On July 30, 2022, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “On Belay,” and Brian Gale will present the sermon, titled, “What Are Our Priorities?”

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.

Have you ever experienced feelings of discouragement? When things go wrong, as they often do—at least seemingly—have you wondered whether God is really there… being really involved in your life, guiding and directing it? Did promises that God even knows about what you are thinking and what you will be saying lose their meaning, somehow, during those times?

Now, I hate to admit it but there were moments in my life when I felt exactly that way.

Surely, you and I know certain key Scriptures… Scriptures such as that all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28); that the very hairs of our head are all numbered (Matthew 10:30); that God will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)… but how real, how relevant, how ever-present are those promises when hard times hit us? Are we really convinced even then, that nothing… and I mean, nothing! – can happen to us, unless God specifically allows it… and that He does so for a grandiose reason and purpose?

It may become easy to dismiss or forget such knowledge and fall into the trap of believing in “time and chance”—it just “happens” to us; our misery has nothing to do with God being or not being there and watching over us!

I have found and concluded and am convinced that believing in the concept of “time and chance” is perhaps the surest way of destroying our faith in Almighty God. While “time and chance” does happen to this world, it quite decisively does NOT rule over true Christians. As we explain in our free booklet, “Human Suffering, Why… and How Much Longer?”, “True Christians are NOT in the ‘hand’ of time and chance. Rather, Solomon tells US: ‘… the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God’ (Ecclesiastes 9:1). David understood, too, that he was in God’s hands. He wrote, in Psalm 31:15: ‘My times are in Your hand.’ He knew that he was always, constantly, and completely under God’s observation, His protection, and in His loving care… as are all true Christians today. God promises that nothing will happen to us that is too difficult for us to bear (compare 1 Corinthians 10:13). This means, then, that God must be watching us every second to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise.”

But knowing this intellectually and believing it wholeheartedly, without any shred of doubt, even in times of serious trials, may be two different things. Christ gave all of us this clear and at the same time serious and sobering challenge: “… when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). He was not just talking about any kind of faith, but THE faith—the living faith of Christ and God the Father in us. With THAT faith, we can move mountains, and nothing will be impossible for us. But we must cultivate that faith, growing in it.

Christ never lost that special faith of His Father in Him. He never believed for one second that He was just the potential victim of “time and chance”. He never became discouraged (Isaiah 42:4). But this does not mean that He never struggled with His human nature, or that His human will was always identical with the Father’s Will. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: “…not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).  And He submitted to the Father’s Will (John 6:38)… never sinning by rebelling against it—always believing that the Father’s Will was the best for Him.

That is what we must believe too… how we must behave, and what we have always to remind ourselves of. Even if we don’t understand why some things “happen” to us, we MUST be fully convinced that whatever trials we are confronted with, God knows about them, and He is most powerful to intervene every time when it is in accordance with His Will. Sometimes, He might not act immediately, for His very purpose, but we must never doubt that God is there and that He knows what He is doing.

To accept, believe and live this Truth is not always easy. To really embrace the fact that His thoughts are so much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), and that His understanding and foresight are so much more superior than ours might pose quite a challenge for us at times. And then, discouragement can creep in—even finding fault with God. Elijah thought at one time that God was unfair… that He had fought for God but that he was left all alone (1 Kings 19:14). He felt at that moment that his work was useless and without meaning and effect. Jeremiah even exclaimed that God had become to him “like an unreliable stream, As waters that fail” (Jeremiah 15:18).

But God showed them, and many others, that their perspective and concept of Him was wrong; that He had been with them all the time, and that His purpose will stand (Isaiah 14:24).  And so, God tells us today: “But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” (Isaiah 43:1-3).

With this ever-present conviction, we can walk with the invisible God as if we could see Him (Hebrews 11:27). By KNOWING that God is with us and in us, we can overcome fear and discouragement (Deuteronomy 1:21). We will not always be successful in this, and we might slip and fall, but we can get up again and keep on walking (Proverbs 24:16). And we can—and must—wholeheartedly agree with Paul when he encourages all of us: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

by Norbert Link

We begin with a deal between Russia and Ukraine to allow the export of needed grain from Ukraine, but subsequent events cast a shadow of doubt on the effectiveness of that arrangement. We address some of Ukraine’s unpopular moves and publish the opinion that Ukraine—and Europe—are losing the war against Russia.

We point out the dire state of America’s economy; incredible hypocrisy and political “blindness” of some American politicians; and discuss the contempt court conviction of Trump advisor Steve Bannon which has been labeled by legal experts as unconstitutional.

We speak on the fight against the traditional family in the UK and attempts to codify same-sex marriages in the USA; and we report on the controversy between the Pope and German Catholic Bishops; as well as the “apologies” for sinful misconduct by the Catholic and the Protestant Churches.

Turning to the history of COVID measures, restrictions and persecutions of “dissidents,” we report on a court decision in Canada reversing what appeared to have been blatantly illegal conduct by politicians, the police and the courts towards Pastor Artur Pawlowski and others; Dr. Fauci’s irresponsible and dangerous “follies”; further speculations about the origin of Covid-19; and the lies of Trump’s White House Covid response coordinator Deborah Birx; and we point out the undeniable dangers of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars especially for kids and young adults being targeted, among others, by the tobacco industry.

We conclude with an article speculating about the possibility that Boris Johnson may be planning a comeback.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled “COVID 19–a Man-Made Pandemic?”

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

Ukraine and Russia Sign Deal to Export Grain

The Associated Press wrote on July 22:

“Russia and Ukraine signed separate agreements Friday with Turkey and the United Nations clearing the way for exporting millions of tons of desperately needed Ukrainian grain — as well as Russian grain and fertilizer — ending a wartime standoff that had threatened food security around the globe.

“The deal will enable Ukraine — one of the world’s key breadbaskets — to export 22 million tons of grain and other agricultural products that have been stuck in Black Sea ports due to Russia’s invasion…

The deal makes provisions for the safe passage of ships through the heavily mined waters.

“A coordination center will be established in Istanbul, staffed by U.N., Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian officials, to monitor the ships and run the process through specific corridors. Ships would undergo inspections to ensure they are not carrying weapons…

“A key element of the deal is an agreement by both Russia and Ukraine that there will be no attacks on any of the vessels, according to the official. It will take a few weeks before the deal is fully working, the official noted.”

Deutsche Welle added on July 22:

“The signing of the deal comes a day after Russia restored critical gas supplies to Europe via Germany… The Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline had been shut for 10 days of maintenance, stoking fears it might not be turned on again. However, while it did come back online, the gas being sent through was only at 40% capacity.”

Russia Further Cuts Gas Deliveries to Germany

Deutsche Welle reported on July 25:

“Russian gas giant Gazprom said Monday it was cutting daily gas deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to 33 million cubic metres starting Wednesday. That would correspond to 20% of the pipeline’s capacity. The current flow of gas into Germany is only at 40%.  The company said it was halting the operation of another turbine due to the ‘technical condition of the engine.’…  Germany says the cuts are not the result of maintenance or technical issues but are punishment for EU sanctions… Germany, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas, has previously accused the Kremlin of using energy as a ‘weapon.’”

