.
THREE times A YEAR THEY WERE TO ASSEMBLE
Although there are a total of seven feasts (the divine
number for perfection or completeness in the Bible), God
divided the seven festivals into three major festival
seasons.
The feasts of Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Hag
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HaMatzah), and First Fruits (Bikkurim) are in the Hebrew
month of Nisan, which is the first month of God's religious
calendar in the spring of the year. The Feast of Weeks
(Shavuot), or Pentecost, is observed in the third month,
which is the Hebrew month of Sivan. The Feast of
Trumpets (Yom Teruah), Atonement (Yom Kippur), and
Tabernacles (Sukkot) are observed in the seventh month of
Tishrei, which is in the fall of the year (Exodus [Shemot]
23:14-17; 34:22-23: Deuteronomy [Devarim] 16:16-17).
Three is the number of complete and perfect testimony and
witness (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 17:6; 19:15; Matthew
[Mattityahu] 18:19-20; Luke 24:4445; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1
Timothy 5:19; 1 John [Yochanan] 5:8). So the feasts are a
witness to God's divine plan and the role of Messiah
(Yeshua) fulfilling that plan. This is the message being
communicated to Bible believers concerning the three
major festival periods in the year.
Traditionally, non-Jewish Bible believers understand
the festivals to be exclusively Jewish feasts. However,
Leviticus 23:1- 2,4 tells us very clearly that these are
festivals of the Lord . In reality, God in His divine wisdom
instructed us that these festivals are for both Jew and non-
Jew, and are to be celebrated jointly with each other
Deuteronomy 16:10-11King James Version (KJV)
10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy
God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which
thou shalt give unto theLORD thy God, according as
the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
Deuteronomy 16:14-16King James Version (KJV)
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14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and
thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant,
and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the
widow, that are within thy gates.
15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto
the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose:
because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine
increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou
shalt surely rejoice.
16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before
the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the
feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and
in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before
the LORD empty:
11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and
thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy
maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are
among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath
chosen to place his name there.
Leviticus 23:4
These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations,
which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
Rev 4:1: After this I looked, and there before me was a
door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first
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heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here,
and I will show you what must take place after this.”
Feasts Now and Forever
A Warning
It is interesting to note that Jude warned that, "For
certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago
were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men
who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and
deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Jude 4).
This is interesting because in the next verse he ties
this problem with deliverance (from Egypt) during the
Days of Unleavened Bread (which should be kept as an
annual reminder of sin and deliverance, Exodus 13:3-
10, I Corinthians 5:8).
(Romans 2:13). Paul warned, "For if we sin wilfully after we
have received knowledge of the truth, there no longer
remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation
of judgment, and fiery indignation" (Hebrews 10:26-27).
By not keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread, many have
fallen for a religion based upon traditions of men instead of
God's commands!
The Bible vs. 'Traditions of Men'
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Believe it or not Jesus ran into the same problem in His
day. The religious rulers (the Pharisees) were condemned
because "you have made the commandment of God of no
effect by your tradition" (Matthew 15:6).
Although traditions of men say that Jesus condemned the
Pharisees for keeping the law, the opposite is true.
Remember that Jesus said to them that "inside you are
filled with lawlessness and hypocrisy" (Matthew 23:28).
actually, they pretended that they believed the Bible, but
taught that their understandings (hermeneutics in modern
terms) were more important than the literal commands in
the Bible (Mark 7:8-9). This problem exists today.
Many professing Christians believe God's laws and Holy
Days are no longer in effect even though all the ten
commandments are specifically enjoined in the New
Testament and all the biblical Holy Days are mentioned
after the crucifixion of Jesus (unleavened bread is also
mentioned before Mount Sinai in Genesis 19:3).
The Apostle Paul warned:
7...Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This
persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A
little leaven leavens the whole lump (Galatians 5:7-9).
Paul was warning Christians that they should not allow a
little compromise with the world (apparently including
arguments of
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friends/acquaintances) should affect them. Christians who
kept the Days of Unleavened Bread understood that then,
and still understand that today.
Had Jesus or Paul told us that under the New Covenant we
don't need to observe the seven annual Feasts, then we
would not bother. The reality is, no one in the New
Testament said such a thing.
In fact, we find a myriad of passages in the New Testament
where people intended to keep them, were keeping them,
and would keep them in the coming Kingdom. And these
included Jesus Himself. Here are some: • "And when he
was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the
custom of the feast." (The Saviour's parents were in the act
of keeping Passover and Unleavened Bread in Luke 2:42.)
"After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went
up to Jerusalem." (Jesus went to Jerusalem to keep
Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread, John 5:1.)
"You know that after two days is [the feast of] the Passover,
and the Son of man is betrayed to be impaled." (Jesus was
to become the Passover sacrifice in Matt. 26:2.)
"Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the
disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, where will you
that we prepare for you to eat the Passover?" (Jesus
always was planning to keep the Passover, Matt. 26:17.) •
"Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. But when
his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the
feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Now about the
midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and
taught." (Here’s proof that Jesus kept this fall Feast, John
7:2, 10, 14.) "And there were certain Greeks among them
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that came up to worship at the feast." (Non-Jews observed
Passover John 12:20.)
"But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep
this feast that comes in Jerusalem: but I will return again
unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus." (Paul in
Acts 18:21 was speaking after the Saviour's resurrection
about his intentions to observe the Feast.)
1Corinthians. 5:8 • "Therefore let us keep the
feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice
and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth." (Paul is telling us to observe the Feast of
Unleavened Bread with a new emphasis in.)
"But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of
the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my
Father's kingdom." (Our Saviour’s statement promises that
He would observe Passover in the Kingdom with the
faithful, Mathew. 26:29.)
Considering God’s many commandments to keep His
Feasts, as well as patriarchs doing just that, what hinders
us to fulfil righteousness as well? Clearly the only holidays
in the Bible are those kept by Israel and by the Apostles
and our Saviour as well. All else is man-made.
Colossians 3-4 is a long passage that describes the
complete commitment we must make. We must allow God
to change our very nature, and we must learn to imitate
Jesus in everything we do. If we are truly yielded to God,
Christ will live His life in us through the power of God’s Holy
Spirit (Galatians 2:20).
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In addition to I Corinthians 5:7-8, we can see that the Days
of Unleavened Bread were still to be kept after the
crucifixion. In Acts 12:3, it says that, "Now that was during
the Days of Unleavened Bread". It does not say that these
days were done away. Also, Luke wrote,
Acts 20:6 But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days
of Unleavened Bread.
Philippi was a gentile town. It was in Macedonia and was
ruled by the Romans. Thus, in at least two places in the
New Testament, in gentile areas, we see that the Days of
Unleavened Bread were to be kept (I Corinthians 5:7; Acts
20:6). If Christians were not to keep the Days of
Unleavened Bread, why didn't Luke or Paul say so? Why
did Paul say to keep them?
If the Days of Unleavened Bread were always kept in
conjunction with Passover (which they always are in the
Bible.) If every time one consumed the symbols
representing body and blood of Jesus, they also had to
keep seven days of Unleavened Bread and this was done
weekly, as some religions do instead of once a year, then
those so doing would never consume regular bread!
Now for those that argue that keeping the Days of
Unleavened Bread is just a physical thing, there are two
points to consider: the point of purging leaven out is to
have sin out of our life (which is spiritual) and consuming
the "Lamb of God" is also physical (with spiritual
Implications). Doing one without the other reminds me of
certain Asiatic religions which feel that spinning a prayer
wheel is equivalent to spending hours in prayer. Those
followers probably at least think about some deity before
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they spin the wheel, but is that how God really wants to be
worshiped? Does He approve of other "traditions of men"
over His word?
Jesus kept the Days of Unleavened Bread. And while He
often did that in Jerusalem (Luke 22:1,) He also seemed to
have kept the Days of Unleavened Bread in or near Galilee
(Luke 6:1, some may wonder if early Christians kept the
Days of Unleavened Bread. Well, as shown before, Paul
taught that they should.
One theologian reported:
To the first Christians the yearly recurrence of the Passover
must have brought vivid memories of all that had happened
at the Passover of A.D. 29.
These associations soon gave a Christian meaning to the
very word Pascha ' Christ our Pascha is sacrificed for us,'
wrote Paul; and the Sacrifice and Resurrection,
remembered at first, perhaps, together with the night of the
Exodus, soon became the chief and only reason for
observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
And while Jesus apparently was crucified a year or two
later and there are multiple reasons to observe the Feast of
Unleavened Bread, it is true that the faithful have kept it
from the earliest times and that they have understood that
Paul's writings also support this.
