On January 14, 2017, Robb Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “A Fantasy Religion?,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Why Keep the Law?”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

According to the human calendar of Western civilization, we have now entered the “New Year.”  The “holiday” season has just passed, referring to Christmas and New Year’s Day. We know that we are not supposed to be celebrating these man-made holidays because we understand that they are pagan and God never commanded us to observe them.  In fact, He commands us not to do so. The world views their New Year as a brand new start.   True Christians also experience a brand new start but in a different way and at a different time.

First of all, according to God’s Hebrew calendar and the Bible, we know that God’s New Year doesn’t start in the dead of winter. In Exodus 12:1-2 we have a pretty good indication when the New Year would begin for us.  This is when Passover starts, followed by the Days of Unleavened Bread, the start of the Spring Holy Days, usually at the end of March or early April.  Notice here that the New Year begins in the Spring, when everything is springing back to life, when everything is in bloom – when a renewal occurs.

We have all heard the saying or heard people say what they will do at the start of the “New Year”; what their “New Year’s resolutions” are; and what their new goals are going to be.  A lot of the times however, it is only a mere saying; something that really isn’t taken all that seriously, and before February comes, those “New Year’s resolutions” have been forgotten or broken.  And then the next year comes, and those same goals and resolutions are repeated without any positive outcome.

Is this what we do every year?  Do we also make goals for ourselves or new resolutions in which we commit to bettering ourselves and learning from our past mistakes?  We actually must do this, but not during the same time the world celebrates New Year’s Day.  The difference here is that we have to take it seriously, by learning from our mistakes and realizing that we SHOULD accomplish our GOALS – our goals of keeping God’s commandments.  We do this during God’s New Year, in the Spring, during Passover when we re-commit to God and reconfirm our covenant with Him; when we repent of our sins; and when we ask Him for forgiveness, by refocusing on the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  This is the time of reflection as well.  When we take the Passover seriously, our slate of sin will be swept clean. Our renewal occurs, so that we can continue striving for perfection. This process is also symbolized by the foot-washing ceremony (compare John 13:10).

Before we took the Passover, we were given a new life when we entered into God’s Family as Spirit-begotten members and we received His Spirit of power.  We had to repent from all of our sins and start our new life and live in the way we were commanded to do.  This was during our baptism which was necessary for us to be permitted to later partake of the Passover so that we can continue living God’s Way and ultimately inherit eternal life.  We were dead and now we are alive (compare Romans 6:1-14).  Just like the ways of this world are dead, but the Way of God is life.  This world celebrates the New Year in the dead of winter while God’s New Year is in the Spring, picturing renewal and fullness of life.

We know just how tricky Satan can be and how he deceives this whole world.  New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are viewed by many as a time for partying, a day of celebration, but many fail to realize their pagan origin as they party into the night, welcoming a new start of the “New Year.”

Our “New Year’s resolutions” must occur at our baptism when we become a new man, and each year during the Passover season when we reconfirm our covenant with God, repent, and are cleansed of our sins.  We are here for a reason; to grow towards God’s perfection and to be good examples to others. This is where our true focus should be.

We begin with a report on Florida’s mass murderer who was apparently directly influenced by demons; continue with Donald Trump’s ambitious wishes to build a wall at the US-Mexican border and to repeal and replace Obamacare; and we speak on Mr. Trump’s reactions to the Russian hacking of Democratic computers and shameful, irresponsible, unsubstantiated und largely disproven allegations against him.

Focusing on Israel, we report on an agreement by the US House of Representatives to condemn the anti-Israel UN resolution; the contemplated move of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is expected to take place in May; and the reasons for the world’s hatred of Israel. In this context, please view our new StandingWatch program, “Why the Hatred for Israel and God’s Law?”

Turning to Germany, we publish several articles on the return of American tanks in Germany and the perceived compelling need for Germany and France to lead Europe.

We continue with an article about the controversial and uncomfortable role of Prince Charles as the new British monarch; and speak on the world’s fear of World War III, terrorist attacks and the use of nuclear missiles.

We conclude with a disturbing and highly objectionable decision by the European Court of Human Rights, violating the religious rights of Muslims in Switzerland; and new findings regarding mammograms.

Florida’s Mass Murderer Heard Voices Telling Him to Watch ISIS Material

The New York Times wrote on January 6:

“Federal law enforcement officials said they were investigating whether the gunman who opened fire on Friday at the airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., killing five people and wounding eight, was mentally disturbed and heard voices in his head telling him to commit acts of violence [and to watch ISIS material]. According to a senior law enforcement official, the gunman, identified as Esteban Santiago, 26, walked into the F.B.I. office in Anchorage in November and made disturbing remarks that prompted officials to urge him to seek mental health care.

“Mr. Santiago, appearing ‘agitated and incoherent,’ said ‘that his mind was being controlled by a U.S. intelligence agency,’ the official said. Other officials said it was too early to tell whether Mr. Santiago, who was captured in the airport, had been inspired by terrorist groups, including the Islamic State. The officials said he had viewed extremist materials on the internet…

“Mr. Santiago was discharged in August from the Alaska Army National Guard for ‘unsatisfactory performance’…

“The shooting comes at a tense time for a nation that has been watching nervously as terrorist attacks have occurred elsewhere in the world…”

ISIS is an organization thoroughly controlled by Satan and his demons. If Florida’s murdering gunman indeed heard voices ordering him to view ISIS material, the conclusion would be compelling that demons were telling him to do this.

Building a Wall

The Guardian stated on January 6:

“Donald Trump was forced to say that Mexico would pay for his planned border wall ‘later’ after Republican officials indicated Congress and US taxpayers would first foot the bill…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 6:

“On Twitter, Trump took to blaming the media: ‘The dishonest media does not report that any money spent on building the Great Wall (for sake of speed) will be paid back by Mexico later.’”

Breitbart added on January 6:

“‘When you understand that Mexico’s economy is dependent upon U.S. consumers, Donald Trump has all the cards he needs to play. On the trade negotiation side, I don’t think it’s that difficult for Donald Trump to convince Mexico that it’s in their best interest to reimburse us for building the wall,’ Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) explained to CNN… As the Associated Press observes, congressional Republicans believe no new legislation will be necessary to secure financing, because existing law [from previous US President George W. Bush]  ‘already authorizes fencing and other technology along the southern border.’”

Repealing Obamacare Without Replacing It Simultaneously?

Newsmax wrote on January 7:

“Republicans are increasingly jittery over rushing to demolish much of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law without having a GOP alternative that’s ready to go.

“While nothing about revamping the nation’s $3 trillion-a-year health care system will be easy, Republican leaders want congressional committees to have legislation dismantling much of Obama’s overhaul ready by late January. They’re hoping Congress can quickly send a measure to incoming President Donald Trump phasing out the law, perhaps a couple of months later.

“Crafting a GOP replacement is likely to take longer, thanks to Republican divisions and solid Democratic opposition. With 20 million Americans now covered under Obama’s law, one political nightmare for Republicans would be repealing the statute and then proving unable to pass a new version.

“Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., told reporters Friday that Republicans might find themselves in a ‘box canyon’ if they erase the healthcare law without a substitute in hand. One part of Obama’s law Republicans are eager to repeal is its tax increases on higher-earning people and segments of the health care industry that help finance expanded coverage. Corker said that if those taxes are voided but Republicans temporarily continue subsidies to help people buy coverage, ‘that means Republicans would have to vote for a tax increase’ to pay for them — usually a non-starter for the GOP…

“While Republicans will likely just need a simple Senate majority to approve their repeal bill, for procedural reasons later replacement legislation will probably need 60 votes in a chamber the GOP controls by just 52-48. That means a need for at least eight Democratic votes, though there will be pressure on 10 Democrats facing re-election next year from states Trump won in November… After repeatedly trying to repeal Obama’s law since its 2010 enactment, Republicans are under tremendous pressure from their voters to annul it swiftly.

“But GOP leaders have talked about their repeal not taking effect for perhaps two or three years. They’re discussing providing some type of revenue during that period to maintain coverage for people and perhaps for insurers so they won’t immediately abandon markets…”

Repeal and Replace Obamacare at the Same Time

Reuters wrote on January 10:

“U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday pressured fellow Republicans working to repeal Obamacare in Congress to pass a replacement for the healthcare law at the same time or soon after they vote to dismantle it… With Trump set to succeed Obama on Jan. 20, Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, face a dilemma. They have a chance to make good on their promise to gut the law, but forging an agreement on a replacement plan has eluded them.

“If Congress does not put in place a substitute, millions of Americans with the insurance may be at risk of losing coverage… House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said on Tuesday that some elements of an insurance substitute likely would be ready when lawmakers vote to repeal Obamacare, but others would take longer. Some Republicans have said it could take up to two years to craft a replacement. Trump said a delay of that length was unacceptable…”

Russia Responsible for Hacking… While Mr. Trump Blames Democrats for Gross Negligence

Newsmax reported on January 6:

“President-elect Donald Trump slammed the Democratic National Committee late Friday for its ‘gross negligence’ that allowed Russia to hack into its systems during the presidential campaign. Trump ripped the Democrats on Twitter: ‘Gross negligence by the Democratic National Committee allowed hacking to take place. The Republican National Committee had strong defense!’

“The post came after Trump earlier Friday was briefed by U.S. intelligence officials on a report blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin for directing the hacking of the DNC and other party operatives to try to sway the election to the Republican candidate…

“The findings concluded that Putin and the Russian government ‘aspired to help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary [Hillary] Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him… All three agencies agree with this judgment,’ the document said. ‘CIA and FBI have a high confidence in this judgment; NSA has moderate confidence.’

“Trump had publicly questioned the veracity of the intelligence community’s conclusions on Moscow — even characterized them as a ‘political witch hunt’ seeking to undermine his administration.”

The Huffington Post added on January 6:

“On Friday, Trump listed Russia as one of several entities that could have been behind the theft and release of thousands of DNC emails… ‘While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations including the Democrat [sic] National Committee, there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election including the fact that there was no tampering whatsoever with voting machines,’ Trump said.”

The Guardian wrote on January 7:

“On Saturday, true to unrepentant form, Trump used Twitter to issue [his] comment. ‘Intelligence stated very strongly there was absolutely no evidence that hacking affected the election results,’ he wrote. ‘Voting machines not touched! Only reason the hacking of the poorly defended DNC is discussed is that the loss by the Dems was so big that they are totally embarrassed!’…

“Trump has also consistently spoken favourably of Putin and urged a closer relationship with Russia. On Saturday, he added: ‘Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only ‘stupid’ people, or fools, would think that it is bad! We have enough problems around the world without yet another one. When I am president, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD!’”

Discriminating and Compromising Information about Donald Trump?

CNN reported on January 10:

“Classified documents presented last week to President Obama and President-elect Trump included allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr. Trump, multiple US officials with direct knowledge of the briefings tell CNN.

“The allegations were presented in a two-page synopsis that was appended to a report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. The allegations came, in part, from memos compiled by a former British intelligence operative, whose past work US intelligence officials consider credible. The FBI is investigating the credibility and accuracy of these allegations, which are based primarily on information from Russian sources, but has not confirmed many essential details in the memos about Mr. Trump…

“One reason the nation’s intelligence chiefs took the extraordinary step of including the synopsis in the briefing documents was to make the President-elect aware that such allegations involving him are circulating among intelligence agencies, senior members of Congress and other government officials in Washington, multiple sources tell CNN.”

Even though CNN admitted that the allegations were not “confirmed,” CNN engaged in shameful conduct of reporting about them, opening the door for a left-liberal news agency to even publish these most outrageous allegations (many of them were subsequently disproven), while other liberal media, including the New York Times, refused to do so. Mr. Trump’s outrage about such irresponsible conduct by CNN and those of the intelligence agencies who leaked this “write-up” appears justified. Note next article.

Trump and Russia React

Deutsche Welle and Newsmax wrote on January 11:

“Trump took to his favorite medium, Twitter, to fire off an angry response about the allegations… ‘Russia just said the unverified report paid for by political opponents is “A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FABRICATION, UTTER NONSENSE.” Very unfair!’ ‘Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA – NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING.’