Putin also stated that negotiations regarding the Nord Stream 2 pipeline may have to be resumed. German Chancellor Scholz rejected the idea. In the meantime, the EU is waiving several sanctions imposed on Russia.

Russia’s Breach of Contract?

The Associated Press wrote on July 23:

“Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa just hours after Moscow and Kyiv signed deals to allow grain exports to resume from there. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry denounced Saturday’s airstrikes as ‘spit in the face’ of Turkey and the United Nations, which brokered the agreements…

“The head of Zelenskyy’s office, Andriy Yermak, said on Twitter that the Odesa strike coming so soon after the endorsement of the Black Sea ports deal illustrated ‘the Russian diplomatic dichotomy.’”

Newsmax added on July 23:

“‘In our contact with Russia, the Russians told us that they had absolutely nothing to do with this attack, and that they were examining the issue very closely and in detail,’ [Turkey’s] Defence Minister Hulusai Akar said in a statement. ‘The fact that such an incident took place right after the agreement we made yesterday really worried us,’ he added.”

This war will not end until Russia has achieved what it wants to achieve… for now. Ultimately, as we have emphasized over and over again, Russia and Ukraine [the modern Medes] will be united against continental Europe [modern Babylon]. And they will be used to destroy it. Compare Revelation 18:1-2, 21; 19:2-3.

Ukraine Places Prominent Americans on Their Blacklist

The Washington Examiner wrote on July 25:

“The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation released a list of politicians, academics, and activists who it claimed promote ‘Russian propaganda.’ The list, published on July 14, includes multiple high-level U.S. figures, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). The criteria for making the list are not clear, and the agency did not say what consequences, if any, result from being placed on the list…”

UnHerd.com added:

“Heterodox journalist Glenn Greenwald also rejected being called a Russian propagandist… ‘War proponents in the West and other functionaries of Western security state agencies have used the same tactics for decades to demonize anyone questioning the foreign policy of the US and NATO. Chief among them, going back to the start of the Cold War, is accusing any dissidents of spreading ‘Russian propaganda’ or otherwise serving the Kremlin…’

“‘The Ukrainians have the absolute right to pursue whatever war policies they want. But when they start demanding that my country and my government use its resources to fuel their war effort, then I, along with all other Americans, have the absolute right to question that policy or to point out its dangers and risks. I don’t care at all about Ukraine’s attempts to shut down debate in our country by smearing journalists and politicians who are questioning US/NATO policy as being Russian propagandists…’”

It was pointed out that even though America and Europe claim that they have to support Ukraine against Russia for upholding and protecting democracy, the conduct of Ukraine’s leadership has been anything but democratic. This includes, not allowing single men to leave the country, suppressing any news agencies criticizing Ukrainian politics and jailing journalists who do.  

Ukraine and Europe Lose Against Russia

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on July 27:

“Beyond the damage in Ukraine, the war also has significant casualties in the rest of Europe as the continent is losing its most competitive energy supplies, compromising the region’s manufacturing edge and accelerating an inflation wave that through higher energy costs will severely affect the wellbeing of its population this coming winter.

“Europe has been trying for years to diversify its energy sources but it did not have a comprehensive contingency plan to counteract the impact of abruptly severing access to Russia’s oil and gas since the beginning of the Ukraine war. European politicians have grossly exaggerated the substitution potential of other energy sources (like LNG) and are facing the need to accept alternatives that not too long ago were considered politically unpalatable, like the reopening of coal production in Germany.

“How this gross miscalculation took place?… It can be argued that the wrong assessment on the war outcome has its roots in faulty US-British intelligence which forecasted Russia’s defeat through economic warfare and, therefore, a limited impact of sanctions on Europe. This not being the case has now made European leadership to scramble for solutions…

“On the other hand, dissenting and unorthodox European political views are sounding louder, as Hungarian prime minister Orban’s recent speech where he boldly mentioned that Russian sanctions and arming Ukraine have failed, Ukraine can’t win the war, the more weapons go to Ukraine the more territory it will lose…”

Further Raise of Interest Rates

Breitbart wrote on July 27:

“The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark interest rate target by three-quarters of a percentage point… This is the second consecutive 0.75 point raise, a rate of increases that is unprecedented in the modern era of interest rate targeting…

“The U.S. economy contracted 1.6 percent in the first three months of the year. Two consecutive quarterly contractions is often considered a recession…

“The Biden administration has been insisting that the economy should not be considered to be in a recession even if it shrinks in the second quarter, pointing to the historically low unemployment rate. Critics have said the administration is attempting to redefine recession to avoid being blamed for a serious downturn. Much of that debate, however, is likely to be moot in the near future. Most economists now think a recession will start next year, with many thinking it will begin in the first half of next year. A few think it may come even earlier. Bank of America says it thinks the economy will be in a recession this year.”

Deutsche Welle added:

“The increase is the fourth since March and brings the interest rate to its highest level since 2018. The move comes as inflation, at 9.1%, has been increasing at its fastest rate in 41 years… The aim of the central bank is to increase the cost of borrowing, for example for a car or a mortgage on a house, so that consumers are less likely to borrow and spend. The hope is then for the economy to cool and for inflation to slow down.

“But with the US economy already slowing down, the interest rate hike may be increasing the risk of inducing a recession.”

Many feel we are already in a recession. Regardless, the American people are hurting, and they don’t care for political games and interpretations.  

US Government Corrupt?

Reason wrote on July 25:

“A new poll from the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics finds a majority of Americans think the government is corrupt and stacked against them… 73 percent of poll respondents who identify as ‘strong Republican’ respondents agreed with the statement that the government is ‘corrupt and rigged against everyday people like me.’… Fifty-one percent of ‘very liberal’ voters agreed with the same statement. Overall, 56 percent of survey respondents said that the government is corrupt. This included 66 percent of all Republican respondents, 63 percent of independents, and 46 percent of Democrats.

“The survey… found that a significant number of people expect that extreme measures may be necessary to protect against government overreach. 28 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that ‘it may be necessary at some point soon for citizens to take up arms against the government.’ Thirty-six percent of Republicans, 35 percent of independents, and 20 percent of Democrats agreed…

“Most respondents, regardless of political affiliation, were also in agreement that ‘it should be illegal for private companies such as Verizon, Google and Facebook to collect information about people’s phone and internet usage.’”

Hypocritical Democrats Questioned Republican Wins in 2016 and 2004

Newsmax wrote on July 22:

“Former President Donald Trump overnight shared a video montage showing 10 minutes of Democrats, ranging from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, denying the results of elections, including several who questioned his win in 2016… Trump’s posts, and the video, came after the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks at the Capitol — which Trump calls the ‘Unselect’ Committee — held its eighth hearing Thursday night.

“In the prime-time hearing, the last before the committee resumes in September, testimony was presented accusing Trump of dereliction of duty for not stopping what was happening that day… The testimony, over the three hours, outlined a case that during the incidents, Trump was in a dining room near the Oval Office, where he watched televised reports of what was happening at the Capitol and rejected pleas from aides, staff, and congressional Republicans to stop the violence that was unfolding. The testimony also said he was calling senators to try to stop Congress from certifying the Electoral College results.