In the days of unleavened bread Paul, coming down from
Galatia, arrived in Asia, considering the repose among the
faithful in Smyrna to be a great refreshment in Christ Jesus
after his severe toil, and intending afterwards to depart to
Jerusalem. So in Smyrna he went to visit Strataeas, who
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had been his hearer in Pamphylia, being a son of Eunice
the daughter of Lois. These are they of whom he makes
mention when writing to Timothy, saying; Of the unfeigned
faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother
Lois and in thy mother Eunice; whence we find that
Strataeas was a brother of Timothy. Paul then, entering his
house and gathering together the faithful there, speaks to
them concerning the Passover and the Pentecost,
reminding them of the New
Covenant of the offering of bread and the cup; how that
they ought most assuredly to celebrate it during the days of
unleavened bread, but to hold fast the new mystery of the
Passion and Resurrection. For here the Apostle plainly
teaches that we ought neither to keep it outside the season
of unleavened bread, as the heretics do, especially the
Phrygians...but named the days of unleavened bread,
the Passover, and the Pentecost, thus ratifying the
Gospel.
1 Corinthians 16:8
For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to
stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. But I will tarry in
Ephesus until Pentecost.
This shows that Paul knew when Pentecost was, that he
felt that the Corinthians must know when Pentecost was,
and that the Ephesians would have known when Pentecost
was. Thus, it apparently was being observed by Paul and
the Gentiles in Ephesus and Corinth.
In another year, the Apostle Paul also wished to be in
Jerusalem for Pentecost, around 60 A.D.:
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For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he
would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying
to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost
(Acts 20:16).
Thus, Christians in Jerusalem were still observing
Pentecost and Paul was observing it too.
Like the Apostle John (the last of the original Apostles to
die), the early faithful Christians observed Passover and
the Days of Unleavened Bread.
In the late third century, Anatolius of Alexandria wrote the
following:
“But nothing was difficult to them with whom it was lawful to
celebrate the Passover on any day when the fourteenth of
the moon happened after the equinox. Following their
example up to the present time all the bishops of Asia—as
themselves also receiving the rule from an unimpeachable
authority, to wit, the evangelist John, who leant on the
Lord’s breast, and drank in instructions spiritual without
doubt—were in the way of celebrating the Paschal feast,
without question, every year, whenever the fourteenth day
of the moon had come, and the lamb was sacrificed by the
Jews after the equinox was past; not acquiescing, so far as
regards this matter, with the authority of some”(THE
PASCHAL CANON OF ANATOLIUS OF ALEXANDRIA.
Chapters V,X, p. 415, 419).
The Last Day of Unleavened Bread The last day of Unleavened Bread is a Holy Day and, like the
first day, is a time for a holy convocation:
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Leviticus 23:6-8
6. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast
of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat
unleavened bread. 7. On the first day you shall have a holy
convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. 8. But
you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for
seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation;
you shall do no customary work on it.
We in the church follow the biblical admonitions and keep
the days of unleavened bread. As a time of a holy
convocation, we abstain from carnal activities such as
working for a living.
Those who can, meet together with like-minded, abstain
from leaven, etc. And those who cannot meet together, still
abstain from leaven, pray, and normally will watch an
online sermon, such as Christians and the Days of
Unleavened Bread, as part of their observance (and of
course, eat some amount of unleavened bread).
Notice that Paul is telling Christians to keep the feast. In
addition to I Corinthians 5:7-8, we can see that the Days of
Unleavened Bread were still to be kept after the crucifixion.
In Acts 12:3, it says that, “Now that was during the Days of
Unleavened Bread”. It does not say that these days were
done away. Also, Luke wrote,
Acts 20:6
6 But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of
Unleavened Bread.
In Conclusion
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Although the Days of Unleavened Bread are first mentioned
in the Old Testament, it is in the New Testament that we
learn more fully that today's leaven pictures false religion
and sin. The New Testament shows the connection between
Jesus' Passover sacrifice and the removal of false religion
and sin from our lives.
According to the New Testament and the records of
historians, the original practice of the earliest
Christians observed Passover and the Days of
Unleavened Bread. Christians, like some of the
observant Jews, purge their homes of leaven prior to
sunset on the 15th of Nisan. And Christians avoid
leaven for those seven days. This is something that
the Bible teaches and early Christians practiced.
Will you follow those who followed Christ?
1)“There was a definite time — a definite hour — when He
held this supper, setting us an example.... It was `when the
hour was come,’ [Luke 22:14] that Jesus first introduced the
bread and the wine.”
2 We take unleavened bread, symbolizing his broken body,
and the wine, symbolizing his shed blood, as a memorial,
looking back to his death.... The time for commemorating
Passover...is once a year. Jesus set us an example (1 Peter
2:21), observing it at this set time once a year (Luke 2:42).”
3) “We do it in remembrance of the Lord’s death — a
memorial of His death. And memorials of momentous
occasions always are observed annually, once a year, on the
anniversary of the event they commemorate.”
Jesus Christ carefully chose His time of death and
resurrection.
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Luke 22:15.
Is timing of all things important to the Lord?
Yes He died on the High Sabbath of the
Passover, he rested in His tomb on the weekly Sabbath,
The Days of Unleavened Bread, which come immediately
after Passover, picture being cleansed from sin by the
acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus (2 Peter 1:9-11). They
also picture that the leaven of hypocrisy, malice, and
wickedness need to be purged (Luke 12:1; 1 Corinthians
5:6-13). The Apostle Paul was inspired to write, “Therefore
let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the
leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened
bread of sincerity and truth”
(1 Corinthians 5:8).
By keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread, Christians
picture that they have heard the word of God, accepted the
sacrifice of Jesus, try to put the word of God into practice,
and have symbolically put false religion and sin out of their
lives. By keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread,
Christians show that they are willing to obey God over the
traditions of men. In conclusion, as is says in,
I Corinthians 5:8, "Therefore let us keep the feast."
The ‘true church’ is alive and well on this earth and there
are millions of people who are following the bible and its
teachings.
They are NOT following a religion or prophet who has set
their own interpretation on the word, but people who are led
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and guided by Jesus Christ Himself. He said “come follow
me” “Do as I do” “Be ye therefore perfect, even as I am
perfect.” You can only obey this if you are doing as HE did
and His Apostles did as they taught us through scripture to
follow His ways and His commandments, His Sabbaths,
His celebrations and His feasts. There is no other way to
God but through the son, Jesus Christ.
Christmas and Easter are pagan celebrations which were
instituted by the Roman Emperor Constantine around
316AD where he removed the biblical feasts of the Lord
and changed the Sabbath from seventh day of the week to
the first day of the week and constructed his own
celebrations which were pagan festivals and they were
incorporated into another form of religious observance
which held some Christian belief mingled with pagan sun
god worship.
These pagan celebrations had been instituted long before
Christ was born.
Jeremiah 10:2-4
“Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen…. For
the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out
of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the
axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with
nails and with hammers, that it move not.”
If Christmas and Easter are the feasts you observe only
then they are not of ‘His Church,’ but are of the traditions of
men.
How do I know this? Because the bible does not speak of
these feasts and Jesus or the Apostles did not celebrate
these days.
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Tithes and Offerings
Mathew 6:2
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet
before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in
the streets that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say
to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand
know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may
be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will
reward you.”
The terrible thing about our acts of devotion is how easy
they are to twist in order to put our faithfulness on display.
Once we’ve made ourselves the object and focus of our
generosity, we have undermined the act.
God has always promised reward for the faithfulness of his
saints, but Jesus tells us that when you draw attention to
your giving, the respect and awe you’ve inspired becomes
your reward—invalidating further blessing.
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Old Testament
The tithing system described in the Bible was designed
specifically to meet the needs of the religious, economic
and political system of ancient Israel.
Each of the twelve tribes of Israel, except the tribe of Levi,
initially received an allotment of land in the promised land
of Canaan. The Levites were assistants to Israel's priests
and were supported by a tithe offering from other eleven
tribes. All families of those eleven tribes were to give a
tenth of all produce, flocks, and cattle to the Levites. In
turn, the Levites were to give a tenth of that to support the
priests (Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:21-28). Tithes
were also used to meet the needs of foreigners, orphans
and widows. (Deuteronomy 26:12-13) In addition, everyone
was to be generous with those in need:
Deuteronomy 15:7-8
“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the
towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do
not be hardhearted or tight fisted toward your poor brother.
Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he
needs.”