“‘I win an election easily, a great “movement” is verified, and crooked opponents try to belittle our victory with FAKE NEWS. A sorry state!’ ‘Intelligence agencies should never have allowed this fake news to “leak” into the public. One last shot at me. Are we living in Nazi Germany?’

“Responding to the rumors on Wednesday, the Kremlin also described the reports as a ‘complete fabrication’ and denied having compromising material on either Trump or his ex-rival Hillary Clinton. ‘This is an obvious attempt to harm our bilateral relations,’ spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, concurring with Trump’s comment of a ‘witch hunt.’”

The Telegraph added on January 11:

“[Donald Trump] said [during a press conference] the publishing of the report had been done by ‘sick people’ and suggested intelligence agencies had leaked it. ‘I think it was disgraceful, disgraceful that the intelligence agencies allowed any information that turned out to be so false and fake out there,’ he said.”

He also reiterated during the conference that the conduct of these intelligence agencies, leaking the “report,” mirrors something that Nazi Germany would have done and did.

Britain in the Crossfire

The Telegraph wrote on January 12:

“Britain has been dragged into the frantic row over the ‘dirty dossier’ on Donald Trump after it was claimed that the Government gave the FBI permission to speak to the former MI6 officer who compiled it. Sources in the US have told The Telegraph that Christopher Steele, a former spy, spoke to officials in London before he handed the document to the FBI and met one of its agents.

“The document… was leaked earlier this week, and Britain now finds itself caught in the crossfire of accusations between Russia and the US.

“On Thursday Russia publicly accused MI6 of ‘briefing both ways’ against Russia and Mr Trump and suggested Mr Steele was still working for the Secret Intelligence Service.

“Mr Trump has angrily rejected the information in the dossier as ‘fake’ and the involvement of a former MI6 officer is unlikely to help Britain’s intelligence-sharing relationship with the US when he becomes president later this month.

“Mr Steele, who friends say fears for his safety, has gone into hiding while the veracity of the claims made in his dossier, and his own reputation, continue to be fiercely debated… Mr Steele was hired to find information on Mr Trump by a Washington-based consultancy that was being paid by Republican opponents of the president-elect – the BBC claimed they were acting on behalf of fellow nominee Jeb Bush – and, later, by Democrats…

“The Daily Telegraph was told during a meeting with a highly-placed source in Washington DC last October that the FBI had contacted Mr Steele asking if they could discuss his findings with him. The source said that Mr Steele spoke to officials in London to ask for permission to speak to the FBI, which was duly granted, and that Downing Street was informed…”

Rex Tillerson’s Confirmation Hearing for US Secretary of State Position

Deutsche Welle reported on January 11:

“Rex Tillerson, who’s slated to be the next US Secretary of State, told his confirmation hearing that Washington needs to redefine its relationship with Moscow. The former-Exxon Mobil boss was given a nine-hour grilling. Tillerson said on Wednesday that Russia was one of several ‘adversaries’ posing ‘considerable threats’ to the world. But he refused to label Russian Preisdent Vladimir Putin a war criminal for [the] country’s role in the Syrian conflict.

“The former oil executive said that Russia’s ‘recent activities have disregarded American interests,’ in reference to the country’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its military intervention in Syria a little over a year ago…

“Tillerson did make a clear break from Trump in his thoughts on Ukraine. ‘Russia, today, poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests,’ he said, criticizing US President Barack Obama’s ‘very weak response’ to Crimea…

“In comments likely to threaten US-China relations, he said Beijing should be denied access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea…”

Newsmax added on January 11:

“Rubio extensively grilled Tillerson during the hearing, attacking the retired Exxon Mobil CEO for refusing to call Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal for his army’s role in the Syrian civil war and arguing over new bipartisan legislation calling for mandatory sanctions against Moscow for its meddling in the U.S. election and other aggressive behavior worldwide… Rubio, who was re-elected to a second term in November,  is one of 11 Republicans on the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee. With 10 Democrats on the committee, Rubio would almost certainly be the swing vote if he votes against Tillerson. That would kill the nomination and prevent it from going to the full Senate for a vote…”

“Mad Dog” James Mattis’ Confirmation Hearing for Defense Secretary Position

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 13:

“Retired General James Mattis’ confirmation hearing was far from contentious on Thursday, receiving praise from Democrats and Republicans alike. Mattis appears ready to be confirmed to become US President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary…

“During confirmation hearings, Mattis disagreed with Trump’s policies on Russia. While Trump wishes for stronger ties with Russia, Mattis warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ‘trying to break the North Atlantic alliance,’ going so far as to say Russia ‘poses a danger to US and European interests’…”

The Times of Israel added on January 12:

“President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Pentagon said Thursday that the United States should continue treating Tel Aviv as Israel’s capital, breaking with Republican members of Congress and intimations the incoming president could fulfill his campaign pledge to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

“Asked during his confirmation hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee if he supported the embassy’s relocation, retired Marine Corps general James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis said, ‘Right now I stick with the current US policy.’

“Facing an hours-long session of questions from senators, he emphasized that ‘The capital of Israel that I go to, sir, is Tel Aviv, sir, because that’s where all their government people are.’ He also noted, however, the determination was not part of his remit as defense secretary nominee. ‘I would defer to the nominee of Secretary of State on that, sir,’ he said.”

US House of Representatives Condemns Anti-Israel UN Resolution and Obama Administration

JTA wrote on January 5:

‘The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly agreed to condemn a U.N. Security Council anti-settlements resolution and the Obama administration for allowing it through. The resolution, which passed Thursday evening  by a vote of 342-80, said the Security Council vote last month ‘undermined the long-standing position of the United States to oppose and veto United Nations Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues.’

“The U.S. abstained, refraining from exercising its veto and allowing the Security Council resolution to pass 14-0. U.S. officials said then that they could not endorse the resolution because of the inherent anti-Israel bias of the United Nations, but did not want to veto it because they agreed with its premise that Israeli settlement construction was illegal and an obstruction to advancing peace…

“109 Democrats backed the resolution and 76 opposed it. Just four Republicans opposed the resolution…”

Move of US Embassy to Jerusalem Would Be “Catastrophic”

JTA wrote on January 6:

“Jordan’s government spokesman warned of ‘catastrophic’ repercussions if President-elect Donald Trump moves the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem as he indicated he would. Such a move could affect relations between the United States and regional allies, including Jordan… An embassy move would be a ‘red line’ for Jordan, would ‘inflame the Islamic and Arab streets’ and serve as a ‘gift to extremists,’ [the spokesman] said, adding that Jordan would use all possible political and diplomatic means in a bid to prevent such a decision.

“Jordan, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, is the custodian of Islam’s third holiest shrine, the Al-Aqsa mosque, in eastern Jerusalem. Israel captured eastern Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967 and annexed it to its capital. The Palestinians want to establish the capital of a future state in Jerusalem…

“Last month, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway was quoted as saying that moving the embassy to Jerusalem is a ‘very big priority’ for the president-elect. Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador in Israel, David Friedman, has said he looks forward to working from Jerusalem.”

Newsmax reported on January 10:

“President-elect Donald Trump’s team is moving ahead with plans to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel out of Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, although diplomats and officials are ramping up warnings against the move. CNN reports that speculation in Israel is that the U.S. will announce the move on May 24, a national holiday in that country. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama renewed a waiver that blocks the move for six months…

“Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas wrote to Trump saying that he opposed the move, and has also written letters to the leaders of Russia, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Arab League… Secretary of State John Kerry also opposed the move, saying, ‘You’d have an explosion — an absolute explosion in the region, not just in the West Bank and perhaps even in Israel itself, but throughout the region.’”

Why the Hatred of Israel?

The Washington Times wrote on January 4:

“Secretary of State John Kerry, echoing other policymakers in the Obama administration, blasted Israel last week in a 70-minute rant about its supposedly self-destructive policies. Why does the world — including now the United States — single out liberal and lawful Israel but refrain from chastising truly illiberal countries?

“Mr. Kerry has never sermonized for so long about his plan to solve the Syrian crisis that has led to some 500,000 deaths or the vast migrant crisis that has nearly wrecked the European Union. No one in this administration has shown as much anger about the many thousands who have been killed and jailed in the Castro brothers’ Cuba, much less about the current Stone Age conditions in Venezuela or the nightmarish government of President Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, an ally nation.

“President Obama did not champion the cause of the oppressed during the Green Revolution of 2009 in Iran. Did Mr. Kerry and Mr. Obama become so outraged after Russia occupied South Ossetia, Crimea and eastern Ukraine? Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power was never so impassioned over the borders of Chinese-occupied Tibet, or over Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus.

“In terms of harkening back to the Palestinian ‘refugee’ crisis that started in the late 1940s, no one talks today in similar fashion about the Jews who survived the Holocaust and walked home, only to find that their houses in Eastern Europe were gone or occupied by others. Much less do we recall the 11 million German civilians who were ethnically cleansed from Eastern Europe in 1945 by the Soviets and their imposed Communist governments…

“When Mr. Obama entered office, among his first acts were to give an interview with the Saudi-owned news outlet Al Arabiya championing his outreach to the mostly non-democratic Islamic world and to blast democratic Israel on ‘settlements.’ Partly, the reason for such inordinate criticism of Israel is sheer cowardice… Partly, the cause of global hostility toward Israel is jealousy… the astounding success of Israel bothers so many failed states that the entire world takes notice. But partly, the source of anti-Israelism is ancient anti-Semitism… The world’s problem is that Israelis are Jews…”

Another reason—actually, the REAL reason—is that such end-time hatred towards Israel was prophesied in the Bible.

American Tanks Back in Germany

The Local wrote on January 6:

“Three years ago the US withdrew their last tank from European soil… The arrival of three US military cargo ships at the north German port signals a step up in a military stand-off between NATO and Russia, after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. On Wednesday the cargo ship Resolve docked at Bremerhaven. By Saturday, Freedom and Endurance will have followed in its wake. After unloading, the tanks will make their way towards Poland, mainly by train, before being deployed across eastern and central Europe in military training exercises…

“A Bundeswehr (German army) spokesperson told the Märkische Oderzeitung that trains with a total length of 14 kilometres will be needed to transport all the tanks… most of the tanks will be transported by train. But military convoys will pass through Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg…”

Germany and France Must Lead Europe

On January 5, Euronews published the following editorial by Joschka Fischer, German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998 to 2005:

“After the shock of the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum and Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States in 2016, this will be a decisive year for Europe… Trump’s inauguration on January 20 may someday be remembered as a watershed moment for Europe. Judging by Trump’s past statements about Europe and its relationship with the US, the EU should be preparing for some profound shocks. The incoming US president, an exponent of the new nationalism, does not believe in European integration.

“Here he has an ally in Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long tried to destabilize the EU by supporting nationalist forces and movements in its member states. If the Trump administration supports or turns a blind eye to those efforts, the EU… will have to brace itself for challenging times indeed.

“The consequences for the EU will be even more serious if, in addition to setting the US relationship with Russia on a new foundation, Trump continues to call into question America’s security guarantee for Europe… Europeans would suddenly find themselves standing alone against a Russia that has increasingly employed military means to challenge borders, such as in Ukraine, and to reassert its influence – or even hegemony – over Eastern Europe.

“… it will fall to its two largest and economically strongest countries, France and Germany, to bolster Europe’s defense. Other countries such as Italy… will also have a role to play, but France and Germany are indispensable.

“… Europeans cannot harbor any illusions about Russia’s intent. The Kremlin … will always prioritize military strength and geopolitical power over cooperative security arrangements.

“Russia does not view weakness or the lack of a threat from its neighbors as a basis for peace, but rather as an invitation to extend its own sphere of influence… If Europe wants a stable, enduring peace, it first must ensure that it is taken seriously, which is clearly not the case today. Europe can credibly strengthen its security only if France and Germany work together toward the same goal, which they will have an opportunity to do after their elections this year…

“The old EU developed into an economic power because it was protected beneath the US security umbrella. But without this guarantee, it can address its current geopolitical realities only by developing its own capacity to project political and military power. Six decades after the Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community, history and current developments are pushing France and Germany to shape Europe’s future once again.”

These are remarkable words… almost prophetic.