“The video Trump posted early Friday first shows Clinton commenting after her loss to Trump in 2016 that ‘you can run the best campaign, you can even become the nominee and you can have the election stolen from you.’ It goes on to several key Democrats, mainly questioning his 2016 win and blaming the victory on Russian interference:

“Vice President Kamala Harris: Agreed with a show host’s contention that Trump was an ‘illegitimate president that didn’t really win.’ President Joe Biden: Agreed with an audience member that Trump was not a legitimate president. Former President Jimmy Carter: Maintained that Trump did not win in 2016 and that he was ‘put into office because the Russians interfered.’

“The video also shows political figures questioning former President George W. Bush’s win over Al Gore, including Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe saying that if all Florida’s votes had been counted, Gore would have been elected.

“Others featured in the video while questioning election results included Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., saying people are ‘very worried that when they cast a ballot on an electric voting machine that there is no paper trail to record that vote’ and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, saying that ‘we cannot declare that the election of 2004 was free and clear’ and that there must be ‘independent testing of the voting machines’ in Ohio, after President George W. Bush’s win over Democrat nominee John Kerry.

“The video wraps with Harris declaring that Abrams would be the governor in Georgia, and with Abrams commenting that she stands by her decision refusing to concede she lost the race.”

A great video by Trump, showing the incredible hypocrisy of those Democrats featured in the video. It again raises the distinct possibility, if not probability, that the election in 2020 was stolen from Trump. That would of course mean that Biden is an illegitimate president, and that Trump was the duly elected President in 2020. Here is a link to the video. Judge for yourself.\ https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/108689194787620302

More Political Hypocrisies

The New York Post wrote on July 23:

“Democrats have carved out quite a niche for themselves as the party of the have-nots, even if it’s mostly a hypocritical marketing ploy. Bernie Sanders, the socialist, lives a pretty non-socialist life with a town house, a vacation home…  while he claims to champion the proletariat.

“There’s no shortage of similar examples… The latest of these ‘freedom for me but not for thee’ ­hypocrisies involves the matter of Paul Pelosi, [husband] of Nancy Pelosi… [He][ has been killing it in the stock market in recent years… enough of his winners involve companies that appear to have been benefiting from legislation that his wife, as the powerful… house speaker, has a hand in… Nancy ­Pelosi is one of the richest members of Congress — with an estimated net worth of more than $100 million on an annual salary of about $200,000.

“The power couple have a vineyard in tony Napa Valley plus many of the perks of wealth and status. She represents the dysfunctional congressional district in and around San Francisco, which means she’s regularly attacking wealth creators while virtue signaling about the poor and downtrodden…

“Insider trading — or trading stocks on material, non-public information — is a crime, of course. Recent legislation puts people who use information they learned based on their position in Congress (or their spouse’s) in the same slimy bucket. But most lawmakers who have been investigated for allegedly ­using their position to trade almost always never face criminal charges. See the case of North Carolina Republican Sen. Richard Burr. Lawmakers get private briefings, as Burr did before selling stock just before the pandemic rocked the markets. They can and do point to the fact that the same information was swirling around on the Internet or business television. “

“That’s why any case against Paul Pelosi would likely go nowhere. His timing on Nvidia may have been fishy, but he could just as easily point to countless news reports about the legislation going back at least six months, long ­before his trades were made.

“So it may not be illegal— but it sure does look scummy. The Pelosis are in positions of influence with access to information not available to most Americans. And they have no shame taking millions while Nancy Pelosi leads a party that is dedicated to virtue signaling about the sins of capitalism….”

As the old saying goes: “I am for socialism and communism, as long as it does not hurt me.” But God will deal with the hypocrites in His due time (Isaiah 33:14).

Blind on the Left Eye

GBH News reported on July 23:

“The leader of a known Neo-Nazi group was placed into custody today by Boston Police following a demonstration by the group in Jamaica Plain. The protest by NSC-131 took place outside the historic Loring Greenough House where residents had gathered for a children’s drag queen story hour, an event in which individuals in drag read to children. The white supremacist demonstrators shouted anti-LGBTQ slogans and taunted counter-demonstrators who had gathered across the street amid a heavy police presence. Among those arrested was NSC-131 leader, Chris Hood, on charges of disturbing the peace according to Boston police. He was handcuffed and transported to the West Roxbury precinct… They too were charged with disturbing the peace. Reports of injuries during the protest and counter protest were not confirmed by GBH News.

“Hours after the protest, residents stood outside the Greenough House to show support for their LGBTQ neighbors…”

We most certainly do not condone, endorse or support activities of Neo-Nazi groups or white supremacists. On the other hand, the prejudice against those who are opposing drag queen activities for children, apparently without resorting to violence, is stunning in light of the fact that Antifa, BLM and other radical left-wing groups are permitted to conduct violent demonstrations without having to face any arrests.

Conviction of Bannon Unconstitutional

The Daily Beast wrote on July 23:

“After former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was found guilty Friday of contempt of Congress, attorney and former Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz was on Newsmax complaining about the jury, calling the conviction ‘entirely in violation of the Constitution,’ and predicting that a higher court will ‘very likely’ overturn it. ‘The only provision of the Constitution, which appears basically twice, is trial by jury in and in front of a fair jury. Number one, he didn’t have a fair jury. Number two, the judge took his defenses away from him,’ claimed Dershowtiz.

“Bannon’s legal team chose not to call a single witness in his defense. The jury in the case, composed of Washington, D.C. residents, took just three hours to come to its conclusion. After Newsmax host Greta Van Susteren said the district is ‘94 percent Democrat,’ Dershowitz chimed in, ‘Well, not only that, but probably 97 percent Trump haters.’ He added, ‘And all you had to do was say, “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this man Bannon worked for Trump.” That’s the end of the case.’”

Dershowitz also said: “The judge denied him a jury trial. They wouldn’t allow him to put it on evidence that he believed that there was an executive privilege involved, and he wanted a judicial determination before he violated the executive privilege.”

Steve Bannon commented:

“I only have one disappointment and that is the gutless members of that show trial committee, the J6 Committee didn’t have the guts to come down here and testify in open court…  We may have lost the battle here today but we’re not going to lose the war…”

Fox News wrote on July 22:

“After his contempt of Congress conviction Friday, former Trump strategist Steve Bannon warned Democrats are waging an ‘ideological war’ that regular Americans must win, pointing to the House January 6 committee and Biden administration as being tinged with Chinese Communist Party style governance… Bannon expressed confidence he will continue to mount his appeals, saying the law is on his side against a ‘lawless committee [conducting] a blatantly unethical and one-sided investigation.’”

It appears that Bannon’s conviction must be overturned… if fair and honest procedures are employed. Sadly, not much righteousness, justice, fairness and equity can be found in the land today (compare Isaiah 5:7).

The Fight Against the Traditional Family

Daily Mail wrote on July 23:

“The whole thing, which operates in the name of ‘gender equality’, is based on the firm belief that women ought to go out and earn wages to be fulfilled and that the raising of the next generation is a second-rate task, best farmed out to paid strangers…. It suits the state, because it creates millions of new taxpayers. And it suits big business, because it provides a willing new workforce.  And, of course, it suits the minority of women who pursue exciting high-flying careers of the Cherie Blair type, and who can afford good nannies.