New Testament
Jesus seems to support the tithe in Matthew 23:23-24, but
these verses are primarily intended as a criticism of the
Pharisees as hypocrites who obeyed the letter of the law
but not the spirit of the law. They were so meticulous about
the law that they tithed even the small amounts of spices
they grew in household gardens, but they ignored the more
important matters of justice, mercy and faith!
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However, Jesus made it clear that we are obligated to be
generous to those in need (Matthew 25:31-46).
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from
the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew 5:42
Giving is to be done cheerfully, rather than as an obligation
(2 Corinthians 9:6-7), and not for the purpose of public
recognition (Matthew 6:1-4). The right amount to give may
be more or less than ten percent, depending on one's
circumstances (Matthew 19:21, Luke 18:22, 21:1-4,
Hebrews 13:16, 1 John 3:17).
Generous giving is an acknowledgment that everything we
have is a gift from God, and is to be used in His service
(Luke 12:33, Acts 20:35, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, James 1:17,
1:27, 1 Peter 4:10).
Rather than give a certain amount as an obligation, we are
urged to share generously of whatever talents, abilities and
wealth God has entrusted to us:
We have different gifts
Romans 12:6-8.
If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to
his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let
him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is
contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously;
if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing
mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
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1 Corinthians 9:14
“Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the
gospel should live of the gospel.”
Tithing should provide a living for those who preach the
gospel.
TITHING PUTS THE WRONG EMPHASIS UPON GIVING.
Many religions require one tenth of your earnings.
Tithing emphasises your obligation to God; New Testament
giving, as we shall see, emphasises your willing, loving
response to God’s grace. Furthermore, tithing limits giving
by making a person feel that he has paid his dues (so to
speak) and thus nothing more is required, when, in fact,
much more could be done. Tithing has a tendency to put a
person on a legal basis with God, rather than a love
relationship. It’s the wrong emphasis.
TITHING LEADS TO A FALSE CONCEPT OF
STEWARDSHIP.
It leads to the notion that 10 percent is God’s money and
90 percent is my money. In reality, 100 percent is God’s
money, and He may want me to channel 90 percent into
His work and live on 10 percent. Tithing can be a bad rut.
TITHING IS BURDENSOME FOR SOME AND EASY
FOR OTHERS.
If a man with a family of five makes $20,000 a year and
tithes, he has $18,000 (apart from taxes) to support five
people. If a childless couple makes $100,000 a year and
tithes, they have $90,000 (apart from taxes) to support two
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people. That would be burdensome to the man with five
mouths to feed, but ridiculously easy for the couple.
Generous grace giving is the New Testament standard.
When you say “grace,” a lot of people, unfortunately,
connect it with hang loose, undisciplined living. But that is
not grace! Nor is grace the balance point between legalism
and licentiousness.
Rather grace (as a system) is totally opposed both to
legalism and licentiousness, which are two sides of the
same coin.
Legalism and licentiousness both operate on the principle
of the flesh. Legalism is an attempt to earn standing with
God through human effort and leads to pride or
condemnation, depending on how well you do.
Licentiousness casts off restraint and lives to gratify the
flesh.
But God’s grace is His unmerited favour based on Christ’s
sacrifice. The motivating power in grace is the indwelling
Spirit of God. The person under grace responds out of love
and gratitude to God and depends upon the indwelling Holy
Spirit to conform his life to what God requires. With that
basic understanding of grace, let me spell out some things
that grace giving is not, and then some things that grace
giving is.
GRACE GIVING IS NOT...
Random and irresponsible. It does not mean that you give
every now and then, hit and miss; rather it is planned and
systematic (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7).
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Being under grace does not mean living by feelings. Living
under grace means walking by faith and obedience in
response to God’s love.
There are many commands under grace.
God’s grace should motivate us to excel far more than the
minimum under the law (1 Cor. 15:10).
Giving God the leftovers. God deserves the best, not just
what is convenient. If we love God with all our heart, soul,
mind, and strength, then we won’t just give Him what’s left
over after the bills are paid. He deserves first place.
Thus grace giving is not, haphazard giving whenever we
feel like it.
GRACE GIVING IS BASED ON...
God’s example in Christ (2 Cor. 8:9). Aren’t you glad that
God did not just give a tenth! He gave all. The Lord Jesus
Christ was infinitely rich. He dwelled in the unimaginable
splendour of heaven, apart from the sin and corruption of
this world. But He gave that up, laid aside His privileges,
and took on human flesh.
He could have chosen to be born as a prince in palatial
splendour.
But instead He was born and lived in poverty. He ultimately
impoverished Himself to the maximum by taking upon
Himself the sin of the human race in order that we might
become rich (2 Cor. 5:21).
Grace giving looks to the nail-pierced hands of the Lord
Jesus, who gave Himself so that we might be rescued from
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the wrath of God, and says, “Lord, You gave all for me!
What can I give back to You?”
The concept of stewardship. “You are not your own, for you
have been bought with a price ...” (1 Cor. 6:19-20). All that
we are and have belongs to God, not just a tenth. I am
merely the manager of His resources. As a good manager,
I use the Owner’s resources to further His work (see Acts
2:44-45; 4:32-37; 11:2730 for some examples).
Inner motivation, not outward compulsion (2 Cor. 8:3-5;
9:7). Motive and attitude are crucial. It is better to give a
small amount based on a
loving response to God’s grace than it is to give a large
amount based on outward pressure or pride. Note the
attitude of the Macedonian believers: they had an
abundance of joy (2 Cor. 8:2); they gave of their own
accord.
(8:3); they begged with much entreaty for the favour (8:4!);
first they gave themselves to the Lord (8:5); they had both
the readiness and desire (8:10-12, 9:2); they gave
cheerfully, not grudgingly or under compulsion (9:7).
We should not think, “How much do I have to give?” but
rather, “How much can I give?” We should not wait for
someone to pressure us with a need; we should look for
needs that we can meet (8:4 Christians ought to give based
upon inner motivation, not outward pressure. Grace giving
is based on...
(4) A new relationship with the Holy Spirit, not the old
dispensation of the Law.
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Romans 8:14
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are
the sons of God.” Galatians 5:18
“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the
Law.”
The context of both passages shows that Paul is talking
about the Holy Spirit leading the believer into righteous,
godly living. In Galatians, such righteous living is spelled
out in the context, in part, as sharing financial resources
(6:6, 10).
It’s easier in some ways to follow a set of rules. Just give
your 10 percent and that takes care of the matter. But God
wants us to be led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit might
want me to give 35 percent or who knows how much! But
the point is, I am not living by rules, but in a relationship
with the living God.
(5) How much should you give? How much has God
prospered you?
Corinthians 16:2
1 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by
him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no
gatherings when I come.
Paul was coming to collect fruit and grain to take to those
who were suffering through drought.
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Acts 11:29
29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability,
determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in
Judaea:
Corinthians 8:3
For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their
power they were willing of themselves;
2 Corinthians 8:11
11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a
readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out
of that which ye have.
2 Corinthians 8:12
11 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according
to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
Generally, they gave according to their ability, and in some
cases beyond their ability. Sometimes you should give
sacrificially. But the general principle is, give as God has
prospered you.
When God entrusts you with more money, instead of
spending it on more junk that you have to protect from
moths, rust, and thieves, you should ask, “Lord, how do
you want this money used in Your kingdom?”
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As God gives you more, you should increase the
percentage you give, not just the amount. If you have
enough to live comfortably, then invest the rest where God
pays guaranteed, eternal dividends.
But here’s the catch: we need to start giving where we’re
at, and not put it off until someday when we’re rich.
The Macedonians gave in the midst of a great ordeal of
affliction, out of deep poverty.
2 Corinthians 8:2
Jesus commended the poor widow who gave all she had to
live on, but He was not impressed with the large gifts of the
rich, because they had much left over.
Mark 12:41-44 41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury,
and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury:
and many that were rich cast in much.
And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two
mites, which make a farthing.
And He called unto him his disciples, and said unto them,
Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more
in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her
want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Generosity and grace giving are built on the qualities we
have already studied. If you’re free from bondage to greed
and debt, you won’t be enslaved to money. If you’re a
person of integrity and if you’re faithful as a manager, not
the owner, of your money, then when God supplies you
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with more, you will prayerfully channel anything above
personal and family needs into His kingdom.
I believe the way to meet these needs is to help God’s
people get their hearts right before Him and to teach what
His Word says about money and giving. As we respond to
God’s grace by giving generously, the needs will be met.
“Give all you can.” God has given all for us; He wants us to
be cheerful, generous givers who respond to His grace.
