On April 2, 2011, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “How Close Are You To God?”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
Due to the annual conference, there will be no Update for the week ending March 25. The next Update will be published for the week ending April 1.
Our annual conference will begin on Friday, March 18, and is scheduled to last until Wednesday, March 23. Please pray for God’s inspiration and guidance for the success of the conference.
The German translation of our booklet, “Jesus Christ—a Great Mystery,” was sent to our Graphic Designer for finalization.
Two new StandingWatch programs were posted on the Web, titled, “Earthquakes in Prophecy, Part 1” and “Earthquakes in Prophecy, Part 2.” The summaries of these programs are, respectively:
The terrible earthquake in Japan and the subsequent tsunamis should remind us of Christ’s warning in the Olivet prophecy that great earthquakes will strike this earth prior to His return. But He also spoke of religious deception, wars, famines, disease epidemics, the Great Tribulation and the heavenly signs. It is important to know the prophesied sequence of these events, leading to His Second Coming.
The Bible predicts that much greater earthquakes than the one in Japan will soon strike this earth. The books of Revelation and Isaiah give us many details as to what will happen, and why. Even Jerusalem will be hit by a huge earthquake, and so will be many other cities.
A new German AufPostenStehen program was posted on the Web, titled, “Erdbeben in Biblischer Prophezeiung” (“Earthquakes in Biblical Prophecy”).
Norbert Link’s new video-recorded sermon was posted on the Web, titled, “Paul’s Letter to the Philippians (Part 4).”
A new German sermon was posted on the Web, titled, “Im Anfang, Teil 5” (“In the Beginning, Part 5”).
by Kalon Mitchell
Growing up in the Church of God, I’ve heard my fair share of people’s stories about how God has helped them in a personal way–whether it be with blessings or protection. And through the years, He has done the same for me on several instances. The most recent intervention occurred just the other day.
As I was driving home from work, winding up the large hill with hair-pin curves that I always take home, there, around the tightest turn, came a large diesel truck towards me. It was hauling a 5×20 covered trailer behind it. I could see that for a truck that size, it was rounding the corner way too fast, and that it was coming into my lane. So I slowed down to a stop about forty feet away and watched as the events played out before me. As the truck continued around the corner, the back right tire on the trailer hit a large rock that was off to the side of the road.
I watched in disbelief as the trailer started to tilt and continued to do so more and more. I could see it coming—the trailer was going to flip, rip off its hitch, and the truck might flip too; and truck and trailer would all come crashing into me, possibly even pushing me off the side of the mountain.
Then it happened. The trailer drove on one wheel in about a 45 degrees angle, and I thought for sure the trailer was about to tip over, but all of a sudden, it slammed back on to the ground. As truck and trailer passed me, the driver had a shocked look on his face. I gave him a big thumbs up.
As I started to drive away, I was hit by the fact that there was no physical way that the trailer should have done that. The only explanation was that God was indeed watching out over me. I said a prayer, thanking God for sparing my life. I was reminded again that God observes us at all times. He is always right there, not around the corner. It is true: I am not to tempt Him by placing myself in harm’s way, but when there are unforeseen instances where I need His protection, He will and does watch over me.
On March 19, 2011, Rene Messier will give the sermon, titled, “The Sabbath–P P F.”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
NOTE: Due to the annual conference, there will be no Update for the week ending March 25. The next Update will be published for the week ending April 1.
REMINDER: Our annual conference will be held this year in California, beginning on March 18. Please pray for God’s inspiration and guidance for the successful preparation of the conference.
A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, “When Will Russia Attack Israel?” Pat Robertson stated in an interview with Newsmax that, according to Ezekiel 38, a coalition of nations such as Russia and Iran will rise up against Israel in a final battle. But what DOES Ezekiel 38 prophesy? Who are those nations listed there which will try to war against “Israel”? When will this attack take place, and who, precisely, is “Israel”? Don’t be too sure that you know the answers!
A new German sermon was posted on the Web discussing the fact that Adam and Eve were not ashamed when they were created naked; addressing the question where the idea that marriage is inferior to celibacy comes from; and explaining the tree of life, being symbolic for the Holy Spirit and living water. The title is, “Im Anfang… Teil 4” (“In the Beginning…, Part 4.”).