“It is not so great for those who must work in call centres and such places, leaving their young all day in dreary childcare. And it is pretty terrible for the children themselves…  If a woman (or a man for that matter) prefers to stay at home to bring up and educate the young, conservatives respect them for it and, at the very least, don’t get in their way. But look at how the tax breaks and the social attitudes go, if you want to choose this way of life.

“The tax and benefits system, and the attitudes of all parts of the state, will help almost any form of childcare – except the one where a parent stays at home to do it and the family has to cope on a single income. Since this form of ‘equality’ got under way, the old form of family has been badly squeezed. You have to be rich, or grimly determined, or both, to do it. And in any case this point of view is now dismissed by millions as bigoted. Why does nobody in politics oppose this anti-family policy, even though there are good, strong arguments against it?…

“… traditional ideas about the family have been falsely classified and smeared as ‘phobias’ about other ways of life.  Defend traditional marriage, the type of family universally accepted as good and normal until recently, from discrimination against it, and the radicals will not bother to argue with you. They will just try to destroy you by claiming that you wish to discriminate against them.”

God condemns those who want to replace the traditional family with all the wrong and unbiblical alternatives.

Rubio vs. Buttigieg

Fox News reported on July 25:

“Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hit out at [Sen. Marco] Rubio early Sunday over the senator’s opposition to codifying gay marriage. Rubio fired back in a video on Twitter, mocking the Biden administration official for telling Americans suffering under high gas prices to buy expensive electric cars. ‘We have a transportation secretary named Pete Buttigieg who believes that highways can be racist; who believes that $5 gas—which is killing working Americans—is a great thing because that means people are gonna drive less, or because everyone is now gonna go out and buy a $65,000 electric car with a Chinese battery in it,’ Rubio said. ‘I’m gonna focus on the real problems. I’m not gonna focus on the agenda dictated by a bunch of affluent, elite liberals and a bunch of Marxist misfits who sadly today control the agenda of the modern Democratic Party,’ he added.

“Rubio had previously called the push to codify gay marriage in Congress a ‘stupid waste of time.’  Democrats began pushing the bill after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, causing some within the party to fear that Obergefell v. Hodges, the ruling creating a right to gay marriage, could fall as well… The same-sex marriage bill passed through the House of Representatives last week and now must gain the support of at least 10 Republicans to pass the Senate.”

Pete Buttigieg is famously openly gay and the “wife” to his male partner, “husband” Chasten Buttigieg, born as “Chasten James Glezman.” But the homosexual lifestyle is condemned by God, both in the Old and in the New Testament (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:24, 27).

Pope vs. German Bishops

Fox News wrote on July 21:

“Pope Francis on Thursday took a swing at the Catholic Church’s leadership in Germany, reminding faithful in the country that the German bishops do not have the authority to propagate new theology or alter church governance… In the message, the pope expressed concern for the laity and clergy of Germany if their leaders break with established church teaching. The statement claimed that Catholics would be negatively affected by the many proposed changes to the church pushed by Cardinal Reinhard Marx and other liberal German leaders in their ‘Synodal Path.’… The synod, organized by the German Bishops’ Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics, aims at discussing and addressing four loose topics: sexual ethics, the structure of church governance, women’s role in the church and the vocation of the priesthood…

“Marx, who spearheaded the committee, has tabled propositions to change teachings on homosexuality, marriage, masturbation, female priests and more that go against the Catechism of the Catholic Church. A significant alteration in the governance of the German Church or its belief system could push it into schism with the Holy See, thereby splintering out of the Catholic Church. Such a conflict could prove catastrophic for both German Catholics and the Catholic Church at large — thanks to a long-standing government ‘church tax,’ the Catholic Church in Germany is perhaps the wealthiest branch of the institution.”

Especially the Catholic Church in Germany seems to be moving more and more to the left, thereby clearly inviting strong controversy with the Vatican. Pope Francis may not be the one able to control this fight and return the Catholic Church to its historic conservative stance, but a successor might very well do that.

Churches Apologize

AP wrote on July 23:

“When Pope Francis apologizes to Indigenous groups on Canadian soil this week, he will make another effort toward healing harms inflicted at church-run residential schools — and add to the Catholic Church’s growing ledger of atonement for past transgressions. Like the papacy, top Protestant leaders also have gradually issued institutional mea culpas for their churches’ historical wrongs. Many of the apologies on behalf of Christian denominations are for grave offenses: genocide, sex abuse, slavery, war and more… For 1,900 years, churches didn’t apologize for the bad things that they did…  significant apologies [came] in the aftermath of World War II, especially a declaration by Germany’s Protestant churches that they failed to adequately oppose the Nazis. It was among the first in a series of recognitions that Christian institutions themselves committed wrongs…”

Of course, the Catholic Church in Germany did not oppose Naziism either. The Catholic and the Protestant churches will have a lot to “apologize” for when they will work with the “beast” in persecuting true Christians and engaging in military activities in the prophesied near future (compare Revelation 13:4, 6, 15).

Justice for Pastor Pawlowski and His Brother?

Life Site News wrote on July 22:

“An appeals court today nullified contempt charges against Alberta pastor Artur Pawlowski and his brother Dawid for protesting COVID health rules, ruling that a ‘not sufficiently clear’ May 2021 ban on virus protests did not apply to them. ‘The Pawlowskis’ appeals are allowed. The finding of contempt and the sanction order are set aside. The fines that have been paid by them are to be reimbursed,’ wrote a penal of three judges, Justices Barbara Lea Veldhuis, Michelle Crighton and JJo’Anne Strekaf.

“The Alberta judges ordered that Pawlowski and Dawid be reimbursed by Alberta Health Services (AHS) for all costs associated with their appeal, including fines paid. The fine amounts that must be returned are $23,000 for Artur and $10,000 for Dawid. Also, the court ordered that the brothers be paid $15,733.50 in costs associated with their appeal by AHS.

“In essence, the judges ruled that Pawlowski and his brother’s jail time, arrests, and charges along with the censorship mandate by the court were not valid.

“The Pawlowskis made international headlines after they were arrested in a highway takedown in May 2021 for holding worship services contrary to Alberta’s COVID rules affecting church service capacity limits. The Pawlowskis  served three nights in jail before being released on bail.

“They were jailed under a court injunction dated May 6, 2021, by Alberta Chief Justice J. Rooke, who placed a ban on ‘illegal’ protests in Alberta against COVID mandates. This order allowed police to arrest, detain, and imprison anyone who disobeyed. However, this order was intended to be directed at Christopher Scott, the owner of Whistle Stop Café in Mirror, Alberta, who earlier defied government health orders and opened for dine-in service…

“The Pawlowski brothers and Scott were found to be in contempt of a court order by Justice Adam Germain in May 2021. However, the brothers appealed the contempt charges and other sanctions imposed on them. Today, the appeals panel ruled that Rooke’s injunction ‘was not sufficiently clear and unambiguous.’ As a result, the panel also reduced penalties placed on Scott to time served…

“Under Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, many were fined and others jailed for fighting against his government’s draconian COVID rules, which severely impacted thousands of businesses.