“Merkel: No ‘Eternal Guarantee’ for United States Cooperation with EU”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 12:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said it would be ‘naïve’ of the European Union to rely on US support. Instead she called for more solidarity within the EU in the wake of the Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s election.

“As concern grows in Europe about US President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to transatlantic cooperation, German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed for the European Union to ‘take more responsibility’ on the world stage during a speech on Thursday in Brussels.

“‘From the point of view of some of our traditional partners – and I am thinking here as well about the transatlantic relations – there is no eternal guarantee for a close cooperation with us Europeans,’ Merkel told an audience in Brussels after receiving honorary doctorate degrees from Belgium’s prestigious Leuven and Ghent universities.

“Although the chancellor did not mention Trump by name, she appeared to be referencing the incoming US leader’s remark that he would consider a country’s financial contributions to the NATO alliance before coming to their aid. ‘Europe is facing the biggest challenges for decades,’ Merkel said mentioning conflicts on its borders like that in Ukraine. She added that it would be ‘naive always to rely on others who would solve the problems in our neighborhood.’

“Merkel said that Great Britain’s shock vote to leave the EU increased the importance of solidarity within the rest of the bloc, which has been discussing measures to boost defense cooperation and other issues. ‘We should see this decision as an incentive to work together (for the goal), to hold Europe together now more than ever, to improve it further and to bring the citizens closer together again,’ she said.”

“The EU agreed to take first steps toward expanding security and defense cooperation at a summit in December.”

German Drug Companies Impacted by Mr. Trump’s Statements

The Local wrote on January 12:

“German pharmaceutical firms saw their stock prices drop on Thursday morning after US President-Elect Donald Trump used part of his chaotic press conference the day before to say that the US should negotiate better prices from drug companies.

“German pharmaceutical and biotech stocks were particularly impacted by Trump’s statements on Wednesday, and Germany’s DAX dropped by 0.59 percent within the first hour of trade on Thursday morning.

“Chemical giant Bayer had fallen by about 0.68 percent from the previous day as of 11am on Thursday, while Merck had dropped by about 1.96 percent…

“Medical supplies company Fresenius Medical Care had dropped by about 1 percent as of Thursday at 11am. The European pharmaceutical sector was the weakest on the Stoxx 600 with a drop of 2 percent…

“Trump said at his press conference in New York that he would make the pharmaceutical industry bid for government contracts… US law currently does not allow federal insurance programme Medicare to negotiate drug prices, essentially allowing the pharmaceutical industry to set their own drug prices. ‘They’re getting away with murder,’ Trump said about the industry. ‘Pharma has a lot of lobbyists and a lot of power and there is very little bidding.’

“It wasn’t just German pharmaceutical companies that felt the immediate effects of Trump’s pledge… the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Index both had their biggest single-day drops in three months, falling 3 and 1.7 percent respectively.

“The trend was also replicated on stock markets across Europe on Thursday morning, with pharma firms also underperforming in Denmark, Spain, France, Switzerland and Italy.”

Prince Charles—Britain’s Next Controversial Monarch and Uncomfortable “Defender of the Faith”

International Business Times wrote on January 5:

“The succession of the throne in Britain may be meticulously planned, but when Queen Elizabeth II does eventually pass on the crown to Prince Charles, it will be a process that is far from devoid of complications. The prince, who has been first in line to the throne for longer than any person in British history, will not only be the head of the United Kingdom, and likely the Commonwealth, but also of the Church of England. It is that title that is sure to bring up much painful and controversial history for the 68-year-old…

“While there has been speculation that Charles could abdicate and immediately pass on the responsibility to his eldest child, Prince William, that is considered highly unlikely… Still, his ascension to the throne is sure to bring up some ghosts he would rather leave in the closet. As king, Charles would be ‘Defender of the Faith,’ according to parliament decree. And in some ways, he could be seen as the perfect person to fill such a role given the history he shares with the Church of England.

“It was, after all, King Henry VIII’s failure to be granted an annulment of his marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, by the Pope in the 1530s that led to the Church of England becoming the established church in England and splitting with the Roman Catholic Church. Charles, too, has gone through a divorce, having split from the much-loved Princess Diana 20 years ago. Despite its history, the Church of England does not encourage divorce and teaches that marriage is for life.

“But Charles’ complications extend far beyond simple divorce. He has also not only gone on to marry, but to marry a divorcee. While remarrying, as Henry VIII did, is permissible in the church if the couple’s former spouses are deceased, it is far less clear when a former spouse is still living. That was the case with Camilla Parker Bowles, who divorced from her first husband in 1995. It was a situation that forced King Edward VIII to abdicate, the only British sovereign to do so voluntarily, less than a year into his reign in 1936 so that he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

“Fortunately for Charles, the Church of England altered its stance in 2002, decreeing that in ‘certain circumstances’ a divorced person may marry again during the lifetime of a former spouse. Still, when Prince Charles came to marry Camilla in 2005, he did so in a civil ceremony rather than a church. That’s because not only was he marrying a divorcee, but he was marrying a divorcee with whom he had committed adultery. In a 1994 interview, Charles admitted to infidelity during his marriage with Diana…

“A year later, Diana gave her own hugely publicized interview in which, when asked if Camilla was a factor in the breakdown of the marriage she said ‘there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.’ The public agreed. Even 10 years after the interview, shortly before Charles and Camilla were due to wed, one poll indicated that 65 percent of Britons blamed Camilla for the break-up of Charles and Diana’s marriage.

“… it was stated before the ceremony that Camilla would not take the title of queen when Charles took the throne. Yet, while many now support him becoming king, for some, he will be an uncomfortable ‘Defender of the Faith.’”

Great Britain would be much better off with Prince William as the next monarch. Prince Charles would indeed be a controversial figure, but on the other hand, he would reflect and mirror quite accurately the immoral and ungodly conditions in Great Britain.

The Fear of World War III and Terrorist Attacks

The Independent wrote on January 7:

“With superpowers backing different sides in the bloody conflict in Syria, Isis continuing to fight in the Middle East, a spate of terrorist attacks across the globe and Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump both talking a tough game, the YouGov survey of 9,000 people across nine countries found popular opinion thinks world peace has rarely been further away.

“People in the US were most likely to predict a world war, while French, German and British people were also pessimistic. Some 64 per cent of Americans think the world is close to a major war, compared to just 15 who think world peace is likely. Britons are only slightly more hopeful: 19 per cent believe peace is possible but 61 per cent say war is a distinct possibility.

“The same survey revealed people in Europe and America tended to see Russia as a major military threat, with British people the most fearful of Moscow… Some 71 per cent of Britons feel threatened by Russia…

“In every nation except Finland, those surveyed thought a terrorist attack in their country was more likely than unlikely in the next year. French people were most concerned about terrorism, with 81 per cent believing an attack would happen compared to just 11 per cent predicting there would be none. An attack was also predicted by a large majority of people in Britain, Germany and the US.”

The Danger of Nuclear Missiles

The Independent wrote on January 6:

“A group of arms control experts has urged President Barack Obama to take America’s nuclear weapons off a state of high alert before Donald Trump takes office to stop him ‘impulsively blowing up the planet.’… It said the ever-present risk of a nuclear exchange being triggered erroneously, combined with Mr Trump’s incendiary comments and temperament, could risk the ‘worst disaster imaginable’. The demand has received the support of politicians, retired military officers and government officials…

“The President-elect has startled policy observers by his calls to expand America’s nuclear arsenal, to encourage countries such as South Korea to develop its own weapons and even his apparent willingness to engage in an arms race…

“The group, which is made up of scientists and policy experts, has for many years urged Mr Obama to take US weapons off high alert. They argue having almost 1,000 land-based missiles ready to launch in minutes is a dangerous holdover from the Cold War…

“Indeed, keeping them in such a state increases the danger of a missile being launched by mistake. There have been numerous reported incidents over the past 30 years of the US believing it was under attack from the Russians, only to discover – with just minutes before a potential counter-strike – the ‘Russian launch’ was in truth a computer glitch or else a Scandinavian weather satellite… ‘President Trump will be able to launch, within minutes, one or one thousand nuclear warheads without any vote, any check, or even any serious deliberation. Just one missile could kill millions. Once launched, the missiles could not be recalled.’’

Dangerous European Decision Against Religious “Freedom”

The Daily Mail wrote on January:

“Muslim students will now have to take part in mixed-gender swimming lessons, even after the European Court of Human Rights said that religious freedoms were being interfered with. Switzerland won a case at the ECHR on Tuesday after a ruling said that authorities were justified in saying that mixed-gender swimming lessons were part of a ‘full school curriculum’ and the children’s ‘successful integration’ into society.

“While the ECHR did say that religious freedoms were being interfered with in the lessons, judges said unanimously that the interference did not amount to a violation… The law involved with the right for freedom of religion… was made ‘to protect foreign pupils from any form of social exclusion,’ the ECHR said in a statement.

“The court said that schools are important for social integration… Exemptions, the ECHR said, are ‘justified only in very exceptional circumstances’.  ‘Accordingly, the children’s interest in a full education, thus facilitating their successful social integration according to local customs and mores, prevailed over the parents’ wish to have their children exempted from mixed swimming lessons,’ the court said.

“In 2010, the parents had to pay a fine of almost €1,300 (£1,100) ‘for acting in breach of their parental duty’… In 2012, Switzerland’s highest court in Lausanne ruled that the obligation to attend mixed-gender swimming lessons was not a violation on religious freedom.”

This decision sets an extremely dangerous precedence. It is clearly driven by political “correctness” and contains objectionable language to justify the desired results. When Muslims can be told today to violate their religious convictions, then tomorrow true Christians might be told the same thing, compelling their children to participate in abominable sex education classes or pagan religious activities at the times of Christmas and Easter. It is already very difficult to obtain an excuse from school attendance for the children of true Christians during the biblically-commanded annual Holy Days.

Mammograms Leading to Over-Diagnosis and Overtreatment for “Breast Cancer”

Thomson/Reuters reported on January 10:

“Widespread breast cancer screening may catch more small, slow-growing tumors that are unlikely to be fata…, a Danish study suggests… The current study offers fresh evidence linking routine screening to over-diagnosis of non-aggressive tumors… ‘Overdiagnosis means that healthy women get unnecessary breast cancer diagnoses,’ said lead study author Dr. Karsten Juhl Jorgensen, of the Nordic Cochrane Center and Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. ‘A breast cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event for the woman and her family, with substantial implications for their quality of life,’ Jorgensen added by email. ‘It also leads to overtreatment with surgery, radiotherapy and sometimes chemotherapy – we know these treatments have serious, sometimes lethal, consequences.’

“… researchers examined data on more than 1.4 million Danish women aged 35 to 84 from 1980 to 2010… [The results raise] doubts about whether mammography reduces breast cancer deaths, the researchers conclude. In addition, researchers estimate that as many as one in three breast tumors diagnosed in women who got mammograms would never have caused a noticeable health problem or led to death – and are therefore examples of overdiagnosis… the study adds compelling evidence that routine mammograms carry a risk of overdiagnosis…

“Beyond screening, there are other preventive measures women shouldn’t overlook like eating well, getting plenty of exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight… So for now, that means accepting that overdiagnosis and screening go hand in hand, along with the potential for some women to get unnecessary treatment.”

We are not taking any position for or against cancer screening, but we are cautioning against blindly accepting and undergoing unnecessary and potentially very dangerous overtreatment.

In the first installment of this series, we discussed the fact that according to the Bible, not every Church organization, claiming to be “Christian,” is indeed accepted by God. In addition, not all of those Christian groups which might even be part of the spiritual Body of Christ may manifest the spiritual requirements which are necessary to receive God’s approval, blessing and support. The Bible shows us that a falling away from the Truth is still going to occur prior to Christ’s return, and we are all warned not to become involved with wrong teachings and practices which will contribute to and facilitate the departure from the Truth and the true faith which has been once for all entrusted and delivered to the saints (Jude 3). The Church of God must remain to be the foundation and pillar of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15), and it has the responsibility to retain and preserve the Truth, in spite of tempting obstacles and the enticing spirit of compromise.