The passage in 1 John 3:9 reads, according to the New King James Bible:
“Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”
As we pointed out in our recent Editorial, ”Begotten and Born Children,” which was published in Update #481, the Greek word which in 1 John 3:9 is translated twice as “born,” is “gennao.” This term can mean “begotten” or “born”; and it can also describe the process from our spiritual begettal to our spiritual birth. We showed that “when addressing the spiritual begettal and birth process, the Bible clearly says that a born-again person IS spirit and invisible (John 3:6, 8); and nobody, who is still human, is therefore born again.
“Christ also said that we must be born again to be able to see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). This is true as the Kingdom of God is the Family of GOD, composed of Spirit, and human eyes cannot see God or the Kingdom of God (1 Timothy 6:16). We even read that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50). In order to be able to enter God’s Kingdom, we must be spirit, as God is Spirit (John 4:24), and we must be God, as God is God (1 Corinthians 15:49; Hebrews 1:1-3).”
We also addressed the fact that “when we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at the time of our baptism (after repentance and faith in the Sacrifice of Christ and belief in the gospel of the Kingdom of God), we are begotten by the Spirit, and we have thereby already become children of God; or, we might say, we have become part of the Kingdom of God ‘in embryo.’ As begotten children, we must grow in the knowledge and understanding of the truth (2 Peter 3:18). We are desirous of the pure milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2), being nurtured by our ‘mother’ (Galatians 4:26)– the church of God — as a new-born human child is being fed and cared for by his or her human mother (compare Ephesians 4:11-16, telling us that we are to be edified by the ministry to be able to grow up in all things into Christ)… As Spirit-begotten children of God, we ought to have the desire to become perfect, as the Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48); to become pure as Jesus Christ is pure (1 John 3:3); to overcome [the world’s societies], Satan and self, as Christ overcame (Revelation 3:21; John 16:33; Matthew 4:1-11; Romans 8:3).”
With this background, let us now focus on 1 John 3:9. As mentioned, since the word ”gennao” can mean “begotten” or “born,” depending on the context, we need to determine the intended meaning.
We pointed out the following in our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”
“Additional Scriptural proof that we are not yet born again is found in 1 John 3:9, where we read: ‘Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed [the Holy Spirit] remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.’ Notice, too, 1 John 5:18, ‘We know that whoever is born of God does not sin.’
“According to these passages, one who is born again CANNOT and DOES NOT sin. The only being that CANNOT sin is God. Even Jesus Christ, when He was here on earth as a human being, COULD HAVE sinned. He was in all points tempted as we are, though He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). The fact that He was tempted shows that it was possible for Him to sin. It also shows that He was fully man, as God cannot be tempted to sin (James 1:13). When it comes to Christians, however, they DO sin from time to time, even after receiving the Holy Spirit.
“We read in 1 John 1:7–10: ‘But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son CLEANSES us from all sin. If we say that WE HAVE NO SIN, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.’
“Notice that John says two things here. He emphasizes that we DID sin in the past, and also, that we still DO sin now. He uses the past and the present tense. He is talking to Christians—those who have received the Holy Spirit. Yes, Christians DO sin from time to time! They CAN sin, which means that they CANNOT already be born again, because those who are born again CANNOT sin. God will bring many sons and daughters into His Family through a resurrection or change to immortality. THEN, they will be BORN AGAIN God beings, and as such, they will be UNABLE to sin.
“Some who want to uphold their teaching that we are already born again translate 1 John 3:9 as, ‘cannot abide in the state of sin.’ However, this is not what the Scripture says. Rather, the correct translation, word for word from the Greek, reads, ‘… he is not able to sin.’ The Biblical truth is very plain: One who is born again is UNABLE to sin.”
Most translations of 1 John 3:9 prefer the rendering “born” in both instances, as quoted at the beginning of this Q&A from the New King James Bible, but they falsely assume that we are already born again now. However, when concluding that 1 John 3:9 refers to the here and now, a few translations choose the rendering, “begotten.” For instance, the New American Bible says:
“No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God.” The Swiss Zuercher Bible also uses twice the word “begotten,” while the German Menge Bible and the Elberfelder Bible give both alternatives (in parenthesis in the text, or in a footnote).
Other translations, realizing the potential difficulties with making a particular choice (especially, when they teach that we are already born again now), state more ambiguously:
“No child of God commits sin, because the divine seed remains in him; indeed because he is God’s child he cannot sin” (Revised English Bible; similar the New Jerusalem Bible).