“After the judges’ decision regarding Pawlowski was released earlier today, many praised it as a win for religious freedom… Olympic gold medalist and former NHL Canadian hockey legend Theo Fleury tweeted,  ‘Congrats to Pastor Arthur for your courage strength and perseverance… You were and always will be on the right side of history…’ Jamie Salé, gold medal pairs figure skating champion who recently spoke out on her ‘awakening’ to combat the COVID narrative, tweeted, ‘The TRUTH WINS again in the case of Art P!!!’

“In total, since the start of the COVID crisis, Pawlowski was jailed not less than five times. After his last arrest, he was initially denied bail when a provincial judge ruled he was a threat to ‘public safety.’ This despite his purported ‘crimes’ being completely non-violent in nature… Pawlowski was jailed for nearly three months after speaking out against COVID mandates when he gave a sermon to truckers blockading the highway in Coutts, Alberta.”

This is a classic example of terrible injustice in an authoritarian country under left-wing dictator Justin Trudeau, fueled by uninformed propaganda disseminated by proverbial politicians. Note the next two articles as well.

Fauci’s Irresponsible Follies

The New York Post published on July 23 the following opinion piece:

“The man almost single handedly responsible for the failed COVID policies of the past two-plus years has announced that he will be retiring soon.  For many of us, that day cannot come soon enough. During the first year of the pandemic, Anthony Fauci MD was a study in confusion. He expressed wildly conflicting opinions about how lethal and contagious the coronavirus was depending on who he was talking to. In private he questioned whether it could be spread asymptomatically, whether wearing masks could help contain it, and whether it was possible to be re-infected.

“In public he warned us that we were facing a viral apocalypse, touting a pandemic model from the Imperial College in London that predicted millions upon millions of US deaths. It turned out that the model was algorithmic garbage, but that didn’t stop America’s most famous virologist from recommending — in mid-March 2020 — that the economy of the entire country be shut down indefinitely, 40 million people be put out of work, tens of millions of children be denied an education, and millions of ‘nonessential’ small businesses be shuttered, many never to reopen.

“Under Fauci’s influence, the US Coronavirus Task Force then proceeded to commit every epidemiological sin in the book.  Among his mistakes were:

“… At the outset of the US outbreak, Fauci insisted on contact tracing. An enormous amount of valuable time and resources was wasted trying to track down every last person who might have come into contact with every person who might have had COVID — because Fauci insisted on it.  He actually made Zoom calls to groups of hundreds of ‘contact tracers’… For a highly infectious airborne viral infection, however, it was a criminal misuse of public health resources that did nothing to stop the spread of the disease…

“From the first, Fauci was calling for nationwide school closures… Few dared to question the all-knowing Dr. Fauci in those days, but the proper response to his fear-mongering about infections among children would have been: So what if children get infected? Their risk of dying from COVID-19 is effectively zero, far lower than their risk of dying from the seasonal flu, which itself is minuscule…

“Closing America’s schools did not save lives. But it did have a destructive effect on the academic performance and the emotional health of children… As professors Martin Kulldorff and Jay Bhattacharya wrote at the end of 2021, ‘Considering the devastating effects of school closures on children, Dr. Fauci’s advocacy for school closures may be the single biggest mistake of his career.’

“… Perhaps one day Fauci will tell us why, throughout the last half of 2020 and 2021, he ignored, dismissed, even ridiculed the idea that those who had recovered from COVID-19 had acquired natural immunity. This wasn’t the way he was talking at the outset of the pandemic. In a March 2020 interview with Trevor Noah of Comedy Central, for example, Fauci asserted that it was highly likely that those who had been infected with coronavirus were now immune… You don’t have to be an immunologist like Fauci to know this, of course. Medical practitioners have known about natural immunity since at least the time of the Antonine Plague that began in 165 AD. Everyone who’s had high school biology knows about natural immunity from disease.

“… Fauci committed his ‘original pandemic sin’ long before the present pandemic by playing a key role in enabling it. The long-time head of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease was the chief cheerleader and funder of gain of function research — the dangerous idea that deadly viruses could be created and studied in the lab to help prevent the next pandemic. China was happy for its scientists — including the head of the Wuhan Institute of Virology — to be taught these techniques in Fauci-funded labs. After COVID-19 likely leaked from that Wuhan lab, Fauci’s errors began to multiply as rapidly as the coronaviruses he paid Chinese scientists to collect in bat caves and study. He made a bad situation much, much worse.”

Fox News wrote on July 23:

“Fauci says he still believes that the coronavirus originated in nature but acknowledged he is keeping an ‘open mind.’ Fox News host Bret Baier pressed Fauci on emails showing that Fauci has previously dismissed the lab leak theory as a ‘shiny object’ that will ‘go away’ when discussing the origin with top scientists…

“Fauci has faced heated criticism from Republicans who have suggested a possible government coverup on the origins of the virus which many believe came from a lab in Wuhan, China and not an animal in nature. Republican Sen. Rand Paul said on Fox News this week that if his party takes control of Congress in November that Fauci will be forced to testify under oath about the origins of the virus and gain of function research that Fauci’s office was reportedly conducting at the Wuhan lab. ‘I do fully believe this virus, this pandemic that killed 6 million people around the world, leaked from the lab,’ Paul said on America Reports. ‘But I think there was a concerted effort by him and his colleagues to cover this up and make sure it didn’t come to light, that the NIH was funding that lab and that there was reasonable scientific evidence that suggests that it came from the lab. So he’s going to be made to testify under oath. And I hope he sticks around because we do have some questions.’”

The bad news is, many “scientists” around the world followed Fauci’s dangerous and incompetent directives. And they still do this today, including Germany’s doom-and-gloom Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who received advice from Fauci while in Washington. Lauterbach declared on his return to Germany that “Germany and the US will cooperate on how best to control the next outbreak of COVID-19” (Deutsche Welle, dated July 23). This sounds terribly dangerous!

Origin of Corona Virus Pandemic?

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 27:

“A pair of studies in the latest issue of the journal Science appear to back up the theory that an animal market in the Chinese city of Wuhan really was the source of the coronavirus pandemic… Mammals that can carry the coronavirus — including red foxes, hog badgers and raccoon dogs — were all sold live in the market, the team showed… They found that both lineages jumped from animals at the market to humans on separate occasions, and that one did not come from the other…

“Co-author Kristian Andersen of Scripps Research, based near San Diego in the United States, said the findings did not disprove the lab-leak theory but gave a plausible explanation for the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in humans.”

“Ugly Covid Lies”

On July 25, 2022, Dr. Ron Paul wrote the following editorial in his weekly column:

“After two years of unprecedented government tyranny in the name of fighting a virus, the prime instigators of this infamy are walking free, writing books, and openly pretending they never said the things they clearly said over and over.

“Take Trump’s White House Covid response coordinator Deborah Birx, for example. She was… the principal architect of the disastrous ‘lockdown’ policy that destroyed more lives than Covid itself… She sold the White House on the out-of-thin-air ‘fifteen days to slow the spread’ all the while knowing there was no evidence it would do any such thing… she was also destroying the lives of millions of Americans. The hysteria she created led to countless businesses destroyed, countless suicides, major depressions, drug and alcohol addictions. It led to countless deaths due to delays in treatment for other diseases. It may turn out to be the most deadly mistake in medical history.