We have set forth our foundational teachings and practices in our Statement of Beliefs. Under “The Holy Bible,” we say that “Our doctrines and practices are based upon a literal understanding of the teachings revealed in the entire Bible. We believe that the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments are God’s revelation of His Will to man, inspired in thought and word, and infallible in the original writings; that said Scriptures are the supreme and final authority in faith and life, the source of Truth and the foundation of all knowledge.”

This means that we will not deviate from the Truth, as we have been given to understand it, and this has many practical consequences for our daily lives. In addition, we believe that the Church of God has existed throughout the ages since the founding of the New Testament Church in 31 A.D., and Christ said that the “gates of hell” would never prevail against God’s Church (Matthew 16:18; Authorized Version); in other words, the Church of God would never “die” and cease to exist. Therefore, it must exist today, in these end times, just prior to Christ’s return. We realize that the Book of Revelation describes the history of God’s Church, by referring to seven distinct Church eras, beginning with the time of the early apostles and ending with the time of Christ’s return. During these eras, the Church would sometimes lose some aspects of the Truth, which would then be restored in the next era, only to be lost again to an extent, and to be restored again. However, as long as a particular era existed, some fundamental teachings would always be retained by the Church in that era, such as the observance of the weekly Sabbath. But when an era ended, then even the Sabbath command might have fallen into oblivion.

We believe that when the Philadelphia era was reached, much of the Truth was restored which had been lost by the end of the prior Sardis era. This included, for example, the observance of God’s annual Holy Days which had been forgotten. We believe that that restoration in the Philadelphia era occurred under the human leadership of the late Herbert W. Armstrong, in the then-called Worldwide Church of God. Subsequently, after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong, the Worldwide Church of God entered the Laodicea era, but it did not remain to be a part of God’s Church in that era. Rather, it began to dismantle virtually all aspects of the Truth, including the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, and it ceased to be part of the spiritual Body of Jesus Christ. We see ourselves as part of the continuation of the Philadelphia era, and in our Statement of Beliefs, under “Doctrinal Foundation,” we state the following:

“The major doctrines of the Church are those, which were taught by Herbert W. Armstrong, derived from the Biblical teachings as followed by God’s faithful servants, and originally established by Jesus Christ through the founding of His Church in the time of His chosen early apostles. Since we are to increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, we are committed to review and alter any of our teachings, if and when proven to be wrong by the Bible.”

We understand that we must grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). This means that the Church of God, being faithful to God’s Truth, will grow in deeper understanding, and if it is realized that biblical clarifications and amendments to our understanding must be made, we will do so. In this, we follow the example of Mr. Armstrong who made changes in Church teaching when he realized that those changes were compelled by God’s Word, the Bible. But we also realize that these changes must always be based on the foundation of the Truth which has already been laid by Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20). This means, we will not throw away everything which we had once understood, and start “from scratch,” but we will abide by prior teachings, unless they are clearly seen to be in need of modification, based on Scripture; and this approach includes “gray” areas, fully believing that God gave His authority to His Church to bind and loose; that is, to make binding decisions for the purpose of perhaps clarifying something which might have been “ambiguous” or “unclear” to some (Matthew 16:19; 18:18).

At the same time, we strongly reject the false concept that nothing can be changed after Mr. Armstrong’s death in 1986. This wrong idea places trust and confidence in a man, rather than in God.

The Church of God is organized hierarchically. In our Statement of Beliefs, we say the following under “Church Government“:

“We believe that the proper form of government within the Church is ‘hierarchical,’ as explained in many Scriptures in the Bible, such as 1 Corinthians 12:12-30; Ephesians 2:19-21 and Ephesians 4:11-16. God the Father is above all, and Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, is under the Father. Christ appoints those under Him who are to serve, lead and guide the Church on a human level.”

Let us give you some examples of the way in which God’s government functions:

We understood very clearly that it is wrong and a SIN to smoke; to take illegal mind-altering drugs; to get involved in political affairs in an attempt to try to make this world a better place; to serve and judge on a jury; to vote in governmental elections; or to join the military. Even though some argue that none of these actions are expressly designated as “sinful” in Scripture and must therefore be permitted, the spirit of the law clearly condemns all of them. Further, the Church of God in the Philadelphia era made the biblical decision that these actions are sinful, and since one cannot remotely argue that the Bible endorses and promotes such conduct and makes it mandatory for Christians, we abide by our understanding that Christians must refrain from those actions.

Further examples are the celebration of Christmas and Easter. You will not find an express proclamation to the effect that “it is sin” to celebrate Christmas, or that “it is sin” to celebrate Easter, as neither Christmas nor Easter are mentioned, by name, in Scripture. At the same time, it is abundantly compelling from the spirit of the law that these pagan festivals are not to be kept by true Christians, even though orthodox Christianity does so by placing a “Christian” mantle on them. In addition, as the Church of God in the Philadelphia era made the doctrinal decision, which was clearly based on the teaching of the Bible, that it IS sin to celebrate Christmas and Easter, we naturally abide by this decision.

Other examples include our acceptance of the Hebrew calendar and when, exactly, to observe Passover and Pentecost. Some believe that we must design our own calendar to determine as to when to celebrate God’s annual Holy Days, and utmost confusion has been the result. We abide by the established understanding in the Philadelphia era under Herbert W. Armstrong that we will accept the current Hebrew calendar as binding authority, including any postponements within the calendar, but we also abide by the understanding that we must observe the Holy Days according to the Bible, and not according to modern Judaism. This means that we recognize that the Jews keep Passover one day too late, and that they sometimes count or determine wrongly when to keep the Day of Pentecost.

When a decision might have to be made regarding possible modifications to our teachings, this will not be done hastily, but only after prayer to God for wisdom and for a clearer understanding of the Bible. We realize that it is Jesus Christ—not any man—who leads the Church of God (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18), and if we want to be true and faithful Christians, we must follow Him, wherever and however He leads us. We believe that Christ inspires and leads us when it is revealed to us that we must alter a particular aspect of our teachings, and we conduct regular meetings within the ministry to evaluate those matters. We are not a democracy where un-ordained members and attendees rule and decide what the teachings of the Church should be; nor do we operate as a presbytery with all ministers having one “vote” to determine and decide by majority opinion in a given matter.

We do believe in and teach the existence of God-given ranks within the ministry (Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:28) and ultimately, the highest-ranking minister will have to make a final decision, but he must not do so with a self-willed stubborn attitude, without first obtaining counsel from especially the high-ranking ministers and carefully evaluating the entire matter. Hearty counsel is always appreciated and welcome; and a true minister of God will be very careful not to engage in useless speculations. At the same time, he will not refrain from announcing necessary biblical and godly decisions because of fear as to how others might respond. It has been our experience that after honest prayerful discussion and humble submission to the lead of God’s Holy Spirit, God’s minsters have been in agreement with whatever doctrinal decision had to be made, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the highest-ranking minister to make and pronounce such a decision, as he will have to give account to God for it.

We realize that the Church of God is a “Spiritual Organism,” as we say in our Statement of Beliefs, continuing:

“We believe that it is not a building that constitutes ‘the Church,’ but that the Church is a spiritual organism; that Christ is the Head of the Church; and that the Church is composed of members who have living within them the Holy Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 12:12-13,17). We believe that Church members must be called by God (John 6:44) and when they have truly repented and believed, they are baptized by immersion and, after the laying on of hands by one of God’s true ministers, receive the Holy Spirit (John 6:44; Acts 2:38,47).”

We realize that this does not mean that the Church of God is not organized physically. The opposite is true, but the Church of God will always be a “little flock” (Luke 12:32). The Church of God is not a physical building, but Church congregations meet in buildings to conduct Church services (Hebrews 10:24-25). The Bible does not endorse independent “individual Christianity” apart from God’s Church. Without God’s true ministers, nobody could even become a Christian, as it is the duty and responsibility of God’s true ministers to teach the Truth (Romans 10:14-17) and to baptize a repentant person, with the laying on of their hands (Hebrews 6:2)… and only then can a person rely on God’s promise to receive His Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-18; Acts 19:5-6). But without God’s Holy Spirit living within us, we are not even true Christians (Romans 8:9).

It is therefore important that we recognize where God’s true Church exists today, and we are not just talking about a spiritual organism.

One of the identifying signs of God’s true Church is its correct name. Many church groups have adopted names which are not biblical, and they are therefore disqualified from claiming that they belong to the Body of Christ… without even realizing this fact. Christ Himself made clear what the true name of the Church of God would entail and include.

He said in John 17:11,12: “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name…” Revelation 14:1 describes the future of true Christians, saying that the “Father’s name” will be “written on their foreheads,” and Revelation 22:1-4 confirms that at the time of the New Jerusalem’s descent from heaven, “God’s name shall be on the foreheads” of Christians having been made immortal. Revelation 3:12 says that Christ will write on true Christians “the name of My God.”

In addition, Christ said that He came “in My Father’s name” (John 5:43); and that He did the works “in My Father’s name” (John 10:25). Ephesians 3:14-15 tells us: “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”

To identify the true Church of God, we need to understand what the Father’s name is.

God is a Family, consisting, at this point, of the Father and the Son (the Holy Spirit is NOT a person, but the power and mind of God emanating from both the Father and the Son), as well as Spirit-begotten Christians who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit at the time of their baptism. We must realize that the Father is the HIGHEST Personage within the God Family; and we will see that HIS Name is “GOD.”

We read in 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one GOD and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Peter 1:3 tells us: “Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…”  In John 5:18 we read that the Jews wanted to kill Christ “because He… said that GOD was His Father, making himself equal with GOD.”

In John 20:17, Christ clearly identifies the name of the Father as God, saying, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My GOD and your GOD.” Paul elaborates on this, saying in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that “the head of every man is Christ… and the head of Christ is GOD.”

Even though the name of the Father is GOD, we are instructed by Christ to pray to God by addressing Him as “Our Father.” This shows our intimate relationship with Him.

Having identified the name of the Father as “God,” notice how the New Testament Church is described and named in the Bible—realizing that Christ would preserve the Church in the NAME of the Father:

Acts 20:28 says: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

1 Corinthians 1:2 speaks of “the church of God which is at Corinth.”

1 Corinthians 10:32 states: “Give no offense… to the church of God.”

1 Corinthians 11:22 warns not to “despise the church of God.”

1 Corinthians 15:9 states that Paul “persecuted the church of God.”

2 Corinthians 1:1 speaks again of the “church of God which is at Corinth.”

Paul repeats in Galatians 1:13 that prior to his conversion, he “persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.”

1 Timothy 3:5 explains who should be a minister to “take care of the church of God.”

1 Timothy 3:15 defines the “house of God” as “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

In addition, there are three Scriptural passages which speak of the “churches of God” in reference to all the local church congregations in a collective sense (1 Corinthians 11:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:14 and 2 Thessalonians 1:4). Sometimes, Paul would in that regard talk about “all the churches” (1 Corinthians 7:17); “every church” (1 Corinthians 4:17); and “all the churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

In identifying just one or a few local congregation(s), he would speak of “the church that is in their house” (1 Corinthians 16:19; compare Philemon 2); “the churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2); “the churches of Judea which were in Christ”  (Galatians 1:22); or of “the churches of Asia” (1 Corinthians 16:19); and he even refers one time to local congregations as “the churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16), since Christ is the Head of the Church. However, these are just general references or character descriptions and not designations of the Church’s name.

Based on all the Scriptural evidence, it is abundantly clear that the true Church will include in its name a reference to “God,” since Christ prayed that the Father would preserve His Church in His name, and the Father’s name is “God.” In one case, we read about the “Church of the living God,” and other references talk about the Church of God by adding a local designation (for example, “which is at Corinth”). Accordingly, our Church organizations are known by correct biblical names; i.e., “Church of the Eternal God” (in the USA); “Global Church of God” (in the UK); and “Church of God, a Christian Fellowship” (in Canada); and by corresponding expressions in other languages, such as, in German, “Kirche des Ewigen Gottes.”

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new Member Letter (January 2017) has been written by Eric Rank, and it is now posted and has been mailed to our subscribers. In this letter Mr. Rank addresses the calling God has given to us—pointing out that we each have an individual responsibility to remain zealous in the Work of God.