The faithful giver
Obviously the point of this passage is in the faith of the
widow to give what she had out of poverty. This is a
beautiful picture of trust in God’s provision, and Christ’s
response to this act of faith demonstrates God’s feelings
toward our sacrifice and generosity.
What is also interesting here is the fact that Jesus went out
of his way to sit and watch people give their offerings.
God’s interest in our giving isn’t cursory. He recognizes
more than we do how our faith is revealed in our habits of
giving.
Tithing and justice
Luke 11:42
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and
every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These
you ought to have done, without neglecting the others”
Even to a gentile like Luke, Jesus words that we need to
give and be mindful of expressing God’s love and justice is
important.
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Tithing and pride
Luke 18:9-14(KJV)
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a
Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I
thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
11 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so
much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast,
saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
1 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being
by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also
King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
With this discussion on Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek, we’ve
come full circle. Moses first tells us of this tithe in Genesis, and
the author of Hebrews readdresses it as he compares Christ’s
ministry to the priest Melchizedek.
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I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather
than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be
abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.
The Pharisee in this parable finds his value and justification
in his devotional acts. He holds up his fasting and tithes up
to God like a badge and thanks God that he isn’t like this
lowly tax gatherer. As we have seen, the tithe tied Israel
together. It was an offering that was common to all and was
used to take care of the nation’s priests, widows, orphans,
and transients. It wasn’t intended to make the giver self-
righteous and prideful.
Tithing to Melchizedek Hebrews 7:1-2 (KJV)
For this Melchizedek king of Salem, priest of the most high
God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the
kings, and blessed him;
The author of Hebrews argues that, although the tithe was
supposed to be paid to the Levites, Abraham gave a tenth of
his spoils to the priest Melchizedek. And that, through this
act, the Levites also metaphorically tithed to Melchizedek.
Not only did the priest take a tithe from Abraham, he blessed
him. Hebrew’s author says, “It is beyond dispute that the
inferior is blessed by the superior. (v. 7)” The whole chapter
compares the priesthood of Christ to this mysterious Old
Testament character.
It’s only appropriate that the last place the tithe is mentioned
it’s being used to point to Christ’s pre-eminence.
So what’s this mean for us?
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In the end, tithing wasn’t something Israel did in the same
way we mindlessly toss a gratuity into the collection box. It
was an intentional practice through which God intended to
teach Israel about his sovereign ownership of everything.
Instead of being consumers of their blessings, they had to
stop and think through just how much blessing they had.
Through the tithe, God took care of his people—and through
the act of generous giving, God continues to bless his
people.
Baptism
The word baptise is from the Greek word baptizo, and the
word baptism is from the Greek word batismaor,
baptismos. Together they are found 100 times in the New
Testament. Primary meanings of the word baptise:
To cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make
clean with water metaphorically, to overwhelm.
15 Times figuratively of those 100 times, 14 are found in
the four Gospel accounts of the time Jesus uses the word
figuratively to refer to the overwhelming sufferings of His
life. Matthew's account (20:22) tells of Jesus asking His
disciples, "Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink
of, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised
with?" One other time the word is used figuratively in 1
Corinthians 10:2 in reference to Moses and the Israelites.
There it says: "And all were baptised into Moses in the
cloud and in the sea."
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"Baptism of the Holy Spirit"
Acts 1:5, Jesus told His Apostles shortly before the day of
Pentecost, "John baptised with water, but you shall be
baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." The
fulfilment of that takes place in Acts 2:4 when Peter and the
others are "filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them
utterance." Notice this baptism was not performed by men,
but by God Himself from above.
The only other time this occurs is in Acts 10-11. There the
Gentiles are also given the gift of speaking in tongues for
the purpose of convincing the Jewish brethren that
proclaiming the gospel message to the Gentiles was
indeed God's will. Peter says in Acts 11:15-16, "The Holy
Spirit fell on them, just as He did upon us at the beginning.
And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to
say, `John baptised with water, but you shall be baptised
with the Holy Spirit.'" The phrase "at the beginning" refers
to the gift of speaking in other languages that first occurred
on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. This too was a baptism
performed not by men, but by God. (See also 1 Corinthians
12:13.)
The NT Teaching on Baptism
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commanded His disciples to go
and baptise all nations. In Mark 16:16, Jesus said, "He that
believeth and is baptised shall be saved; he that believeth
not shall be damned." In Acts 2:38, as already mentioned,
after the people asked what they needed to do, Peter said,
"Repent, and let each of you be baptised in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall
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receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Verse 41 says "those
who received his word were baptised" and there were
about 3000 then added to the church. In Acts 22:16,
Ananias told Saul, "Arise, and be baptised, and wash away
your sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
Does Jesus want His servants to continue baptising
new disciples?
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘… Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, 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 28:18-20).
Jesus commanded His disciples to continue baptising after
His death and resurrection. His promise to be with them
until the end of the age—which has not yet occurred—
shows that He intended for baptism to be a part of His
followers’ responsibilities through all intervening ages,
including our own.
Why is baptism important?
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who
does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
Baptism goes right to the heart of God’s forgiveness of our
sins and His gift of salvation. Through His death Christ
paid the penalty (Romans 6:23) for our sins. At the
Passover meal the night before His crucifixion, Jesus
blessed a cup of wine and said to His disciples, “For this is
My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for
the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).
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Paul explained that “God demonstrates His own love
toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us” (Romans 5:8). Then He added, “… Having now been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through Him” (Romans 5:9). Paul also wrote, “This is a
faithful saying: ‘For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him’ ” (2 Timothy 2:11).
In what way do we die with Christ?
“… Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Romans
6:3).
“For I delivered to you first of all,” wrote Paul, “that which I
also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again
the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians
15:3-4).
Paul also explained: “… Since all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God; they are now justified by His grace as a
gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom
God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood …”
(Romans 3:23-25, NRSV).
Through the ceremony of baptism we become symbolically
united with Christ. “For if we have been united together in
the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the
likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self
was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done
away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin”
(Romans 6:5-6).
What responsibility comes with baptism?
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“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into
death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness
of life” (Romans 6:4).
Romans 6:11-13
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin
therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the
lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of
unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as
those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God.
Baptism signifies the end of a life of habitual sinning and
the beginning of a new life devoted to righteousness. “…
Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking
for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great
God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for
us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and
purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good
works ” (Titus 2:11-14).
Does this responsibility include living an obedient life?
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ ” (Matthew 4:4).
“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We
ought to obey God rather than men’ ” (Acts 5:29; compare 2
Corinthians 10:3-5).
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The teachings of the entire Bible—both Old and New
Testaments—become our guide to life. The New Testament
explains how we should apply Old Testament teachings
under the New Covenant. The emphasis of the New
Covenant is on the proper implementation of the spirit—the
intent—of God’s laws.
No longer can we live however we want, ignoring God’s
instructions. Jesus made this abundantly clear: “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). We
are to live lawfully, not lawlessly!
Why was Jesus baptised?
“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be
baptised by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I
need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?’ But
Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us
in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he
consented” (Matthew 3:13-15,).
Jesus was born to be a perfect example for us as a physical
human being. Though He never sinned and needed no
forgiveness, He was baptised to show us the example we
should follow. As He was baptised, so should we be
baptised. He personally showed us that baptism is the way
He has established for us to unite with Him not only in His
death and resurrection but to signify our love for Him in
obedience to the First great commandment and to
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outwardly show that we desire to be part of His Church and
are accepting Him as our Saviour.
Should children be baptised?
“And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were
baptized” (Acts 18:8).
“Then those who gladly received his word were
baptized” (Acts 2:41).
“But when they believed … both men and women were
baptized” (Acts 8:12).
Baptism is for those mature enough to comprehend and
believe the meaning of repentance and baptism. Children
are precious to God. Jesus took little children into His arms
and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16). In each specific example
of baptism mentioned in the Bible, we see that those being
baptised were old enough and mature enough to
understand repentance, baptism and the commitment.
However it also said that the whole household were
baptised which undoubtedly contained children.
We must be careful to neither add nor take away from
scripture. To add that children cannot be baptised as some
churches teach is not what took place in the early church.
To add that infants were being baptised is not biblical
either. One simply must apply common logic and assume
that those being baptised in the household were those who
belonged to the family who heard and understood and
wished to commit. Jesus corrected His disciples for trying
to stop children coming up to Him and therefore these
children were old enough to know who He was and desire
to be with Him. They were not babies but were children
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who understood and if a child wishes to baptise then I
believe Jesus has told us (Mark 10:13-16) not to prevent
them.