Some who feel that the passage does refer to us here and now, but realizing that John could not have said that it is impossible for Christians to sin (see the discussion above), claim that the phrase, “he cannot sin,” should be rendered as, “he cannot continue practicing sin,” or, “he cannot habitually sin.” The International Version says, “he cannot go on sinning,” and the Living Bible states, “… [he] does not make a practice of sinning, because now God’s life is in him; so he can’t keep on sinning…”
Notice, too, how the Amplified Bible renders this verse, obviously unwilling to make a definite choice—the words in parenthesis and in brackets are in the original:
“No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately and knowingly] habitually practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him—His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him—and cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.”
We have established so far that if one is truly BORN of God, he CANNOT sin, because then he is God, and God cannot sin. If one wants to say that the passage of 1 John 3:9 refers to the here and now (that is, to begotten Christians today), then one has to add quite a few words to the original text, in an attempt to make it consistent with other passages in John’s writings. Rather than saying that the one who is begotten of God CANNOT sin, one has to say that he cannot CONTINUE PRACTICING sin, or that he CANNOT HABITUALLY PRACTICE sin, or something to that effect. The problem, of course, is that the Greek text does not contain these words—they must be added in order to convey what is perceived to be the intended meaning.
However, another problem arises with these additions when we consider Paul’s own words, which he wrote down YEARS after his conversion and the receipt of the Holy Spirit. This is what he himself said, in Romans 7:14-16, 19, 25:
“… I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice, but what I hate, that I do… the EVIL I will not to do, that I PRACTICE… So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
This is not to say that Paul was ever indifferent or careless about his sins. He knew that those who PRACTICE evil things will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21; Revelation 22:15). He agreed with John who said that those who do not PRACTICE righteousness and who do not love their brothers and sisters in Christ are not of God (1 John 3:10). Paul did not want to sin; he did not want to practice evil, but he realized that at times, he would slip, and that he needed God’s forgiveness and mercy and power and strength to overcome and conquer sin (Romans 7:24-25; 8:37).
Old habits die slowly and only with difficulty and under severe trials and tests. It is possible for a Christian to repeat the same sin repeatedly, out of habit. But upon continued and ongoing repentance and belief in Christ’s Sacrifice and with the genuine desire to forsake those sins (Proverbs 28:13), they will be forgiven him, and God’s seed—the Holy Spirit–will remain in such a person. It is only that when we refuse to repent and change, we are in danger of losing God’s Spirit (Hebrews 6:4-6). God is most certainly not less merciful than what He requires of us. He is most certainly not limiting Himself to just forgiving us the same sins only once or twice, when we truly repent, while Christ told Peter that he needed to forgive his repentant brother seventy times seven, upon his repentance (Matthew 18:21-22; compare Luke 17:3-4).
Therefore, we conclude that 1 John 3:9 does not address begotten Christians today, in this day and age, but rather, that it makes the profound statement that once we are truly born again, we will not sin anymore. It will be impossible for us to sin—to even commit one single sin, let alone practicing sin—because it is impossible for God to sin, and we will be God, with God’s Holy Spirit remaining in us and flowing out from us forever (John 7:37-39).
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
On March 12, 2011, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, Part 4.”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
REMINDER: Our annual conference will be held this year in California, beginning on March 18. Please pray for God’s inspiration and guidance for the successful preparation of the conference.
A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, “Libya in Prophecy.” What is in store for Libya? How are we to evaluate the reaction—or lack thereof—of the Western powers, especially Europe and the USA? And why are some of the comments and suggestions in German papers truly amazing, in the light of biblical prophecy? What does the Bible say is soon going to happen in the Middle East?
A new German sermon was posted on the Web, covering Genesis 1:26 to 2:3, including the fact that man was created according to the image and likeness of God, and that the Sabbath is still in force and effect today. The title is: “Im Anfang…, Teil 3″ [“In the Beginning…, Part 3.”].
by Phyllis Bourque
When I first began attending church services many years ago, the ladies would come up to me with warm greetings and make me feel so welcome. Conversations would often center around children, as I had a toddler and a newborn at that time. It was an exciting experience because God was opening my mind to the truth and I had a new sense of direction and purpose in my life!