Our newest booklet, “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People,” has entered its final review process. We anticipate printing and distribution of this publication in the next few weeks.

“Why the Hatred for Israel and God’s Law?,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Included in this presentation is a special video clip presented by Michael Link highlighting our newest booklet, “God’s Law or God’s Grace?” Here is a summary of the StandingWatch program:

On January 4, 2017, The Washington Post wrote about reasons for the world’s hatred of the state of Israel and the Jews; and one of these reasons explains why especially “traditional” Christianity teaches that Christ came to do away with the Law of God and to replace it with “grace.” If YOU believe in this deceptive concept, it may lead to YOUR physical death in the near future, and ultimately, to your eternal death. Our free booklet, “God’s Law… or God’s Grace?” shows you the TRUTH from the BIBLE which you MUST know in order to survive the terrible times ahead of us.

“Warum die Kirche des Ewigen Gottes? (Teil 2),” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon. Title in English: “Why the Church of the Eternal God?” (Part 2)

“Are We Ready?,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Did you know that Christ will come back soon? Do you know what to do before Christ comes back? Do you believe that you are ready for the return of Christ? Listen to what Christ tells us.

“Not Because of Our Own Strength,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Many try desperately to solve their problems, based on their own strength. This will never work. It is God who must fight for us and strengthen us. But how does that happen, and what mistakes can we still make, even if we recognize our own weakness and our dependency from God?

The Church Conference for 2017 will be conducted in Escondido, California, with arrivals on March 23 and ending on March 28.

On January 7, 2017, Thilo Hanstein will present the sermonette, titled, “Are We Ready?”, and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Not Because of Our Own Strength.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

For those of us who have been around for a long time, we remember the talk in the late 60’s about God’s Church fleeing to a place of safety in 1972, then in about 1985; and more recently, 2017 was proposed as the year of Christ’s return, allegedly following an imagined “seven year contract” between the “beast” and other nations and 3 ½ years of Great Tribulation. None of that has been remotely accurate. Then there were other dates proposed, but in each case the score has been zero for accuracy. The reason is, no human being knows the date of Christ’s return, and it is rather foolish to draft up charts and speculations about the time, since in Christ’s own words, not even He knows the exact date, but only the Father knows, as He will decide as to when He will send Christ back to this earth.

Mark 13:32 quotes Christ as follows: “But of that day and that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

So if one wants to pursue futility and engage in a waste of time, then one can try to “figure it out.” But what is really important to God is to come out of the world, by God’s mercy, and if we endure to the end, we will be saved and enter God’s Kingdom. Matthew 10:22 tells us:  “And you will be hated of all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”

All of us are getting older, but we must push on and finish the job we have been given. The Church has not yet finished its commission to preach the gospel to the world as a witness, but the time will come when sufficient testimony will have been given to the last generation, and God promises He will take care of those who faithfully carry out the task at hand. We must not neglect our spiritual growth in the process, but coupled with our God-given responsibility to preach the gospel, we become, as it were, the “complete” man.

What lies ahead, prior to Christ’s return? Will we live in a better, peaceful world? Not according to the Word of God. Instead, we can expect more problems, more wars, terrorist attacks and a general deterioration of the moral fiber of America, Canada, the UK and all nations around the world.  Some of us may not be around in a few years from now and there will be new faces in the Church to pick up the challenges, but the work  must and will go on. Otherwise, Christ could not return, but He will, as He is the ultimate solution to all the problems in the world. He must return to save mankind from itself.

Matthew 24:22 gives us this frightening prophecy, and at the same time, this reassuring promise:  “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”

Will we face problems and challenges? The answer is yes, but when the going gets tough, the tough get going. That is not to say that we should get calloused about our job; rather, we have to do it zealously, knowing that it is for the ultimate good of mankind.

The category we want to be in when Christ does return is framed in Mathew 25:21:  “His lord said unto him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'”

We begin with the ongoing controversy regarding the UN resolution condemning Israel, with special focus on Germany’s hostile and the UK’s hypocritical position; report on a new controversial surveillance law in the UK; worldwide Internet shutdowns and hackings; Mr. Putin’s reaction to American sanctions; and Russia’s frightening unmanned killing machines (which could have great significance in the light of biblical prophecy; you might want to view in this context our new StandingWatch program, “2017—a Dangerous Year.”)

Focusing on Donald Trump, we report on an alleged (mysterious) meeting between his national security advisor and Austria’s far-right “Freedom” party; the claim that Mr. Trump was elected due to “divine providence”; the push to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem and to declare the city as the eternal capital of Israel; and the fear of rising civil disobedience under a Trump Presidency.

We speak on Mr. Obama’s attempt to cement his legacy which is in conflict to Mr. Trump’s positions; the battle for and against Obamacare; the controversy surrounding the claim of WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange that Russia was NOT the source for the release of Democratic documents; and a new (allegedly illegal) quarantine law in the USA.

We address Angela Merkel’s vision for 2017 and her diminishing popularity abroad and domestically; interesting comments by Archbishop of Vienna Schönborn (who has been “tipped” to be the next pope) on Donald Trump, Islamization and European Christianity; and the brutal and demonic terror attack by insane murderer(s) in Istanbul, Turkey.

In the remaining articles, we speak about German superstitions related to New Year’s Eve; a new unbiblical law in France prohibiting the spanking of children, including at home; witchcraft in Rwanda related to soccer games; and the cannibalism of the Neanderthals.

German Attack on Israel

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 30:

“German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a staunch proponent of the Iran nuclear deal, has slammed Israel in a series of tweets and statements since last Friday’s Security Council resolution condemning Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. In a statement issued to Germany’s largest circulation daily,  Bild, after the UN resolution, the Foreign Ministry claimed that ‘a democratic Israel is only achievable through a two-state-solution.’

“The statement prompted the editor-in-chief of Bild’s digital outlet, veteran journalist Julian Reichelt, to express astonishment at the harsh wording. In response to Reichelt’s criticism, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffan Seibert wrote on his Twitter feed: ‘Israel is a Jewish democratic state.’ Steinmeier, a Social Democratic politician who is jockeying to be the next president of Germany, later said on Twitter: ‘Israeli settlements in occupied territories jeopardize possibility of peace process.’

“The same English-language tweet was issued again. The flurry of messages attacking Israel appeared on the German- and English-language Twitter feeds of the Berlin-based Foreign Ministry. Steinmeier also endorsed US Secretary of State John Kerry’s Wednesday speech, writing that the ‘speech is a warning and a reminder that the 2 State Solution must not become an empty phrase.’…

“Prof. Gerald Steinberg, who teaches political studies at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday, ‘In many ways, the Obama-Kerry perception of the conflict has been shaped by European conventional wisdom. So it is not surprising to see European leaders embracing Kerry’s speech. In Germany, Foreign Minister Steinmeier has been particularly critical of Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu (taking Germany farther away from its post-Holocaust role).’

“Steinberg, who is president of the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, added, ‘Steinmeier, like powerful German NGOs such as Brot fur die Welt, [‘Bread for the World’] echoes the Palestinian victimization narrative. In addition, Steinmeier’s personal attacks on Netanyahu reflect German eagerness to do business with Iran, which was facilitated by Kerry.’

“Writing in the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel on Thursday, Volker Beck, a leading Green Party lawmaker and head of the German-Israel Parliament Group in the Bundestag, said, ‘No, settlement construction is not the most difficult problem on the way to a two-state solution. It is one of many.’ Beck voiced understanding for the outrage in Israel to the UN resolution. Beck termed the measure ‘counterproductive,’ adding that the decisive factor is the ‘security question,’ because after Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, the US- and EU-designated terrorist organization Hamas, which controls the Palestinian enclave, fired many missiles at Israel.”

The UK’s Hypocritical Position

The Guardian wrote on December 29:

“Theresa May distanced the UK from Washington over John Kerry’s condemnation of Israel…  Kerry, the outgoing secretary of state, delivered a robust speech this week, criticising Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as the ‘most right-wing coalition in Israeli history’, and warned that the rapid expansion of settlements in the occupied territories meant that ‘the status quo is leading toward one state and perpetual occupation’.

“The prime minister’s spokesman said May thought it was not appropriate to make such strongly worded attacks on the makeup of a government – or to focus solely on the issue of Israeli settlements… The UK backed the UN resolution passed last week condemning the continued expansion of settlements. But May’s spokesman said she was concerned about the language Kerry had used. ‘We continue to believe that the construction of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is illegal, which is why we supported UN security council resolution 2334 last week.'”

Theresa May’s position is more than strange and appears to be quite hypocritical, as the UK backed the resolution which did “focus solely on the issue of Israeli settlements.” 

George Orwell’s Big Brother Coming to Legal Reality in the UK

The Daily Mail wrote on December 30:

“Police are now officially able to hack into your phones and check your browsing history after the Snoopers’ Charter came into force yesterday. The law – officially called the Investigatory Powers Bill – forces electronic data to be stored by app companies for 12 months, which can be subsequently collected by law enforcement. While critics have cited it as an attack on privacy, the Government believes the charter is essential for combating terrorism and organised crime…

“Aside from the controversy surrounding its morality, the charter’s effectiveness has also been questioned, with Virtual Private Network software already being highlighted as a potential way for internet users of getting around it. Using a VPN means data will be scrambled and protected from the company that provides the connection.

“In China VPNs are routinely used by expats to avoid Beijing’s rigid control of the internet, which involves blocking news websites like the BBC [and] anything which might be remotely critical of the Chinese Communist Party…”

Internet Shutdowns and Hackings

Breitbart wrote on December 30:

“There have been more than 50 government shutdowns of the Internet in 2016, costing the respective countries hundreds of millions of dollars and choking citizen freedoms during crucial moments…

“Global Advocacy Manager Deji Olukotun of the Access Now digital rights organization believes that an even greater cost can be counted in human lives. Olukotun says that the shutdowns ‘go hand in hand with atrocities,’ citing the deaths of Ethiopian protesters ‘during the kind of blackout where it’s difficult to report on what’s happening.’ Other shutdowns include communication blackouts during the Ugandan elections, and governments that chose to go so far as shutting down all Internet access just to keep students from cheating on exams.

“… estimates suggest that India lost nearly a billion dollars due to its shutdowns, while Saudi Arabia managed nearly half a billion on its own. Morocco gave up $320 million. Even governments that didn’t wall off the entirety of the Internet still blocked access to social media in some cases, and their methods have steadily become more sophisticated. As time goes on, it grows more and more difficult for citizens to find any way around restrictions on digital information…”

The Associated Press reported on January 1:

“President-elect Donald Trump says that ‘no computer is safe’ when it comes to keeping information private, expressing new skepticism about the security of online communications his administration is likely to use for everything from day-to-day planning to international relations. Trump rarely uses email or computers, despite his frequent tweeting.

“‘You know, if you have something really important, write it out and have it delivered by courier, the old-fashioned way,’ Trump told reporters during his annual New Year’s Eve bash. ‘Because I’ll tell you what: No computer is safe.’ Trump has repeatedly cast aside allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia tried to influence the presidential election through hacking…”

Putin Will Not (Yet) Retaliate Against Obama’s USA

The Washington Post wrote on December 29:

“In a rare break from the diplomatic tradition of reciprocal punishment, Russian President Vladi­mir Putin said Friday he would not deport U.S. diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to U.S. hacking sanctions, as Russia looks to cultivate relations with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. ‘We won’t create problems for American diplomats,’ Putin said in a statement… adding that Russia retained the right to punish U.S. diplomats in the future. He said he would ‘plan further steps for restoring the Russian-American relationship based on the policies enacted by the administration of President Donald Trump.’”

In response, Donald Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin for his decision to delay any measures, saying it was a “great move” and that he always knew that Putin was “very smart.”

Kremlin Unveils Unmanned Killing Machines With Which Russia Will Fight World War III 

Express wrote on December 31:

“Vladimir Putin has been showing off his latest high-tech robotic killing machines which are so advanced sabre-rattling Russia could fight a ground war without committing a single soldier. The terrifying combat robots were put through their paces in harsh winter conditions during military exercises on the outskirts of the capital Moscow… Lieutenant General Andrey Grigoriev, head of Moscow’s Advanced Research Foundation, said the longer-term plan was to fight wars without men. He added: ‘It would be powerful robot units fighting on land, in the air, at sea as well as underwater and in outer space. The soldier would gradually turn into an operator and be removed from the battlefield.’