Acts 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and
washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Acts 16:15And when she was baptized, and her household, she
besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord,
come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
How should we be baptised?
“Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim,
because there was much water there. And they came and
were baptized” (John 3:23).
“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately
from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to
Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and alighting upon Him” (Matthew 3:16).
Notice that John the Baptist chose a location where there
was “much water” to baptize those who came to him. And
Jesus “came up … from the water” when He was baptised.
Why is this wording significant? The Greek
word baptizo means to “immerse,” to “dip into” or
to “submerge.”
Jesus set us an example of being fully submerged in water
in a place where there was “much water” to make this
possible. All other examples of baptisms by Christ’s
disciples mentioned in the Scriptures follow this pattern.
For example, we read in Acts 8:38 that “both Philip and the
eunuch went down into the water, and he [Philip] baptized
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him.” There is no biblical example of any other form of
water baptism.
The symbolism of baptism, as the burial of the old self,
requires a ceremony picturing a true burial. Only baptism
by immersion fulfils this symbolic requirement. Therefore,
following the example of our Saviour, we too should be fully
immersed in water when we are baptised.
When in the process of accepting Christ does baptism come
in?
A second question would be, “When should I get baptised:
immediately, as a part of accepting Christ; or later as a follower
of Christ?”
If you’ve been around churches at all, you will run into the
following philosophies:
“Baptism is just an outward sign of an inward grace, so it can
be done later.”
“You need to ‘grow in Christ’ (become good enough) before
you are ready to be baptised.”
“To join our church, you have to be baptised into our church.”
Therefore must commit to our rules and accept all of our
traditional beliefs. Immediately nullifying baptism into Christ but
making it a baptism into a belief system.
The problem with these ideas (and any similar ones) is that they
are in conflict with the Bible. One thing is clear, the Bible always
places believing in Christ for salvation and baptism together.
They are not separated. Consider these references:
Acts chapter 2, verse 41 (Acts 2:41) - 3,000 people were baptized
after believing on the first day of the Christian church. Verses 38
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and 39 make it clear that this is the way that it will always be
done. That is, all people who accept Christ as their saviour will
come to Him in this way.
Acts 8:26-39 - We know where this road from Jerusalem to Gaza
is. Verse 26 terms it a “desert.” The only water there was oasis
water. This means that the eunuch and Philip climbed down into
the people's drinking water to do this. Apparently, Philip and the
eunuch did not think it could wait until later! (You will also
notice they did not take a handful of water and “sprinkle” the
eunuch to keep things sanitary, either.) The Bible states that all
Philip did was “preach Jesus to him” (verse 35) and then the
eunuch said that he wanted to be baptised (verse 36). This means
that the preaching of Jesus includes preaching the need to be
baptised.
Acts 9:18 - after this encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road,
Saul (later renamed Paul) decided to accept Jesus—and was
baptised.
Acts 10:47,48 - Cornelius and those with him were commanded
to be baptized, becoming the first non-Jewish converts to
Christianity.
Acts 16:13-15 - Lydia and her household “believed” and were
baptized.
Acts 16:16-34 - The Philippian jailer “believed” with his
household and they were baptized—and this was in the middle of
the night!
Also consider the following passages:
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Galatians 3:26, 27 - “For you are all sons of God through faith in
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ
have put on Christ.”
Ephesians 4:4-6 - “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you
were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one
baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through
all, and in you all.”
On top of all these references, when Jesus left the earth (see the
end of the book of Matthew) He told his followers to make
disciples (followers), baptise them, and teach them all that Jesus
had commanded them. Jesus apparently felt it was pretty
important to make this a priority for His followers.
The Bible is clear—belief and baptism were always together.
Thus, “when we believe” is the right time to be baptized. If you
“believed” some time back and were not baptised, then this
should become a priority for you to fulfil what God asks you do
in the Bible.
Why should someone be baptised?
The Bible gives a number of reasons to be baptised:
Acts 2:38 - Tying repentance and baptism together provides
forgiveness of your sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 6:1-7 - This shows us that the mode of baptism
(immersion) pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
In the same way that He went through these things, our old nature
is to “die” and we are to be “buried with Him through baptism
into death” and raised to “walk in newness of life” (live like
Jesus). So we do not just try to be a better person, we bury the
“old person” in the water and become a “new person” through
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our acceptance of Christ. It is like a new birth and a new
beginning for us.
Galatians 3:27 - We “put on Christ” when we are baptized.
1 Peter 3:21 - Baptism is not an outward cleaning, but saves us
through an inward cleansing. It is an appeal to God for a good
conscience and asks God to take away the guilt of our past sin
(that Christ paid for, wiping our “inner slate” clean).
According to the Bible, any baptised Christian can perform the
baptism by immersing the people who want to get right with God
in water. To actually perform a baptism, it may help to construct
a short checklist.
The person doing the baptising lowers the person being baptised
into the water saying, "I baptise you in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." The person being baptised
only needs to be under water for a second or two, and may find it
a good idea to hold their nose with their fingers to keep water
from getting in their nose.
Raise the person out of the water. Dry off everyone. Celebrate.
By the way, these "steps" and the people's "lines" are not official.
They are merely an example in case you have not seen a
baptism. As we see through scripture, baptism does not require
an elaborate ceremony, and can be done in about 5 minutes
anywhere you can find enough water to immerse someone.
Matthew 28:19-20: Go therefore and make disciples of
ALL THE NATIONS, baptising them in the name of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
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observe all that I Commanded you; and lo, I am with you
ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE."
This was baptism in water to be performed by men.
To whom was it to be performed? To all nations.
For how long? Apparently always, to the end of the
age.
Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
The Rapture of the Church.
When I first heard the concept of a rapture, I must say I was
somewhat shocked to think that such a miraculous event awaits those
who love the Lord. I have read signs on back of cars with the words
“Jesus saves” Never before had I taken this into account that He would
literally save us from the coming tribulation and wrath that will bring
this system of things to an end. He is going to take away those who
love Him just as He saved Noah from the flood or Lot only moments
before fire and brimstone deluged onto Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact
He even tells us that the end days will be like these two times and the
saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ will take us out of the way whilst
the end time prophecies play out.
The view that “the rapture,” “Catching Away” of the Saints
is not mentioned in the bible is from those who do not
understand the scriptures. The rapture event is told
throughout the Old Testament as well as in the Feasts of
the Lord, in parables, the Jewish wedding tradition and
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reference to it in the New Testament has been told many
times over.
Marriage Covenant and Bride Price.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Greek when he addressed the
Romans and used the phrase “caught up”. The phrase
“caught up” is translated in Greek as “harpazo”, which
means to “seize suddenly” or “snatch”. In Latin, the word is
“rapturo”, which means to “seize", "carry away”, or "reap"
(think "reaping the harvest"). It is from this Latin word that
the term "rapture" comes.
Paul teaches that Christ will come at some future point in
time for those who belong to Him. Those who are the "dead
in Christ" will experience their resurrection first and be
gifted with glorified bodies when He comes and moments
later, in the twinkly of an eye those believers in Christ who
are alive at that time will then be instantly transformed from
their earthly state to their eternal state, and will not
experience death. Instead, they will be caught up to be with
all those who have previously gone on to be with the Lord
and be transferred to heaven.
Thessalonians 4:17(KJV)
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be ‘caught up’
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
The dead raised first and then the church or people who
follow Christ will be raised up
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2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 (KJV)
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be
revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness
is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so
until He is taken out of the way.
Isaiah 26:20
Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut
thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little
moment, until the indignation be over past.
Revelation 3:10
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will
keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come
upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 - And to wait for his Son from
heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus,
which delivered us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 5: 9
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
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There is no mistake as to when each event takes place and
in what order the rapture and the 144,000 Jews and the
second coming take place.
End Time Harvest: Barley, Wheat,
and Grapes.
The three main feast days of Israel are each associated
with a different harvest.
The barley ripens first around the time of Passover;
The wheat ripens next around the time of Pentecost;
The grapes ripen last in the fall around the time of
Tabernacles.
These three crops depict three classes of people. The
barley represents the overcomers; the wheat represents
the rest of the believers; and the grapes represent the
unbelievers.
The Barley Wave-Sheaf Offering
The wave-sheaf offering shortly after Passover was the first
fruits of the ripened barley that the priest offered to God in
the early spring. It was always waved “on the morrow after
the Sabbath” at Passover (Lev 23:10-14).This day is
sometimes called the Feast of First fruits. The
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Ascension of Jesus “on the morrow OF the Sabbath” is
symbolised by the wave-sheaf offering.