“As she revealed in her book, she actually wanted to isolate every single person in the United States!… She wanted to prevent even two people from meeting. How is it possible that someone like this came to gain so much power over our lives? One virus and we suddenly become Communist China?

“Last week in a Fox News interview she again revealed the extent of her treachery. After months of relentlessly demanding that all Americans get the Covid shots, she revealed that the ‘vaccines’ were not vaccines at all! ‘I knew these vaccines were not going to protect against infection,’ she told Fox. ‘And I think we overplayed the vaccines…’

“So when did she know this? Did she know it when she told ABC in late 2020 that ‘this is one of the most highly-effective vaccines we have in our infectious disease arsenal…’?… she admits in her book, she believes it’s just fine to lie to people in order to get them to do what she wants…

“The big question now, after what appears to be a tsunami of vaccine-related injuries, is will anyone be forced to pay for the lies and subterfuge? Will anyone be held to account for the lives lost for the arrogance of the Birxes and Faucis of the world?”

Sadly, the answer is probably no… for now. But it is going to be quite a different story when they have to appear before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ. Note Matthew 12:36-37.

The Danger of Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars

On July 25, Axios published the following article by the American Heart Association:

“In 2009, Congress ended the sale of flavored cigarettes — except for menthol cigarettes… A study published in the journal Tobacco Control estimated that 650,000 lives would be saved between 2021 and 2060 if the FDA ended the sale of menthol cigarettes… Menthol cigarettes are still on shelves today… From 1980 to 2018, menthol cigarettes led to 10.1 million new smokers, caused 378,000 premature deaths and took nearly 3 million years off people’s lives… More than half a million kids — and even more young adults — use flavored cigars… Cigars are the second-most popular tobacco product among high schoolers…

“Today, tobacco companies relentlessly market menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars to Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, as well as to LGBTQ+ communities and youth… Tobacco companies intentionally hide the health dangers of their products. In reality, smoking harms almost every organ in the body, causes disease and leads to premature death. Menthol also makes it easier for people to start smoking and harder to quit. Tobacco companies deliberately use kid-friendly flavors in their cigars, such as chocolate, strawberry, banana split, cherry dynamite and tropical twist.

“Surveys show that nearly three-quarters of kids who smoke cigars do so because they like the flavors…  In the 1950s, less than 10% of Black people who smoked used menthol cigarettes. Today, about 85% of Black people who smoke use menthols… Tobacco use is a major contributor to three leading causes of death among Black people in America: heart disease, cancer and stroke… Black people account for 41% of all premature deaths from menthol cigarette use, even though they are only 12% of the overall U.S. population.”

Smoking is a sin! It is clearly harmful to the human body. Ephesians 5:29 explains, in principle, how unnatural and ungodly the ugly habit of smoking really is.

Is Boris Johnson to Emulate Winston Churchill?

Express wrote on July 24:

“Christopher Hope, political editor for The Telegraph, said the outgoing Prime Minister could ‘copy his hero Winston Churchill who was pushed out at the 1945 election only to return triumphantly to 10 Downing Street in 1951.’

“Mr Johnson, who will be a caretaker Prime Minister until September, hinted at a possible comeback when he told MPs at his final Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday ‘Hasta la vista, baby’ and said it was ‘mission largely accomplished – for now’…

“…  a growing number in the grassroots have made it clear they want the incumbent Mr Johnson to remain in post.”

There are others who could make a comeback… including Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Following on from the previous two instalments of this series, we continue to review and respond to the antinomianism arguments set forth by the adherents of this belief system, claiming that the law is dead; look at where some who don’t espouse this “understanding” can go wrong; and come to the biblical conclusion on the matter.

Edgar Andrews is another supporter of antinomianism. He wrote: “As regards sanctification, the law can be accorded no special place today in the life of the believer, that is, no place over and above [his emphasis] the rest of Scripture. To suggest that the ten commandments are in some special way the Christian’s rule of life does an injustice to the whole body of New Testament teaching on Christian conduct.” Commenting on Galatians 5:18, he writes: “Had Paul intended to teach that the law, or any part of it, should be the Christian’s rule of life, here was his opportunity to do so. What does he say? He tells us that those led by the Spirit are not beholden to the law with respect to righteous living. Indeed, he seems to go further; being led by the Spirit and being ruled by the law are mutually exclusive in the area of Christian conduct” (compare Welwyn Commentary on Galatians).

OUR RESPONSE:

In our booklet, “Paul’s Letter to the Galatians – How to Understand It!”, we quote Galatians 5:15-18 and explain this passage on pages 58-59:

“‘(Verse 15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (Verse 16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Verse 17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Verse 18) But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.’

“Paul describes again (especially in verse 17) two ways of life, as he had done earlier in his allegory of the two covenants. We can choose to walk in the Spirit (verse 16), which will motivate and empower us to KEEP the law of love, and when we do, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh which will induce us to sin and to break the law (compare 1 John 3:4: “Sin is the transgression of the law.”)’

“But if we chose, instead, to walk in the flesh, we don’t show love, but selfishness, and we will engage in biting and devouring one another (verse 15). Vincent’s Word Studies adds: “Partisan strife will be fatal to the Christian community as a whole. The organic life of the body will be destroyed by its own members.’

“And Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible says: ‘… in their contentions they would destroy the spirituality and happiness of each other; their characters would be ruined; and the church be overthrown. The readiest way to destroy the spirituality of a church, and to annihilate the influence of religion, is to excite a spirit of contention.’

“To walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh is a constant struggle, as Paul explains in verse 17. There is a battle going on in our minds between God’s Spirit and our fleshly desires. And as Abraham had to cast out the bondwoman, so we have to cast out those fleshly desires. When we are led by God’s Spirit and do the things which are pleasing in God’s sight, we are no longer “under the law” (verse 18). When we walk after the Spirit and are led by it, we will keep the law. And since and as long as we don’t break it, we are not under the penalty of the law.”

Rather than being silent on the law or doing away with it, Paul makes it very clear that we must keep it if we want to walk in the Spirit.

Another supporter of antinomianism is Christopher Bennett. He wrote: “The Mosaic law was an expression of God’s holiness in terms of Israel, one nation long ago, and in terms of the people of God in their immature state before Christ came. It is fulfilled by Jesus, both in his life and death, and in his teaching and that of the apostles… The law of Moses, including the ten commandments, is not the direct set of regulations for the Christian – we are not under it any more. Instead we are obliged to obey Jesus’ commands, the ‘law of Christ’(Article in Foundations: Not under law, but not without God’s law).

OUR RESPONSE:

“Not under law, but not without God’s law,” says this writer. If by this he means that we are not under the penalty of the law but have God’s spiritual law which we must follow, then that “puzzling” phrase can be understood; otherwise he makes very little sense.

Jesus said to that He had not come to do away with the law (see Matthew 5:17-20) and he also counselled the rich young ruler to “keep the commandments” where he quoted a number of them (see Matthew 19:16-19). As was pointed out in Dave Harris’ recent Editorial, “Loved and Kept,”  “The Worldwide English (New Testament) presents Matthew 5:17 this way: ‘Do not think that I have come to take away the law and the writings of the prophets. No, I have not come to take them away. But I have come to do what they say must be done.’”