These new acquaintances quickly became friends and conversations migrated to spiritual principles and practical application of God’s laws. Several would invariably share what lesson they had learned during the preceding week. I remember listening in quiet amazement to their various stories, being particularly fascinated by the remarkable correlation between simple everyday events and spiritual lessons. At the same time, I was quite disappointed in myself, as I wondered, “What am I learning?” I didn’t have an answer. Oh yes, I was learning to keep my children quiet during church, and I was learning about clean and unclean meats. I was learning what it meant to “keep” the Sabbath, and I was learning about the Holy Days and how they outline God’s master plan for mankind. But when it came to personal spiritual lessons, I had nothing to share with them.
Little did I realize then that the spiritual truths I was learning were actually the building blocks in a new relationship with the God that I thought I already knew. These truths would later prove to be the very foundation on which I could stand when Satan attempted to destroy my personal convictions and the very church in which I was so anchored.
I have long since learned to see the spiritual parallels in my everyday life and I thank God for showing me the significance of these daily growth opportunities. I need to thank God for what I am experiencing, whether or not I can identify the reason at that moment, because I know it is He who presents me with the lessons that I have to learn in order to become what He wants me to be.
Many try to use this passage to “prove” that we are allowed today to eat whatever man in his twisted mind has decided to devour—including the meat from pigs, dogs, monkeys, rats, cats, squirrels, as well as frogs, snails, ants, scorpions, snakes, lobster, shrimp, shellfish and oysters, just to name a few. However, this is most certainly not what the passage conveys.
1 Timothy 4:1-5 reads, in context:
“(Verse 1) Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, (verse 2) speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, (verse 3) forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. (Verse 4) For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; (verse 5) for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
In our booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” we make the following general comments regarding clean and unclean animals:
“…the laws of clean and unclean meat were already in existence at the time of Noah—they did not come into existence at the time of Moses. Noah was specifically told by God to take with him into the ark ‘seven each of every clean animal, a male and a female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and a female’ (Genesis 7:2. Compare also verse 8). Noah offered a burnt offering to God ‘of every clean animal and of every clean bird’ (Genesis 8:20).
“The covenant that God made later with Israel had no effect on the laws of clean and unclean animals—they were already in force long before that covenant was made. And nowhere does God teach us that we are now permitted to eat unclean animals. Notice the curse that God pronounces over those who, at the time of Christ’s return, eat swine’s flesh (Isaiah 66:17; 65:3–4).”
In our Q&A, discussing the consumption of unclean animals, we explain that Jesus Christ did not abolish the distinction between clean and unclean animals. Let us quote a few excerpts from this article:
“Some refer to Mark 7:18-19, stating that Christ made all animals clean and proper for consumption. However, the context of this passage is that the Pharisees criticized Christ’s disciples for eating food with ‘unwashed hands’ (verse 2); that is, without washing their hands first ‘in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders’ (verse 3). Christ said in verses 18-19: ‘… Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?’
“This passage does not teach, as some erroneously claim, that Christ made all foods clean. Rather, the word for ‘purifying’ is ‘katharizo,’ meaning ‘cleansing.’ It is used in James 4:8, where sinners are told to cleanse their hands. The Authorized Version translates Mark 7:19 as, ‘… and goes out into the draught, PURGING all meats.’
“Christ was addressing a situation where a little bit of dirt might have been attached to our hands or the CLEAN food. When we eat this, it does not defile us inwardly, as it is eliminated out of the body into the draught. The clean food will be ‘cleansed,’ in that little particles of dirt will be eliminated out of the body. To use the passage in Mark 7 and say that Christ made all unclean animals clean is a willful and deliberate distortion of Scripture.
“Others claim that Acts 10 teaches that God made all food clean. In that passage, Peter had a vision, seeing a great sheet of clean and unclean animals, and a voice asked him to eat. Peter refused and did not eat, although the voice told him that he should not call common what God had cleansed (verse 15). Subsequently, Peter went to the Gentiles, which were treated as common or unclean by the Jews, and baptized them. When confronted by the disciples, who were, at that time, exclusively of Jewish background and descent, Peter explained the meaning of the vision. It had nothing to do with declaring unclean animals as appropriate for human consumption. Rather, Peter said, in verse 28: ‘… God has shown me that I should not call any MAN common or unclean.’ And so, the disciples recognized the purpose of the vision–it was to show the New Testament Church that God had ‘granted to the GENTILES repentance to life’ (Acts 11:18).”
As mentioned, 1 Timothy 4:1-5 is another Scripture used by some in an attempt to “prove” that there is no longer any distinction between clean and unclean animals. But note that this is not what that passage says.