“… Russian armed forces have significantly progressed over the years in the development and use of various robotic systems. State-of-the-art weapons systems, such as the T-50 fifth-generation fighter jet or brand new Armata main battle tank, are said to involve robotic technologies or artificial intelligence. Military industry officials predict robotic combat platforms will define future battlefields and eventually replace soldiers.”

We have been speaking for a long time about the possibility that armies of robotic soldiers will be created by powers in the Far East. In the book of Revelation, John sees in a vison a huge army consisting of “two hundred million” “horsemen” (Revelation 9:16). This “army” is described as originating in the Far East, being at war with continental Europe. The “horses” are described, symbolically, as weapons spewing “fire, smoke and brimstone” and doing harm with their tails which are like serpents, killing a third of mankind. This can easily be understood as a description of modern tanks and other destructive war machines. It is interesting that the “horsemen” are not necessarily human beings. The Greek word is, “hippikon.” It has the meaning of “cavalry” or “cavalry force.” The number of 200 million “horsemen” could be understood as describing, at least in part, the mass production of war machines and combat robots. Others have speculated that the number could include a “supernatural cavalry” of “demons or demonic-possessed humans” (compare Ryrie Study Bible). 

Trump or Strache—What’s Going On?

The Local wrote on December 22:

“A spokesman from the transition team working for newly-elected US president Donald Trump denied that their new national security advisor had met with Austrian far-right politicians in New York earlier in the month. The meeting was first mentioned by Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who claimed in a Facebook post that he had met with Lt. General Michael Flynn, the designated national security maven who will be appointed after the inauguration of Donald Trump.

“In a press call on Thursday morning, Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller denied that such a meeting took place. ‘The fact of the matter is that General Flynn has never spoken with or met the Austrian politician in question and strongly disavows groups with such viewpoints,’ Miller said, according to media reports.”

Trump’s Election by Divine Providence?

Breitbart wrote on December 31:

“Celebrated evangelical… Franklin Graham says that it was the ‘hand of God,’ rather than Russian hackers, that determined the outcome of November’s presidential election… Graham said that beyond mere human factors, the mysterious hand of divine providence was at work in the elections.

“‘All I know is Donald Trump was supposed to lose the election’ according to all the polls, Graham said. ‘For these states to go the way they did, in my opinion, I think it was the hand of God,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t hacking. It wasn’t Wiki-leaky or whatever. It was God, in my opinion, and I believe his hand was at work…’”

US Embassy to Be Moved to Israel’s Eternal Capital, Jerusalem?

Israel National News wrote on January 3:

“Three Republican senators on Tuesday unveiled legislation that would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital and move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The new legislation, entitled the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act, was introduced by Senators Ted Cruz of Texas, Dean Heller of Nevada and Marco Rubio of Florida. ‘Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish state of Israel, and that’s where America’s embassy belongs,’ Rubio said… ‘It’s time for Congress and the President-elect to eliminate the loophole that has allowed presidents in both parties to ignore U.S. law and delay our embassy’s rightful relocation to Jerusalem for over two decades,’ he added.

“A statement from Heller said that some State Department funds would be withheld until the embassy was relocated. The measure is in line with President-elect Donald Trump’s support for moving the embassy to Jerusalem, something he repeatedly pledged to do during his election campaign… ‘Jerusalem is the eternal and undivided capital of Israel,’ Cruz said… ‘Unfortunately, the Obama administration’s vendetta against the Jewish state has been so vicious that to even utter this simple truth — let alone the reality that Jerusalem is the appropriate venue for the American embassy in Israel — is shocking in some circles…’”

The Return of Civil Disobedience

In the January 9, 2017 issue of The New Yorker, the following was stated:

“Last summer, the A.C.L.U. issued a report highlighting the ways in which Trump’s proposals on a number of issues would violate the Bill of Rights… But, with a Republican majority that has mostly shown compliance with Trump, despite his contempt for the norms of democracy, the fear is that he will achieve much of what he wants. Even if he accomplishes only half, the landscape of American politics and policy will be radically altered. This prospect has recalled another phenomenon of the nineteen-sixties: the conviction that ‘democracy is in the streets.’

“Two hundred thousand women are expected to assemble in front of the Capitol, on January 21st, the day after the Inauguration, for the Women’s March on Washington. Born of one woman’s invitation to forty friends, the event is meant as a rejoinder to the fact that a candidate with a troubling history regarding women’s rights—one who actually bragged about committing sexual assault—has made it to the White House.

“The first Inauguration of George W. Bush, in 2001, saw mass protests driven by the sentiment that the election had been stolen. The protests that greet Trump will, in all probability, exceed them: some twenty other groups have also applied for march permits. Given his history with African-Americans, Muslims, Latinos, immigrants, unionized labor, environmentalists, and people with disabilities, it is not hard to imagine that there will be many more to come. The Congress is unlikely to check the new President, but democracy may thrive in the states, the courts, the next elections, and, lest the lessons of the sixties be forgotten, the streets…”

Obama Trying to “Cement” His Legacy

The New York Times wrote on December 31:

“Only two days after the election, President Obama sat by President-elect Donald J. Trump’s side in the Oval Office and declared that the No. 1 priority in his last days in the White House would be ensuring a smooth transition of power. What Mr. Obama did not say was that he also intended to set up as many policy and ideological roadblocks as possible before Mr. Trump takes his oath of office on Jan. 20. With less than three weeks before the Obama White House is history, making way for a new administration with radically different priorities, the president is using every power at his disposal to cement his legacy and establish his priorities as the law of the land.

“He has banned oil drilling off the Atlantic coast, established new environmental monuments, protected funding for Planned Parenthood clinics, ordered the transfer of detainees from Guantánamo Bay, criticized Israeli settlements and punished Russia for interfering in the recent elections through cyberattacks.

“The next president may be able to roll back some, or even most, of those actions, a point that Mr. Obama’s top aides concede. But every step the current president takes requires Mr. Trump to overcome one more legislative or procedural hurdle as he seeks to change direction in Washington.

“Mr. Obama is continuing to fill the ranks of the government with his own appointees; since Election Day, he has named 103 people to senior Civil Service jobs, boards, key commissions and oversight panels, including the National Council on Disability, the Amtrak board of directors, the Holocaust Memorial Council and the boards of visitors at military academies. He is also pushing ahead with his goal of freeing nonviolent drug offenders from federal prisons. In the last few weeks, he has commuted the sentences of 232 federal inmates and pardoned 78 others. And on Wednesday, he will meet with Democratic lawmakers to discuss ways to protect the Affordable Care Act from efforts by Mr. Trump and Republicans to dismantle it.

“To many conservatives, Mr. Obama is acting out of spite as much as conviction… Mr. Obama’s most permanent action may be his order banning oil drilling off the Atlantic coast, a decision rooted in a 1953 law that experts say will be legally difficult for Mr. Trump to reverse…”

The Battle For and Against Obamacare

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 5:

“The US Senate has voted to open the debate on beginning the repeal of Obamacare. The move prompted President Barack Obama to make a rare visit to Capitol Hill to urge Democrats to fight to preserve his signature policy… On Wednesday, the Senate voted 51-48 in a procedural tally that opened debate on beginning the Obamacare repeal process… Trump tweeted Wednesday that Republicans ‘must be careful…’

“[Vice President-elect] Pence, along with Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, failed to provide more details on what a Republican health plan might look like… Democrats have accused the GOP lawmakers of tearing apart Obamacare without a firm plan to replace it… Trump… has pledged to keep popular aspects of the act, such as the provisions that bar companies from refusing coverage due to preexisting conditions…

“However, a minority in the Senate coupled with a crushing presidential election loss means Democrats have few options to prevent the repeal of Obamacare…”

WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange: Russia Not the Source for Hacking

Newsmax wrote on January 3:

“WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange reiterated Russia was not the source of Democratic documents released over the summer and accused the Obama administration of trying to delegitimize Donald Trump’s White House victory. Assange’s comments came during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity… ‘We can say, and we have said repeatedly over the last few months, that our source is not the Russian government and it is not a state party,’ he told Hannity.

“Assange went on to say President Obama was focused on blaming the Russians for releasing the documents in an attempt to discredit the incoming Trump administration. ‘They are trying to say that President-elect Trump is not a legitimate president. Our publications had wide uptake by the American people, they’re all true. But that’s not the allegation that’s being presented by the Obama White House.’”

Trump at Odds with CIA and Leading Republicans

Newsmax wrote on January 4:

“President-elect Donald Trump plans to restructure and scale back the nation’s intelligence agencies — amid concerns that they have become politicized and bloated — and that includes cutting CIA staff and moving more agents into field offices worldwide… Trump has slammed the nation’s intelligence agencies since the November election, particularly challenging findings that Russia has hacked into the Democratic National Committee and other party operatives and leaked its findings to WikiLeaks for publishing on its website.”

The Guardian wrote on January 4:

“Leading Republicans broke with Donald Trump on Wednesday after the president-elect appeared to put more faith in WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange than in US intelligence agencies. The sharp differences on a highly charged national security issue are the latest sign that matters of intelligence and policy towards Russia reflect a deep fault line in Trump’s relationship with the Republican party establishment.

“The House speaker, Paul Ryan, called Assange ‘a sycophant for Russia’ on a conservative radio show and GOP Senator Tom Cotton told MSNBC that he had ‘a lot more faith in our intelligence officers serving around the world … than I do in people like Julian Assange’. The comments followed tweets from Trump on Wednesday morning in which he approvingly repeated Assange’s claim that the Russian state was not the source of the hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign chairman, John Podesta, published by WikiLeaks during the election. ‘Julian Assange said “a 14 year old could have hacked Podesta” – why was DNC so careless? Also said Russians did not give him the info!’ one Trump tweet said. Another quoted Assange as describing US media coverage on the issue as ‘very dishonest’. Trump added: ‘More dishonest than anyone knows.’…

“McCain called the alleged Russian cyber-attacks ‘an act of war’ on Wednesday… Trump’s support for Assange has not led to [a] break with all his Republican allies. Sarah Palin said on Wednesday that she now regretted her attacks on Assange in 2010 after he published leaked documents from her time as governor of Alaska…”

Newsmax added on January 5:

“President-elect Donald Trump took aim at news coverage of his comments about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. He took to Twitter Thursday to blast the ‘dishonest media’ for reporting that he agrees with Assange, insisting the he just repeats what the exiled figure says and expects Americans to make up their own minds. ‘The dishonest media likes saying that I am in Agreement with Julian Assange – wrong. I simply state what he states, it is for the people…. to make up their own minds as to the truth. The media lies to make it look like I am against “Intelligence” when in fact I am a big fan!’

“Thursday’s Twitter blast comes in the wake of reaction to his Wednesday tweets citing Assange’s statements about how easy it was for hackers to infiltrate the Democratic National Committee last year. He also highlighted Assange’s statement labeling the U.S. media dishonest.”

“New Quarantine Rule Could Violate Civil Liberties”

The Atlantic wrote on December 30:

“On August 15th, with little fanfare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) took steps to improve its ability to deal with infectious outbreaks. The agency proposed a new rule that would expand its powers to screen, test, and quarantine people traveling into or within the United States, in the event of a crisis like the historic Ebola outbreak of 2014.

“On the face of it, this sounds like a good thing… But some epidemiologists, lawyers, and health organizations say that the rule, in its current form poses a serious threat to civil liberties, allowing authorities to detain and examine people with little heed to due process and informed consent…

“For a start, the rule is sparse when it comes to due process. It allows the CDC to detain travelers indefinitely before deciding whether to quarantine them, saying only that the agency ‘doesn’t expect’ such apprehensions to last for more than 72 hours. It doesn’t make provisions for legal counsel if people can’t afford a lawyer themselves. And it puts any reviews of the agency’s decisions under the auspices of its own employees, rather than a neutral third party. Using the rule, ‘a future administration could hold travelers in government custody for days or weeks without providing an explanation or an opportunity for the individuals to challenge their detentions,’ write Emma Roth and Kyle Edwards from Yale Law School.