The traditional view of the Harvest at the end of the age is
that there is only one harvest, and then comes the end.
That is incorrect. Scripture gives abundant witness to show
that the one harvest mentioned in the below passage
actually consists of three separate phases that differ in
timing, as well as in the crop harvested. These are the
three phases of the harvest - first the barley crop, next the
wheat crop, and finally the crop of grapes.
The Barley Harvest and Rapture of the Saints.
During the growing season of a farmers crop there is a first
fruits growth that comes up in the field first. This crop is to
be an offering to the Lord. It is to be tied with a cord or a
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sheave to make it well known to all who are in the field that
it is an offering to the Lord.
Those who believe are the barley grain. Barley grain is a
soft seed. In days of old when they wanted to separate the
grain from the chaff they would put the barley on a sheet
holding the four corners and would raise the sheet to the
wind. This process is called winnowing. It would easily
separate the two and would give them the pure grain. This
is what we are like. We are soft and pliable in the hands of
the Lord to be corrected and re-aligned to His ways.
When the first ripened grain is harvested and brought to the
priest for the waving. The priest waved the offering in the
air before God, and God blessed the offerings that were
given to Him. Leviticus 23:11
And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be
accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the
priest shall wave it.
Jesus Christ the first fruits rose and ascended to God on
the day after the Sabbath to be presented to God.
Just as the first fruits, the Lords chosen, His bride, His
church, will be caught up in the air to be waved before
by our High Priest to present worthy before God.
1 Corinthians 15: 20-23
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the
first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by
man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the
dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in
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Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own
order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's
at His coming.
We will be part of the "in-gathering" (or Rapture) with Christ
Jesus during this time. We will not experience the wrath of
the 7 year Tribulation period:
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that
whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with
Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)
The Wheat Harvest and the Tribulation Rapture.
Half way through the 7 year tribulation period there will be a
Rapture of the Tribulation Saints by the Lord.
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“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude
which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples,
and tongues, standing before the throne and before the
Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their
hands…” Revelation 7:9
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are
these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come
from?"
And I said to him, "Sir, you know."
So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of
the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb.
(Revelation 7:13-14)
So we see in the above passages this wheat harvest will
be a very great harvest, of those that had robes by virtue of
their Faith in Messiah, but were not yet ready when the
Bridegroom came for the Bride at the First Resurrection
Harvest.
Wheat is a tougher grain than barley. Thousands of years
ago, farmers used a tool called a "tribulum" to separate the
chaff from their wheat.
Today our word "tribulation" is derived from the name of
that tool. It takes a tribulum to break the seed from the
chaff. It goes through a breaking process to become free
and be what our Father, the God of Abraham, Issac and
Jacob, would have us to be His sons.
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We have a God who loves us so much that He sent His
only Son, Jesus to come in the flesh and dwell among men,
teach us the way, die for us as a perfect sacrifice with all
the sins of the past, present and future upon Himself, and
taking the stripes upon His back, shedding His precious
blood, was buried, raised, and ascended into heaven,
sitting at the right hand of the Father and making
intercession for us. He did it all for us!
Just as the ancient farmers used a tribulum to separate the
chaff from their wheat, God will use the Tribulation to
separate the chaff from the lives of the Christians at this
time.
The final Harvest and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ!
The last harvest will be the grapes harvest that comes from
the four corners of the field. The grapes have to be crushed
to be made into
"New Wine."
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The great tribulation will bring this about. This symbolises
the people who accepted Christ during the second half of
the 7 years, known as the Great Tribulation. That group of
people will have to endure the most horrendous time ever.
The Grapes of Wrath.
The weak, untested Christians (grapes) and unsaved
Jews (olives,) will be harvested together, later at the 7th
seal, in the fall, which is about the time of the Feast of
Tabernacles. (Representing God tabernacling with
Israel, and as He will again in the Millennial Kingdom).
In other words this Harvest will be at the time of the
Lords coming to tabernacle here on earth.
The passage that supports this view is Revelation 6:6
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say,
a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of
barley for a penny; and thou hurt not the oil and the
wine.
The 3rd angel on the black horse, was told not to touch
either the “oil or wine.” This means they are being
grouped together, for the later harvest time.
It would surely in your best interest to come to know
Jesus as Saviour, early rather than later.
You can claim Him now!
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SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE FOR THE RAPTURE
The word "rapture" is a term used by Christians which
refers to an event that the Apostle Paul describes in the
Bible, which is found in
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about
those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do
who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died
and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with
him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to
you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who
are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those
who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of
command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the
sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will
rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord
in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore
encourage one another with these words.”
Paul speaks about this generation of believers WHO WILL
NOT "TASTE" DEATH when he says in 1 Corinthians
15:51:
“Behold, I shown you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but
we shall all be changed.”
This scripture means that we shall not all physically die, but
we shall all be changed.
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Some professing Christians are preparing to go through the
wrath and tribulation, thinking that they are to be the
remnant of Israel. Israel rejected their God and are
stubborn and stiff-necked and unfortunately it will take the
wine press and absolute crushing of the grapes to bring
them to repentance and they will go through great
tribulation in order to refine them. Not because that is what
God wants to do to them, but He knows the beginning from
the end and has fore warned that is what it will take to get
them prepared to meet their God and cry out for Him to
come back to them.
Rom 11:23-24 ‘And they also (Israel), if they do not
continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able
to graft them in again. For if you (gentiles) were cut off from
what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted
contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much
more shall these who are the natural branches (Israel) be
grafted into their own olive tree?’
Rom 11:25-26 ‘For I do not want you, brethren, to be
uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own
estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel
until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all
Israel will be saved.’
Rom 11:26-28 ‘Just as it is written, “The Deliverer will
come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
“And this is My covenant with them, When I take away their
sins.”
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From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for
your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are
beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the
calling of God are irrevocable.’
Could Paul be any clearer? While the nation of Israel is
currently hardened and to an extent, an enemy of the
Gospel, yet they are still loved because of the promises
made to Israel’s fathers – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And
finally the clincher – the giftings and callings of God are
irrevocable. That is, God doesn’t change His mind about
those whom he chooses! Never! If you need any further
proof, please note that Paul quotes from Jeremiah 31:33-
34 to prove that God still has a plan for that nation.
Jeremiah 31, starting in verse 27 speaks of the new
covenant that God will make with the nation of Israel, which
will not be like the one when He took them out of Egypt. In
verses 35-37 God even issues a challenge saying that only
if the heavens can be measured, or day and night cease,
will He cast off the offspring of Israel! And that my friends,
isn’t going to happen! So we have seen that God still has a
plan for the nation of Israel to bring them into a new
covenant and relationship with Him, and that this occurs
‘after the fullness of the church age has come in.
Seemingly every zealous sect throughout the history of
Israel, often simultaneously and competitively, has seen or
views itself as the righteous remnant, true Israel. The
Essenes of Qumran considered themselves the true
remnant, as did their contemporaries, the Pharisees, as do
the varying sects within Orthodox and Chasidic Judaism
today. Mormons believe they are the remnant and that
Jesus Christ will return to America to them.
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For those who don’t believe that God will take His Bride from the earth
prior to the 7 year tribulation/wrath. God loves His bride He
does not need her to be beaten in the tribulation for several
years to prove herself. She chose Him in faith and that is
exactly what He commanded her to do. Obedience is what
He requires. He has promised that His chosen will be
saved from the wrath to come.
God has not appointed His bride (church) to wrath but to
obtain salvation.
God is not a God of pain and terror, at no time has He
wanted that for His chosen ones. He said believe in Him,
keep His commandments and remain faithful and He will
keep us from the wrath and tribulation to come. Those who
cannot accept that gracious gift, are those who say, “No He
doesn’t mean that,” (He wants us to stay through the
tribulation which is the time allocated to Israel to turn back
to God by accepting Jesus Christ,) They have completely
missed His gracious gift and they do not understand the
love of a God who calls us His bride. In short they are
putting man’s ideas in front of Gods commands.
Amos 5:18
“Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to
what end is it for you? The day of the LORD is
darkness, and not light.”
God clearly does not want us to BE DESIRING to go
through the tribulation. He has allocated this time for His
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specific purposes and an appointment with Israel and the
unbelievers.
Christians are to accept His grace and be eagerly awaiting
His imminent return.