Further, when answering a question from the religious elite at that time, we read the following exchange when a lawyer asked Him: “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’  Jesus said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets’” (Matthew 22:36-40).

It simply could not be clearer; the first four of the Ten Commandments show our love for God and the final six show our love for fellow man in spite of the current theological stance taken by many “learned” theologians who think otherwise.   This has been the teaching of the Church of God throughout its existence.

Jesus, as the God of the Old Testament, gave the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, and in Exodus 31:18 we read: “And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.” (Also see Exodus 32:16).  We read in Revelation 15:5: “After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.”   This testimony is mentioned in Exodus 25:21-22, and 40:20-21, which was placed inside the ark. The ark, in turn, was placed in the tabernacle in the wilderness and later the temple.  If the 10 Commandments were no longer relevant, why would they be in heaven as referred to in Revelation 15:5? After all, the tabernacle and its contents under Moses were patterned after the heavenly tabernacle.

Richard Brooks, previously mentioned, states in his answers to “what is ‘antinomianism’?” that the word itself was first coined, he understood, by Luther. He goes on to say:

“A tendency of both antinomianism and New Covenant Theology is, quite arbitrarily, to remove the fourth commandment from its nine other companions and argue that it no longer applies. As a result, ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy’ (Exodus 20:8) comes in for its own separate treatment.

“They urge that the Sabbath was an essentially Jewish institution, that in the New Testament the keeping of special days is looked upon negatively, and that the Lord’s Day is mentioned only once (Revelation 1:10—unconnected to the fourth commandment and without any specific directions as to how the day should be observed). It will be seen that they do not accept the principle of ‘the day changed but the Sabbath preserved’ and reject an Old Testament Sabbath/New Testament Lord’s Day tie-up.

“Once again, how do we respond?  The Sabbath is a creation ordinance, predating the law given at Sinai, and so for all mankind at all times and what God sanctifies, it is our business to do all that we can to preserve the holiness of and not let it be profaned;

“So then: are the Ten Commandments for Christians today? Indeed they are. As Jonathan Bayes puts it: ‘They sum up the life of holiness to which we are called. They are the channel for the Spirit’s sanctifying power.’

“Let the Lord Jesus Christ himself have the last word. ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments’ (John 14:15).”

He goes on to say:

“While it is true that the New Testament indicates that Old Testament festal sabbaths were destined for oblivion as fulfilled in Christ (Colossians 2:16). This does not bear directly upon the fourth commandment itself, which stands tall above all those ceremonial occasions.”

OUR RESPONSE:

He misunderstands and comes to a wrong conclusion when addressing Colossians 2:16, which we have written about many times – please see our Q&A titled “Would you please explain the meaning of Colossians 2:16-17?” for a full explanation.   Below is just a part of what is written in this thorough exposition of the correct understanding of this passage of Scripture, which upholds and enjoins the keeping of the weekly and annual Sabbaths:

“Professor Troy Martin wrote an article entitled, ‘But Let Everyone Discern the Body of Christ (Col. 2:17),’ which was published in the Journal of Biblical Literature in the Summer of 1995. In that article, he confirms—based on the Greek structure of the sentence—that the second part of the statement in Colossians 2:16–17 explains who is doing the judging.

“He first points to a parallel passage in 1 Corinthians 10:24 that states: ‘Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well being.’ In order to understand this passage correctly, one has to repeat in the second phrase the opposite of the beginning of the first phrase. In other words, the clear and intended meaning of this passage is: ‘Let no one seek his own, but let each one seek the other’s well being.’

“This Scripture is grammatically structured in the same way as Colossians 2:16–17. Therefore, according to Professor Troy in regard to both 1 Corinthians 10:24 and Colossians 2:16–17, ‘The verb judge determines the action that is forbidden [by the first phrase = let no one judge you…] and then enjoined [or commanded, by the second phrase].’

“With this understanding, the sentence in Colossians 2:16–17 has to read this way: ‘So let no one judge you… regarding a festival or Sabbaths…, but let the body of Christ judge you.’”

Mr Brooks, having spent much time repudiating antinomianism, then falls into a common trap when he writes about the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, and, on the other hand, Sunday, which is NOT a holy day, but merely a workday, the first day of the week: “The principle of ‘the day changed but the Sabbath preserved’ very much applies, the practice being testified to as the New Testament period developed, and the first day of the week having particular (what we might call) ‘New Testament sabbath appropriateness’, following the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead upon that day.”   We know that Jesus was not resurrected on the first day of the week but towards the end of the true Sabbath – Saturday sunset, and, again we have covered this many times.  Please see our Q&A for a full exposition on the days Jesus was both crucified and resurrected.

There is no biblical evidence to suggest that we ought to keep Sunday holy, either in addition to or in place of the weekly Sabbath—the seventh day of the week. The common argument that we ought to do so because Christ was allegedly resurrected on Sunday fails in that He was resurrected at the end of the Sabbath, and NOT on Sunday. The “inbuilt” repudiation of the weekly and annual Sabbaths which is introduced later in Mr Brook’s whole repudiation of antinomianism is disappointing and shows how error can be slipped into what can be otherwise a very accurate understanding of the subject.   And that is where many can be led astray…

Ken Raggio is very forthright in his condemnation of antinomianism and we quote, selectively (due to space constraints) from his blog as follows:

“Antinomianism would have you believe that the Holy Spirit magically puts both the law and perfect righteousness into your heart without your actually observing any laws or commandments of God, as written in His Holy Word; and that you will become righteous without actually being told what to do… Antinomianism therefore attempts to squash or silence all mention or teaching of the Laws of God, and urges ignorance and rejection of the law.

“The Antinomian preacher insists that God does not see your sins after you believe. He demands that your righteousness miraculously appears like Tinkerbell sprinkles magic dust. He insists that you should NOT concern yourself with knowing God’s laws, or in making ANY attempt to obey God’s laws. You will be made perfect by GRACE alone… Antinomianism is ANARCHY. It is LAWLESSNESS. And that is the Modus Operandi of Lucifer himself.”

Mr Raggio calls antinomianism “absolute hogwash” and mentions two high–profile names (which we omit), and an army of mega-wealthy TV preachers who have discovered that antinomianism sells hotter than iPads and iPhones. They have made hundreds of millions of dollars telling people that Christianity really has no rules. They live in palaces and jet-set all over the world, telling packed arenas full of people that Heaven waits for all those who do nothing more than love Jesus and ignore everything else in the Bible.

CONCLUSION:

Christianity has spawned theologians who simply don’t love the Ten Commandments as God said they should.  No amount of theological “legerdemain”; i.e., sleight of hand, deceitful cleverness or trickery can change the clear teaching of the entire Bible that we must keep the Commandments of God.     The twisting of Scripture is a practice that is condemned by God (see 2 Peter 3:16-17; 1 John 2:26; 1 John 4:1; Galatians 1:6-9).

We have provided much material in our Q&A’s, booklets and sermons over the years showing that the people of God are to be commandment-keeping people, the views of dissenting theologians notwithstanding.   These further three Q&A’s are reinforcing that understanding for the people of God and those others who may be coming into the knowledge of the Truth.