“The rule also gives the CDC ultimate authority to carry out medical tests and treatments, stating that ‘the individual’s consent shall not be considered as a prerequisite to the exercise of any authority.’ That’s medically unethical…

“The stickier problem is that there’s little evidence to support screening or quarantining travelers. Consider the Ebola outbreak. The CDC screened more than 38,000 travelers flying into the U.S., by interviewing them and checking their medical records. They then monitored over 10,000 people for 21 days. And they caught exactly zero cases of Ebola…”

These new rules are indeed of great concern.

Merkel: Germany Must Take a Leading Role 

Thomson/Reuters reported on December 30:

“Islamist terrorism is the biggest test facing Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday in a New Year’s address to the nation, and she vowed to introduce laws that improve security after a deadly attack before Christmas in Berlin. Describing 2016 as a year that gave many the impression that the world had ‘turned upside down,’ Merkel urged Germans to forsake populism and said Germany had an interest in taking a leading role in addressing the many challenges facing the European Union…

“‘And, yes, Europe should focus on what can really be better than the national state,’ Merkel said. ‘But we Germans should never be led to believe that [we] could have a better [happy] future by going it alone.’”

“Angela Merkel Is Losing Popularity in Germany and Abroad”

Express wrote on January 4:

“The three term Chancellor was desperate to impose year-long sanctions against Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, but her supposed European allies have shunned her in favour of the Russian strongman.

“The EU’s top brass instead decided to impose just six months’ worth of sanctions against Mr Putin, who openly land-grabbed Crimea from Ukraine – a country desperate to join the European Union (EU).  Merkel’s rating in the opinion polls is also at a low ebb, with the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party soaring in popularity to 15 per cent in the wake of the Berlin Christmas markets terror attack… According to the latest polls, support for the coalition between her Christian Democratic Union party and the Christian Social Union party has plummeted to just 32 per cent so far in 2017.

“To make matters worse, the result of the French elections is likely to weaken Merkel’s standing on the Continent even more. Marine le Pen openly wants France to leave the ailing Union, and the other candidate, Francois Fillon, will completely undermine the Chancellor when it comes to Russia as he opposes any form of strict sanctions…

“Embarrassingly, Merkel is now being ridiculed on the world stage too as she was forced to pull out of attending the World Economic Forum’s Davos summit for fear of receiving a hounding over her floundering leadership… It also coincides with Donald Trump’s inauguration as American President and the right-wing critic of Merkel is likely to be a frequent topic of conversation. Mr Trump’s supposed close relationship with Mr Putin, coupled with new found support for the Kremlin chief from Germany’s traditional European allies, could leave Merkel isolated.

“Jochen Bittner, the political editor for the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit, said: ‘Germany is holding general elections next autumn, and with politicians sympathetic to Moscow on the rise, she may well be running for her fourth term as the sole European leader willing to stand up to a newly assertive Russia.’”

Archbishop of Vienna Schönborn on Islamization

Beitbart wrote January 3:

“The Archbishop of Vienna who has been tipped to be the next Pope, has implied the election of Donald Trump is a good thing as Ronald Reagan turned out to be ‘certainly one of the best presidents the U.S. ever had’.  Looking back on a transformational year in politics, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn also cautioned about the effects of mass Muslim migration, urging Europeans to retain the continent’s Christian heritage…

“[He said:] ‘We [Europeans] have responded with a great deal of generosity to the refugee crisis… The figures last year were simply dramatically high… The key issue we are facing in Austria is the integration of refugees… Of course, as a Christian, I would like the Middle East to become Christian again, as it once was, or North Africa. North Africa was completely Christianised…’

“Whilst insisting he did not blame individual Muslims for wanting to change Europe, he spoke of the huge rise in the number of mosques in the West and the destruction of churches in Muslim countries, claiming ‘religions are in competition with each other… But we already have 200 Islamic places of prayer in Vienna. We have mosques in cathedrals in Spain, and we have, for example, in Damascus, the cathedral of John the Baptist is now a mosque… The Islamisation of Europe is nonsensical if one does not contribute something to the fact that Europe remains Christian’…  we must reproach ourselves for not doing enough to maintain a Christian Europe.’”

New Year’s Eve Terror Attack in Istanbul by Insane ISIS Murderer(s)

AFP wrote on December 31:

“At least [39] people were killed and 40 wounded in a ‘terror’ attack in Istanbul Sunday when gunmen reportedly dressed as Santa stormed an elite nightclub where partygoers were celebrating the New Year, the latest carnage to rock Turkey after a bloody 2016. Two gunmen entered the venue dressed as Santa and spraying bullets at random inside the Reina nightclub, one of the city’s most exclusive party spots, Dogan news agency said…

“Many party-goers threw themselves into the Bosphorus in panic after the attack and efforts were underway to rescue them from the waters, NTV television said. Dogan news agency reported that some witnesses claimed the attackers were ‘speaking Arabic’… The nightclub in the Ortakoy district of Istanbul is one of the most elite spots in the city, and getting inside past the bouncers who seek out only the best dressed is notoriously hard… Turkey has been hit by a string of attacks in recent months blamed on Kurdish militants and Islamic State jihadists.”

The New York Times added on December 31:

“… the attackers — initial reports said there had been as many as three — had fired on the police before heading inside the club. ‘One person first kills the police officer outside, and then a civilian,; the governor said. ‘Inside, he rained bullets brutally, mercilessly over innocent people…’ The club overlooks the Bosporus — which separates Europe and Asia… On the European side of Istanbul, the neighborhood is an international travel destination known for its food stalls and vibrant night life…”

Daily Mail wrote on January 1:

“The ‘ISIS killer’… is the prime suspect in Turkey nightclub attack after gunman screamed ‘Allahu Akbar’ as he used a Kalashnikov to kill 39 people, including a female security guard … The unnamed man is described as being from Afghanistan, Chechnya or East Turkestan – a region of western China that is predominantly Muslim. Turkish intelligence services reportedly believe that he could be a member of the East Turkestan branch of ISIS but his exact nationality is still unknown.”

German Superstition on New Year’s Eve

The Local wrote on December 30 about German superstitious practices Germans engage in on New Year’s Eve:

“Bibelstechen, literally ‘bible poking’ involves opening up a random page of the Bible and reading a passage in it. You then discuss what that could mean for [the next year]… Swinging a pendulum will also give you clues about what will happen in the new year. If you ask a question and the pendulum swings clockwise, it means yes. If it swings counterclockwise, the answer is no… Das Gummibärenchen-Orakel involves picking five gummy bear sweets at random from a packet. The colour of the sweets gives an indication of the future. A red one will mean love, a yellow one wealth, hence the name, the gummy bear oracle… Bleigießen in German involves heating some lead and pouring the melted contents into cold water. The shape the lead forms will tell you what might happen in the New Year. A cross, for example could signify death… In German ‘Das Drehen um die eigene Achse’ will help you out if all the omens so far from Bibles and gummy bears have been bad. Spinning turns a bad omen into a good one.”

There are even more superstitious activities, such as fire crackers and fireworks at the time of New Year’s Eve. It was believed that between Christmas and January 6, the ghosts became active. When winter storms howled around the houses of the Germanic tribes, Wotan’s wild hunt was present—a frightening train of gods, demons and ghosts of the dead. These ghosts were driven away with big fires and cracks of whips. The cracks of whips changed with the invention of black powder to fireworks.

France Prohibits Spanking of Children

Breitbart wrote on January 3:

“The French parliament has passed a formal ban on spanking children, bringing the global total to 52 different countries where such corporal punishment in homes is against the law. The new law that went into effect for 2017 bans ‘any cruel, degrading or humiliating punishment, including any use of physical violence,’ including spanking in the home… Unsurprisingly, the first country to make spanking illegal was Sweden, in 1979, followed by Finland in 1983. The last to join the list before France in 2016 were Mongolia, Paraguay and Slovenia.

“The decision of the French parliament follows a symbolic reprimand by the Council of Europe in 2015 decrying France’s lack of a specific law ‘prohibiting corporal punishment in a clear, binding and precise way, including slaps and spankings, in breach of Article 17 of the European Charter of Social Rights.’ ‘To comply with Article 17, states’ domestic law must prohibit and penalize all forms of violence against children,’ the Charter states, and the relevant provisions ‘must be sufficiently clear, binding and precise, so as to preclude the courts from refusing to apply them to violence against children’…

“In February 2015, Pope Francis expressed his approval of parents who spank their kids, as long as it is carried out with respect for their dignity. His words drew a wave of reactions, both negative and positive, to the idea that corporal punishment is okay…

“Despite the extensive debate regarding the value or detriment of corporal punishment, few have questioned the more problematic aspect of a creeping intromission of the state in the lives of families and their choice of how to educate their children. The Catholic Church teaches that the state should not interfere with parents’ education of children except in grave and extraordinary circumstances. ‘Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators,’ Catholic doctrine states.”

The Catholic Church is absolutely correct on this point, while 52 different countries and the Council of Europe have it completely wrong. Human laws prohibiting spanking of children in any way are in opposition to the clear teaching of the Bible. At the same time, parents need to exercise great caution in this world which is ruled by Satan the devil. We state the following in our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families”:

“There is never a justification for physical abuse. On the other hand, to totally ban spanking and define it as physical abuse only shows how liberal and anti-biblical our Western society has become. This is of course the fruit of the anti-authoritarian education that has brought about a curse on our Western world. As parents, we must be aware, though, that in certain countries, spanking is illegal, and could result in the authorities coming in and taking away our children. And even in countries where spanking is not illegal, many governmental officials look at such practice with great disfavor. There have been cases where Social Workers in the United States tried to take away children from Christians, because the Christian parents believed and practiced—in moderation and with great love and care—biblically-endorsed spanking.

“Note what the Bible clearly teaches in regard to corporal punishment in Proverbs 13:24, ‘He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who LOVES him disciplines him promptly [or early].’ Since using the rod is compared with prompt or early discipline, it is clear that this passage includes the concept of spanking, where and when appropriate. Of course, we don’t spank a teenager or an adult, so the spanking needs to be done early in the life of the child. But note, again, we discipline our children, because we LOVE them. If we discipline our children for any other reason, or because of any other motive, we do NOT follow God’s instructions. Spanking should never cause physical injury to a child. The intent is to break a rebellious spirit, not to bruise skin…

“We have heard a lot about child neglect. But one kind of child neglect is seldom ever mentioned—the neglect to discipline the child, in LOVE, when the child deserves, and must have, discipline for his or her own good.”

Rwanda Bans Witchcraft From Soccer

Breitbart wrote on December 30:

“The Rwandan soccer federation has banned witchcraft in soccer matches following a crazy incident in a match earlier this month between Mukura Victory Sports and Rayon Sport. Rayon Sport striker Moussa Camara, whose team was losing 1-0, is seen in the video running over to the goal and grabbing an object before running off. The goalkeeper and other opposing players chased after Camara in a frenzy, later resulting in yellow cards being handed out. Minutes later, Camara scored a goal to tie it up.

“The Rwanda Football Federation will now start fining players and teams 500,000 Rwandan Francs, or roughly $600, if found guilty of using witchcraft.”

Even though it may be difficult to believe that these kinds of witchcraft activities will lead to scoring goals, we must not forget that demons are indeed ruling this world. If players are indeed guilty of witchcraft (as the video seems to suggest), they should be totally banned from playing soccer anywhere, until they deeply repent of their evil deeds. For true Christians, it is extremely important not to have anything to do with occult activities, including consulting mediums. God killed King Saul for engaging in witchcraft (1 Chronicles 10:13-14).

Neanderthals Were Cannibals

The website of phys.org wrote on December 30:

“Deep in the caves of Goyet in Belgium researchers have found the grisly evidence that the Neanderthals did not just feast on horses or reindeer, but also on each other… The bones in Goyet date from when Neanderthals were nearing the end of their time on earth before being replaced by Homo sapiens, with whom they also interbred.