Luke 13:34-35 ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills
the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I
wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen
gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not
have it! “Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I
say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes
when you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE
NAME OF THE LORD!’” ’
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’ is a
Messianic title from Psalm 118:26 and it is this title that
some who did believe shouted out to Jesus on His
triumphant entry into Jerusalem. (Luke 19:38) But
Jesus said that Israel would be left desolate, and that they
would not see Him again UNTIL they acknowledge that He
is their Messiah. This is in accordance with Old Testament
scriptures as well, such as…
Hosea 5:14-15 ‘For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like
a young lion to the house of Judah... I will go away and
return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and
seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.
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Please read the whole passage in Hosea. It is God
speaking, saying that He will return to His place until Israel
admit their guilt and seek His face. Now we know that
Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and it is in Jesus that
this prophecy is fulfilled. So we have before us the specific
issue that must take place before Israel as a nation can be
saved – they must acknowledge that Jesus is their Messiah
and their guilt in rejecting Him 2000 years ago. So the next
question is…
How does this acknowledgement that Jesus is the
Messiah come about?
From the Hosea passage quoted above, we read ‘in their
affliction they will earnestly seek Me.’ While there are
individual Jews who have come to believe in Jesus, as a
nation, Israel still remains in gross unbelief today. What is
coming upon the nation of Israel is the hardest times in
their entire history. It is in their affliction that they will cry out
for Jesus to come and save them. It is known as the ‘time
of Jacob’s trouble.’
Jer 30:2-7 ‘For, behold, days are coming,‘ declares the
LORD, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel
and Judah.’ The LORD says, ‘I will also bring them back
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to the land that I gave to their forefathers, and they shall
possess it.’ ”Now these are the words which the LORD
spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah, “For thus
says the LORD, ‘I have heard a sound of terror, of dread,
and there is no peace. ‘ Ask now, and see, if a male can
give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his
loins, as a woman in childbirth?
And why have all faces turned pale? ‘Alas! For that day is
great, there is none like it. It is the time of Jacob’s
trouble, but he will be saved from it.’
So forget the current Middle East ‘peace process’. The
Arab nations are not after peace. They are after the
annihilation of Israel. Muhammad himself declared ‘the last
hour will not come before the Muslims fight the Jews and
the Muslims kill them.’ Muslims believe the 21st century to
be the ‘century of Islam’ and that the annihilation of Israel is
simply the precursor to conquest in the West. The war in
the Middle East is not about land, it is about religion. That
Islam (which means ‘absolute submission’) cannot even
deal with this tiny little nation called Israel, which won’t
submit or follow Allah, is a great disgrace for every Muslim
faithful to the Koran. Their intention is still the same as that
penned 3000 years ago.
Psalm 83:1-4 ‘God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O
God, be not still.
See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their
heads. With cunning they conspire against your people;
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they plot against those you cherish. “Come,” they say,
“let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel
be remembered no more.’
Jesus Himself testified to how terrible these times would be
saying…
Matt 24:21-22 ‘For then there will be great distress,
unequalled from the beginning of the world until now—
and never to be equalled again. If those days had not been
cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the
elect those days will be shortened.’
What is the climax of this issue?
Hosea 5:15
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their
offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek
me early.
We have seen that it is ‘in their (Israel’s) affliction that they
will seek me (Jesus)’. I now want to be a little more specific
as to the climax of this issue. The Prophet Zechariah tells
us how things will end saying
Zech 12:1-3 ‘This is the word of the LORD concerning
Israel… “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all
the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as
well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the
earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an
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immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will
injure themselves.’
Israel is currently ranked as having the 4th best army in the
entire world and this has been proven time and time again,
as they have had to fight for their very existence. Just a
quick summary of their wars shows some remarkable
victories –
1948 – War of Independence. Straight after becoming a
nation again,
18,000 Jewish settlers had to fight 7 trained, fully equipped
Arab armies. Many of the Jews fought without even having
a gun, yet they won.
1967 – In the face of another Arab attack, Israel launched a
pre-emptive strike in what is now the famous 6-day War.
This lightening victory left the world gasping and military
academies entering new tactics into the warfare journals!
1973 – The Yom Kippur War. On the Holiest of all Jewish
days, (the day of Atonement), Israel was attacked by a
united Arab force. Israel suffered great losses as it took up
to 3 days to fully mobilise its army. Yet, while outnumbered
4 to 1, (300,000 Israelis fought 1,200,000 Arabs) Israel still
won and were even on the doorsteps of both Cairo and
Damascus when other nations persuaded them to stop.
Yet the war that is coming is even too great for Israel.
Zechariah tells a little more saying -
Zech 14:2-3 ‘I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to
fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses
ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go
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into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from
the city.
In the midst of the chaos however, Zechariah tells us one
more amazing prophetic statement - something that will
completely change the course of this battle! Zechariah tells
us that the following will happen.
Zech 12:10 ‘They will look on me, the one they have
pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an
only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a
firstborn son.’
Luke 13:35 quoted earlier, Israel will first look to Jesus, the
one they pierced on the cross 2000 years ago. The will
recognise that Jesus, their Messiah was ‘the son of Joseph’
who suffered at their own hands.
And then, in a miracle of miracles, they will actually look on
Him, as He comes down to deliver Israel and fight the
nations that have attacked her. In doing so Jesus will fulfil
the prophecies that the Messiah would also be ‘the son of
David’ – a conquering King! In the face of unbelievable
opposition, Israel will cry out for their Messiah to return,
and He will! Listen to their cry -
Isaiah 64:1-3 ‘Oh, that you would rend the heavens and
come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!
As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you
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did awesome things that we did not expect, you came
down, and the mountains trembled before you.’
Listen to how incredible, and how frightening, that day will
be for those that have come to fight against Israel.
Zech 14:3-9 ‘Then the LORD will go out and fight against
those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day
his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of
Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from
east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the
mountain moving north and half moving south… Then the
LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be
a unique day, without daytime or night time—a day known
to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. On
that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the
eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in
winter. The LORD will be king over the whole earth.
On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only
name.’
The Judgement of the Nations
The Prophet Joel also speaks of this time, as well as the
judgement that is to follow. I only mention it here simply to
show the basis upon which this judgement takes place.
Firstly he prophesies the battle itself:
Joel 3:9-11 ‘Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for
war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near
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and attack. Beat your plow shares into swords and your
pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, ‘I am
strong!‘ Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and
assemble there.’
There they will be judged on the basis of their
treatment of Israel.
Joel 3:1-2 ‘In those days and at that time, when I restore
the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all
nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will enter into judgment against them concerning
my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my
people among the nations and divided up my land.’ Joel
3:14-16 ‘Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For
the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The
sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer
shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from
Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the
LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the
people of Israel.’
Conclusion
The time is at hand for these amazing prophecies to be
fulfilled and Israel has a huge part to play in the coming
days. Even as we look at the news today we see that
Jerusalem is the centre of the world’s attention just as
God said it would be thousands of years ago. But that
which is coming is the ‘time of Jacob’s trouble… but He
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will be saved out of it’. So forget the treaties and false
promises of peace for the Middle East. The word of God
has already revealed what will take place. Through
affliction, God will enable Israel to believe that Jesus is
their Messiah, yet it will not be easy. And if you are a
Christian, then begin to look up, for as we see these
things begin to take place we know that our redemption
draws near!
Isaiah 26: 20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy
chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it
were for a little moment, until the indignation be over past.
Revelation 3:10 - Because thou hast kept the word of my
patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell
upon the earth.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 - And to wait for his Son from
heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus,
which delivered us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:9
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Christians (indwelling of His spirit) are the "He" who lets will
let and will be taken out of the way. That is, whatsoever
were bound on earth will be bound in heaven. And once we
are removed/raptured, then the Anti-Christ will have the
freedom to fulfil his plans. After all, the gates of hell cannot
prevail against the Church; (Mathew 16:18), and the
Church is not destined for wrath.
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[2Thess 2:8] And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
[2Thess 2:9] Even him, whose coming is after the working
of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
[2Thess 2:10] And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they
received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
[2Thess 2:11] And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
[2Thess 2:12] That they all might be damned who believed
not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
[2Thess 2:13] But we are bound to give thanks always to
God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God
hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
[2Thess 2:14] Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[2Thess 2:15] Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the
traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or
our epistle.
[2Thess 2:16] Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and
God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given
us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
[2Thess 2:17] Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in
every good word and work.
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I'm speculating that IF the post tribulationist’s really want to
go through the tribulation, Christ may let them. I doubt He
will force anyone to come unto His Kingdom. Those who
want to disobey when the trumpet call goes out to,
"Come up here!"