Rather, we learn that some false demonic-inspired preachers prohibit marriage (saying it is defiled or polluted and not as holy as celibacy), and other deceiving teachers say that one must abstain from FOOD which God has created to be received with thanksgiving (compare verse 3). But God never created unclean animals for food. As we have seen, the distinction between clean and unclean animals already existed under Noah, long before Moses; it still existed long after Christ’s death, when Peter refused to eat unclean meat; and it will still exist at the time of Christ’s return, as God will punish those who consume the flesh of pigs and other unclean animals, calling such a practice “abominable.”
In 1 Timothy 4:1-5, Paul is not permitting the consumption of the meat of unclean animals, but he addresses those false preachers who teach against the consumption of meat of CLEAN animals, because of religious reasons. Paul is condemning the concept of that version of vegetarianism that is taught by people believing that they must not eat meat because they perceive it to be holy. (We might think of the belief in “holy” cows in certain parts of the world.) God says through Paul that every creature CREATED FOR FOOD (verse 3) is good and can be eaten, AS IT IS SANCTIFIED BY THE WORD OF GOD (verse 5). God’s Word, the Bible, never sanctified or set aside for consumption unclean animals, but it DOES sanctify or set aside for consumption the meat of every CLEAN animal. We are permitted to eat the flesh of clean animals with thanksgiving, for we believe God and His Word, and we know the truth (verse 3). And such consumption is good (verse 4) and also sanctified by prayer (verse 5), as we thank God (verse 4) and ask Him to bless the food and to set it aside for the nourishing of our bodies.
At least some commentaries are honest enough to admit that the Scripture in 1 Timothy 4:1-5 does not even address, let alone abolish the distinction between clean and unclean animals.
For instance, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible recognizes that the statement in verse 4, “For every creature of God is good,” can be grossly misunderstood and misinterpreted, when taken out of context; and so the following is stated:
“Nor does it mean that all that God has made is good ‘for every object to which it can be applied.’ It is good in its place; good for the purpose for which he made it. But it should not be inferred that a thing which is poisonous in its nature is good for food, ‘because’ it is a creation of God. It is good only in its place, and for the ends for which he intended it. Nor should it be inferred that what God has made is necessarily good ‘after’ it has been perverted by man.”
The creation of unclean animals, even though it is described as good in the first chapter of the book of Genesis, did not occur for the purpose of consumption through man. But a clean animal is “good” for consumption.
Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible adds:
“For every creature of God is good – That is: Every creature which God has made for man’s nourishment is good for that purpose, and to be thankfully received whenever necessary for the support of human life; and nothing of that sort is at any time to be refused.”
In addition, the People’s New Testament comments:
“Commanding to abstain from meats. The ascetic practices which began to grow up in the church a little later extended to foods. To eat the least palatable food which would sustain life was counted a virtue. These ascetics generally forbade animal food, and some lived only on bread and water. These practices are still found among certain orders of the Latin and Eastern churches.”
A similar explanation is given by Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible:
“… to abstain from meats: not from some certain meats forbidden by the law of Moses… but from all meats at some certain season of the year, as at what they call the Quadragesima or Lent, and at some days in the week, as Wednesdays and Fridays; and this all under an hypocritical pretence of holiness, and temperance, and keeping under the body, and of mortification; when they are the greatest pamperers of their bodies, and indulge themselves in all manner of sensuality: the evil of this is exposed by the apostle…”
For instance, it is well-known that ultra-orthodox Catholics refrain from eating meat on Fridays—and especially on “Good Friday”–claiming that they do so in remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion. They prefer to eat fish on that day. But apart from the fact that Christ was not crucified on a Friday, but on a Wednesday [for proof, read our free booklet, “Jesus Christ—a Great Mystery”], the Bible does not prohibit us to eat the meat of a clean animal on the day of His crucifixion. For the real origin of Lent and the Catholic “custom” to eat fish on Friday, please read our Q&A, “Why do some Christians eat fish on ‘Good Friday’?”.
However, God still requires that we abstain from consuming the meat of UNCLEAN animals. For further study, please read our Q&A, listing clean and unclean animals; our Q&A, discussing the use of medicines, vitamins and mineral supplements derived from unclean animals, and the use of gelatin products, which might be derived from parts of unclean animals; and our Q&A, pertaining to the prohibition of eating certain parts of clean animals, such as food and fat.
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