“Once regarded as primitive cavemen driven to extinction by smarter modern humans, studies have found that Neanderthals were actually sophisticated beings who took care of the bodies of the deceased and held burial rituals. But there is a growing body of proof that they also ate their dead.

“… an international team… has proved from the bones found at Goyet that the Neanderthals there were cannibals. The bones show traces of cutting… The Neanderthals ‘broke these bones in the same way that they broke those of the reindeer and horses found at the entrance of the cave, certainly to extract the marrow’…  ‘Some of these bones have also been used to make tools to touch up the edges of flints to re-sharpen them’…

“But the reasons for the cannibalism remain a mystery, as to the extent to which the Neanderthals ate their dead…”

We speak in great detail about the Neanderthals in our free booklet, “Heavens and Earth… Before and After the First Man.”

In this new series, we will spell out in detail the identifying signs of the true Church of God, as revealed in the Bible. We will limit this discussion to Christian organizations and institutions, as the Bible teaches us that we can only inherit salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ, and that there is no salvation in any other religion or religious leader (Acts 4:12). But even when addressing Christianity, we must understand that there are many false concepts, doctrines and administrative practices within the “Christian” world and “organized religion,” which we must avoid. 1 John 4:1, 6 tells us: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets have gone out into the world… We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

The Bible tells us that God’s true Church is not divided. That is, there are not all kinds of different ideas and doctrines taught within the same body of believers. Ephesians 4:1-6 tells us that there is “one” body, “one” faith; “one” Spirit; “one” baptism; “one” Lord; and “one” God, and Father of all. Paul adds in Galatians 1:6-9 that there is only “one” gospel message. This is to say, if Church organizations are teaching different concepts about God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church of God, baptism and the gospel, then they cannot all be correct.

Even though God’s true Church—the body of Christ (Colossians 1:24)—is a spiritual organism, consisting of all those who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, it is nevertheless physically organized. Organizations which are divided amongst themselves need to strive to come to the unity of the faith (Jude 3) and to embrace the unity of the truth. It is the responsibility of every Christian to ascertain where the truth is being upheld and taught; and this can only be accomplished by comparing the teachings and practices of a particular Church organization with the requirements of the Bible. We read in Acts 17:11 about the people in Berea: “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

We do believe that the Church of the Eternal God and its international affiliates in Canada, the UK and German-speaking areas are part of the true Church of God. While we are not saying that our organizations comprise the entirety of the Church of God, we are saying that we differ remarkably in many areas from other Church organizations which all claim to constitute true Christianity. The Bible speaks in Revelation 17 of a world-ruling “fallen” “Christian” Church organization with many “daughter” churches. It also mentions in Revelation 2 and 3 different organizations within the true Church of God, but points out that there are problem areas in many of those different organizations. Scripture warns us not to join or remain in an organization which has fallen away from true Christianity; and it also cautions us not to join or remain in an organization which might even be part of the body of Christ, but which is not practicing and preaching the full truth. If Church organizations claiming to be Christian are in defiance of God’s biblical standards, doctrines and administrative requirements, then the Bible commands us to leave those organizations, once we have discovered and proven the truth.

In a Q&A, titled, “What doctrines are unique to the Church of God?,” we stated the following when discussing mixing true Christian beliefs and practices with pagan concepts:

“Syncretism has become commonplace in mainstream Christianity and is defined by Webster’s as ‘the combination of different forms of belief or practice.’ This word syncretism does not appear in the Scriptures, but the subject is certainly addressed and condemned. We have to see the faulty trap of syncretism (combining right aspects of godly worship with wrong practices). Since syncretism has been a part of ‘Christianity’ for nearly 2,000 years, the Nineteenth-century Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard wrote that ‘millions of people through the centuries have little by little cheated God out of Christianity.’

“Syncretism is manifested in Sunday worship where pagan traditions have influenced ‘Christian’ thinking and practice. December 25 is supposedly Jesus’ birthday but was an adaptation of the birthday of the pagan’s sun god. Easter eggs and bunnies are derived from ancient Egypt and Persia where ‘friends exchanged decorated eggs at the spring equinox.’ St Valentine’s day is connected to ‘a pagan Roman festival, Lupercalia.’ Wikipedia states that ‘Halloween was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead with possible pagan roots, particularly the Celtic Samhain.’ These, and many more, are festivals that many churches adopt and celebrate but which are directly opposed to true Christianity.

“Deuteronomy 12:30-32 gives this warning: ‘… take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, “How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.” You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.’ That was God’s instruction then, and it is today as God does not change (Malachi 3:6).”

In addition, Deuteronomy 4:2 warns us not to add to God’s Word nor to take away from it, but to keep His commandments in the way given to us. Christ tells us that we worship God in vain if we teach as doctrines the commandments of men and human traditions, while laying aside the commandments of God (Mark 7:6-9). 2 John states: “For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind” (Living Bible).

In future installments, we will set forth the core doctrines of the Church of the Eternal God and its international affiliates, in light of the biblical revelation, and compare those with concepts of traditional Christianity, and vice versa.

In addition, there are splinter groups claiming to be part of the true body of Christ, but important differences exist to our Church organizations. In a previous Q&A, we answered the question: “Why does the Church of the Eternal God exist? Why don’t you merge with other Church of God groups?”

We stated the following:

“The prophet Amos was inspired by God to raise the question with His people Israel: ‘Can two walk together unless they are agreed?’ (Amos 3:3)… Christ stated in Matthew 12:25 that: ‘… every… house divided against itself will not stand.’ We understand that the major problem with the Church of God, first era (Ephesus), was that it ‘left its first love’ (Revelation 2:4), and in like manner, the end-time church (Laodicea) becomes lukewarm toward God and His Way…”

In another Q&A, the question was discussed regarding those splinter groups which claim to be God’s true Church. We stated as follows:

“… a separation exists between those who keep the Truth and those who believe the deceptive lies that lead to disobeying God! Paul [says]: ‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables’ (2 Timothy 4:3-4)…

“Deception is at work right now!… Jesus spoke of its danger when He answered His disciples’ question about what would signal the end of the age: ‘And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many”‘ (Matthew 24:4-5)… ‘”…  many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another… And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”‘ (Matthew 24:8-12)…”

This end-time prophecy identifies the love of many growing cold as godly love (“agape” in Greek). It describes true Christians who had received the love of God through the Holy Spirit which had been poured out in their hearts (Romans 5:5). But they will begin to live in lawlessness (Sin is defined as lawlessness or the transgression of the law; 1 John 3:4; compare also the Authorized Version); and as a consequence, the love of God, which is defined as keeping God’s commandments (1 John 5:3), will begin to “grow cold” or fade away in their daily lives, due to the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13).

We continue:

“Note the way [God’s] commission is relayed to Timothy—an obligation that falls to all true ministers of God: ‘I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching… But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry’ (2 Timothy 4:1-2, 5).

“Because the ministry is held accountable for leadership within the Church of God (compare Hebrews 13:17 and James 3:1), Paul also reminds Timothy that he is answerable to God, saying: ‘…Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some’ (2 Timothy 2:14-18)…”

In charging Timothy with “rightly dividing the word of truth,” Paul brings out the fact that God’s Word must be read and studied, “here a little and there a little” (Isaiah 28:9-10). All Scriptures to a given concept must be consulted, to avoid reaching a wrong conclusion. The Word of Truth must be taught honestly, while nothing is to be added or deleted. In dividing or “cutting straight” God’s Word, error and false interpretations are being cut off. As Paul admonished Timothy to preach God’s Word “in season and out of season” (compare again 2 Timothy 4:2), and not to be “ashamed of the testimony of our Lord” and the gospel (2 Timothy 1:8), so Paul also did not shun “to declare… the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).

These admonitions are relevant today. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 4:1 that “the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” For someone to depart from the faith in the latter times or the time of the end, he or she must have known and understood and believed the Truth. The same warning is expressed in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, stating that “the Day” of Christ’s return will not come “unless the falling away comes first.” This is clearly a reference to true Christians who are falling away from the Truth. This warning mirrors Christ’s warning in Matthew 24:12: As the love of many will grow cold because of lawlessness, the falling away in 2 Thessalonians 2 will occur because of the “mystery of lawlessness” (verse 7), and because those who will fall away “did not receive the love of the truth” (verse 10).

Continuing:

“Departure from the Truth became a subject that the ministry of that time had to guard against, and to even identify some who were causing dissension. Paul very specifically warned the leadership in Ephesus: ‘Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears'” (Acts 20:28-31)…

“The apostle Peter urgently warned the brethren to ‘be even more diligent to make your call and election sure…’ (2 Peter 1:10). His appeal was made in light of what was then happening throughout the church. He continues in his letter: ‘But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber… They have forsaken the right way and gone astray…’ (2 Peter 2:1-3, 15)…

“Jude also wrote of the apostasy that was overtaking the church in the later part of that first century AD. In just a few decades, deceitful persons had entered the church—overturning and betraying the revealed Truth of God. Jude’s letter addresses these heretical teachings: ‘Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 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 lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ’ (verses 3-4)…

“Church historian and biblical scholar Jesse Hurlbut comments: ‘For fifty years after Paul’s life, a curtain hangs over the Church, through which we vainly strive to look; and when at last it rises, about 129 A.D. with the writings of the earliest Church Fathers, we find a Church in many ways very different from that in the days of Peter and Paul’ (Hurlbut, Story of the Christian Church, p. 41).

“Historian Edward Gibbon states: ‘The scanty and suspicious materials of ecclesiastical history seldom enable us to dispel the dark cloud that hangs over the first age of the Church’ (Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Random House, N.Y., ch.15, p. 382).

“… the Church of God typified as ‘Philadelphia’ is not the only body of believers who are part of God’s church and who exist in this final generation ushering in the return of Jesus Christ! In fact, faint remnants of even earlier eras also still remain (in addition to Philadelphia, it is possible that remnants of Thyatira and Sardis still exist today; compare “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” pages 9-11), but it is the seventh, the final church of Laodicea, that faces very strong warnings and impending correction from Jesus Christ (compare Revelation 3:14-22)… Laodicea is—emphatically—a part of God’s church; they are people who have been given the Spirit of God! However, the genuineness of their faith will have to be tested and proven (compare 1 Peter 1:7). In order to attain their calling to be among the firstfruits of God, they must become fervent in their works (compare Revelation 19:7-9). Laodicean Christians have the opportunity to repent now (compare Revelation 3:20-21; Luke 21:34-36). But for those who stubbornly refuse, a time of severe correction will come upon them…”

In future installments, we will also compare in detail the core doctrines, standards and administrations of the Church of the Eternal God and its international affiliates, in light of the biblical revelation, with the teachings and administrative practices of other groups, claiming to be part of the true body of Christ.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link, with material written by Dave Harris and Brian Gale

The Church Conference for 2017 will be conducted in Escondido, California, with arrivals on March 23 and ending on March 28.

“2017–A Dangerous Year,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

2016 ended as it began–with uncertainty, fear, violence and tremendous upheaval. It appears that 2017 will be worse. Are the dark days of the 1930’s upon us, as Prince Charles warns? Are “things falling apart” and is “mere anarchy loosed upon the world,” indicating the Second Coming of Christ, as the Catholic Church in England suspects? Has the world “turned upside down,” as Angela Merkel stated? A grim picture emerges, when we contemplate worldwide terrorism, global Islamist extremism and ISIS, Donald Trump’s USA, the UK’s Brexit, coming elections in France, The Netherlands and Germany, as well as events in Syria, Iraq, Israel, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Afghanistan, Putin’s Russia, China, North Korea, Japan and the Philippines. Are we really that close to the Great Tribulation and the annihilation of mankind?

“Warum die Kirche des Ewigen Gottes?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon. Title in English: “Why the Church of the Eternal God?”

“Digital Perfection?,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Robb Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

It is easy to turn away from godly objectives, especially when the world is filled with distractions.  Even at an early age, we are conditioned to look away from a godly path.  Staying true to our calling requires vigilance and a desire to endure.

“The POWER of the Bible,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Many consider the Bible as just another book of religious teachings. The idea that it is or possibly could be the inspired words of God is either rejected or only half-heartedly accepted by most people. There are others who view the Bible for what it is—the TRUTH OF GOD!