Will they receive brownie points for desiring to go through
tribulation and wrath when Jesus Christ Has already paid
the bride price for them? I do not think so! God requires
obedience and gratitude, but most of all He asks us to put
our faith in His redemptive gift. I believe it would be
extremely ungrateful to say He didn’t mean it when He said
He has not appointed us to wrath. Does He require them to
get severely crushed in a wine press before they will believe
in His grace?
[Isa 57:1] The righteous perish, and no man layeth it to
heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering
that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
[Mal 3:16] Then they that feared the LORD spake often one
to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a
book of remembrance was written before him for them that
feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
[Mal 3:17] And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts,
in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare
them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.
[Pss 97:10] Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserves
the souls of his saints; he delivers them out of the hand of
the wicked.
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[Luke 21:36] Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye
may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that
shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
[1 Thessalonians 1:10] And to wait for his Son from
heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which
delivered us from the wrath to come.
Rom 5:9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood,
we shall be saved from wrath through him.
[2Pet 2:9] The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of
temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the ‘day of
judgment’ to be punished:
[Rev 2:22] Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them
that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except
they repent of their deeds.
[Rev 3:10] Because you have kept my word of patient
endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial which is
coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the
earth.
[Revelation 4:1] After this I looked, and, behold, a door was
opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as
it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, ‘Come up
hither’ and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Finally, read all of Psalm 27, which is supposed to be read
daily, every day for 30 days, during the 30 day time period
of repentance that comes prior to the Feast of Trumpets,
also known as 'the last trump' the 'day that no man knows
but the father', the day that comes 'like a thief in the night',
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also known as the 'wedding of the messiah', --and the
Church is the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5)
And there are many, many more verses that show that God
saves his people during all kinds of trouble and tribulation.
In fact, you could say that God's mercy and deliverance is a
major theme of the Bible. There are no less than 6
examples of the pre-tribulation rapture in Genesis alone;
(Noah and Lot are only two).
Not to mention the examples from the stories and accounts
of Joshua, Esther, Ruth, David, Sampson, Jacob, and
more!
If you study the Feast of Trumpets, and the Jewish
Wedding Ceremony, and compare with all the verses of the
Rapture, you will see that they coincide, and show that the
rapture is prior to the seven year tribulation.
1 Thessalonians 5 King James Version (KJV)
5 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no
need that I write unto you.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so
cometh as a thief in the night.
2 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden
destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman
with child; and they shall not escape.
3 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should
overtake you as a thief. 4 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day:
we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
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5 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch
and be sober.
6 For they that sleep in the night; and they that be drunken
are drunken in the night.
7 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope
of salvation.
8 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
9 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we
should live together with him.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one
another.
Paul speaks of the rapture as a "mystery" (1 Cor. 15:51-
54), that is a truth not revealed until its disclosure by the
apostles (Col. 1:26), making it a separate event, while the
second coming was predicted in the Old Testament (Dan.
12:1-3; Zech. 12:10; 14:4).
The movement for the believer at the rapture is… from
earth to heaven…. while it is from heaven….. To earth at
……the Second Advent.
At the rapture, the Lord comes for his saints (1 Thess.
4:16), while at the second coming the Lord comes with His
saints (1 Thess. 3:13).
At the rapture, the Lord comes only for believers, but His
return to the earth will impact all people.
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The rapture is a translation/resurrection event where the
Lord takes believers "to the Father's house" in heaven
(John 14:3), while at the second coming believers return
from heaven to the earth (Matt. 24:30). "The different
aspects of our Lord's return are clearly delineated in the
scriptures themselves.
Luke Chapter 21:34
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness,
and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you
unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face
of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye
may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Jesus came to earth the first time “To” His own
approximately 2,000 years ago.
Jesus is coming at the rapture “For” His own.
At the second coming He is coming “With” His own.
The Bible speaks of a rapture event taking place in the
parable of the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.
THE MARRIAGE FEAST
In the parable of the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, Jesus
Christ is the Bridegroom and His church is the Bride
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(Matthew 22:2-14; John 3:29; 2 Corinthians 11:2;
Ephesians 5:25-32.). Both the “Marriage of the
Lamb” and the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” take place in
heaven
(Revelation 19:6-9) before the “Bridegroom” and the “bride”
return to earth to rule in the new millennium. This is evidence
that the church is in Heaven prior to the return of Christ to
earth. The word “church” appears 19 times in Revelation 1-3
and does not appear again until
Revelation 22:16, emphasizing the absence of the church
from the earth during the judgments of Revelation 4-18. The
marriage of the Lamb and the bride is the eternal union of
the church with Christ following the rapture
(1 Thessalonians 4:17).
"For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I
betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might
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present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as
the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds
will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of
devotion to Christ." (2 Cor.11)
THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS
In the parable of the "Ten Virgins", we see how five of the
virgins, the WISE ones, who were prepared and had their
oil, were allowed to enter through a “door”. This door was
shut behind them, which left the other five virgins (the
FOOLISH ) upset because they could not enter through it.
This parable demonstrates the rapture event. The parable
reads: “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto
ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet
the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were
foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no
oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their
lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and
slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the
bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those
virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said
unto the wise, give us of your oil;
for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying,
Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye
rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while
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they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were
ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was
shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord,
Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto
you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the
day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
This parable is NOT referring to the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ, but rather the rapture event of the bride of
Christ. As we can see in the Parable, the five foolish virgins
had their lamps (they had a testimony of Jesus), however,
they did NOT have their oil. Conversely, all believers in
Jesus Christ are saved by grace and faith and WILL enter
the kingdom of heaven at some point. THIS parable clearly
points to a different event. If we are NOT ready for this
event, Jesus Christ will come “like a thief in the night".
Thessalonians 5:2-4
For you your selves are fully aware that the day of the Lord
will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying,
“There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will
come upon them as labour pains come upon a pregnant
woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in
darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
The virgins represent the believers in Christ. The lamps
and the door represent the light of the world and the gate
into heaven, which is Jesus
Christ. We can see how the scriptures symbolically
reference Jesus Christ as the “light of the world”; the
“Word”; and the “door”:
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“The other virgins also came saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open up
for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I know you
not.”
Conclusion
I am grateful to the Lord who knows us so well and brings
us to Him in such unique ways.
I walked away from the false teachings and false claims,
feeling absolutely appalled with myself that I had been so
deceived.
It is because of that deception that I have had the desire to
fully know the bible and its teachings.
I have read and studied and asked questions, researched
the bible, delving and questioning everything, not believing
anything until I had proven it through scriptures, carefully
systematically, studying each topic, with an overwhelming
desire to know what God has in His plan for us.
Whilst doing this intense study I came to know just how
much love God has for each one of us.
The most shocking thing to me is that so many of us, even
in the local churches are just blindly following the traditions
of men.
I feel too many people simply become complacent, they
know the basics and are quite content in their knowledge
and think that they are doing the will of the Lord. They
justify by saying ‘beware of legalism’ and we are ‘saved by
grace’. I think that they do know that they are not fully living
by the teachings, but they are in a comfort zone or too
afraid to change or simply too content in their habits, to
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stand up and say there is something missing with all of this.
Just as I thought for a very long time that Jesus has
covered us and will take up the slack in our weaknesses
and our wrongs. I am sure that He will, but I am also sure
that He has given us commands to live by and is waiting for
us to let go of the traditions of men and turn to Him with full
purpose of heart. He has told us many times over that He
does not change. He has given His commandments in love
and sincerity and He has waited for us patiently to
“Come follow Him!”
2 Thessalonians 2:15
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the
traditions that you were taught by us, either by
our spoken word or by our letter.
We need to follow His commandments. If we want to be
part of His true Church, His Bride, then we have to be pure
and undefiled before Him.
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Ephesians 5:27
“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not
having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should
be holy and without blemish.”
Westernised religions are under false pretences. We have
grown with the traditions of Sunday worship, Christmas and
Easter and various religious falsehood, so that it is part of
who we are.
It is not part of who the early church were and it is not part
of God’s plan of salvation.
James 1:22
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says.
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1 Corinthians 5:7
Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new
lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover
is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with
old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and
wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and
truth.
I exhort you to purge out the old leaven.
Old leaven = False religion, beliefs and traditions.
Keep the appointment that Jesus Christ has with
you, not with the old beliefs but with sincerity and
truth.
He comes soon!
Will you be ready to meet your bride
groom?
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Revelation 17:14 For he is Lord of lords, and
King of kings: and they that are with him are
called, and chosen, and faithful.
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May God bless you!
Glenda McLachlan
Findingtruechurch.weebly.com
glenda.mcl2@bigpond.com
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