We have also printed a booklet entitled “God’s Law… or God’s Grace?” where we read on page 6: “The teaching of the Bible is consistent. In order to inherit eternal life, we must keep God’s law—the Ten Commandments—as well as the statutes and judgments that further define and explain the Ten Commandments. Christ did not come to ‘fulfill’ the law by doing away with it or by destroying it. Rather, Christ came to ‘fulfill’ the law by making it more honorable (Isaiah 42:21), by MAGNIFYING it, by showing us HOW to obey it both in the letter AND in the SPIRIT. This includes ALL of God’s commandments, including the Fourth Commandment, which enjoins us to keep God’s Sabbath holy (Exodus 20:8).”

It is astonishing that a few of those who argue against antinomianism may themselves be guilty of the very thing they seem to be against, by seeming to substitute the 10 Commandments for some other vague law which usually finishes up as some sort of variation on the 10 Commandments themselves.  In addition, the 4^th Commandment is acknowledged by some but changed to become a “1st day of the week” Sabbath!

1 John 2:3-4 reads: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

1 John 3:4 reads: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (Authorized Version), and in the New King James Bible, it reads: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”

And there we have it!

For much more information, please read our free booklet, “The Ten Commandments.” 

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“COVID 19–a Man-Made Pandemic?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary: 

The Bible prophesies for the end time serious worldwide disease epidemics and pandemics, which are caused far too often by human misconduct, resulting in incredible pain for innocent victims. Governments may contribute to the suffering when attempting to combat the pandemics. What can be said, then, in regard to the origin of COVID-19? And does the Bible include many warnings which, if headed, would prevent the spread of many disease epidemics? 

Written by Norbert Link, our newest booklet, “God Is… Our Destiny!” has been forwarded to our printer, and it is now posted on our webpage.

“Die Bedeutung von Gottes Heiligen Herbstfeiertagen,” a new German booklet, has been sent to graphic artist Shelly Bruno in preparation for printing. This is a translation from the English booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days.”

“Der prophezeite Fall des Staates Israel” is this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “The Prophesied Downfall of the State of Israel.”

“Sei ein Kämpfer!” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Dmitrij Niemann, is now posted. Title in English: “Be a Fighter!”

“Der zweite Zehnte,” the sermon presented last Sabbath in Germany by Christoph Sperzel is now posted. Title in English: “The Second Tithe.”

“The Cover Up,” the first split-sermon presented last Sabbath by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is a summary:

In this age of moral relativism people seek ways of justifying behaviors that just a decade ago were discouraged. Many who claim to be Christian seem to forget the ever-present Creator Father and His requirement for obedience. The world has become skilled at crafting legalistic reasoning to excuse truly horrible actions. Just as Adam and Eve covered themselves when they had sinned, many, including God’s people attempt to cover sinful behaviors with rationalizations. In this Split Sermon we will consider scriptures that tell us how God views these behaviors, false arguments, and the pathway to repentance.

“Personhood—What the Bible Reveals,” the second split-sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

When does human personhood begin, and is that a question for which we are free to simply make up answers? Amidst the controversial definitions, there is only one source which encompasses the true meaning and purpose for the life of every individual person!

On July 23, 2022, Frank Bruno will present the first split sermon, titled, “The Cover Up,” and Dave Harris will present the second split sermon, titled, “Personhood—What the Bible Reveals.”

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.

We regularly sing a hymn during Sabbath services which is based on wording found in Psalm 119. The title is, “O How Love I Thy Law!”

Unfortunately, that title doesn’t describe how most people feel about God’s laws. For the broad majority of nominal Christians, the law of God is neither loved nor kept. Rather, many forcefully (and sometimes viciously) proclaim that the law of God is “done away!”

Doing away with the law of God makes it literally impossible to be a Christian! Because Jesus kept the law of God, He never sinned and sin is the breaking of God’s laws (1 John 3:4; Authorized Version). If Jesus loved and kept the laws of God, then so must we:

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:3-6).

It is ironic that religious types will often proselyte others asking them, “Brother, do you know the Lord?” The “Lord” they are promoting is certainly not the Son of God revealed in the Bible, because Jesus Himself said:

^“‘Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:17-19).

The Worldwide English (New Testament) presents Matthew 5:17 this way:

^“‘Do not think that I have come to take away the law and the writings of the prophets. No, I have not come to take them away. But I have come to do what they say must be done.’”

What Jesus is explaining is very plain, very simple! First, that He had come to keep the law of God without sinning (Hebrews 4:15); and, second, that He would fulfill all the prophecies about Himself (Luke 24:44).

Jesus loved and kept the law of God. It is exactly what Christians must also do:

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

One reason people reject the law of God is that it is hard to keep—in fact, it is absolutely impossible on our own to obey God perfectly. Paul wrote of this, saying, “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14).

Still, we are commanded to love and keep the law of God. We can do so by turning to God in heartfelt sincerity, asking Him for His help in our lives to become converted, as Peter taught:

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38).

Very, very few people are responding to God in our generation. The world is descending ever more rapidly into inextricable chaos and only the very few will break free from the stranglehold Satan now exercises as “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Those who do will be those who have loved and kept the laws of God.

Does that describe us?

by Norbert Link

We begin with reporting on Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East, covering his meetings with Israel’s current leader Lapid and Israel’s main opposition leader Netanyahu, Palestinian leader Abbas and Saudi Arabia’s de-facto leader Bin Salman. As the articles point out, Biden’s visits did not accomplish much, if anything, and were to an extent quite counter-productive, while the Biden Administration had miscalculated and hoped that his trip would bring him some desperately needed support even among deeply divided Democratic voters at home. However, Biden’s overall popularity in the USA has reached an unparalleled low point, and many Democrats hope that Biden will not run again in 2024. Still, the damage caused by Biden during his presidency—so far—and the resulting negative perspective of America’s weakness and irrelevance by its allies and enemies cannot be easily fixed.

We also speak of Biden’s “dead horses” and the bad politics by Mitch McConnell and the Republican Party; and worldwide “punishing heatwaves.” Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America’s Armed Forces in Big Trouble” .

In other news, we address the resignation of Mario Draghi in Italy; Germany’s ignorant leadership and its role in running the EU (and that under an indecisive German president and an unruly German government coalition); Biden’s “disgraceful” anti-British comments; Britain’s chaos; the shocking biblical ignorance of the Church of England; the question as to whether Boris Johnson might make a comeback; and the shortsightedness and unbiblical man-made “wisdom” of Pope Francis.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

Biden vs. Netanyahu and Lapid

“The Times of Israel wrote on July 14:

“Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu met briefly with Joe Biden in Jerusalem on Thursday and later said he told the US president that an offensive military option against Iran and a readiness to use it were necessary to confront the regime in Tehran… Sanctions and defensive military preparations were not enough to thwart Iran’s nuclear weapons program, he said. ‘I told him the [2105 JCPOA] deal is lousy. He knows my position… I told him that with no credible military option, Iran won’t be stopped. If Iran isn’t deterred, that military option has to be used.’… ‘That’s what I will do if and when I return to the Prime Minister’s Office,’ Netanyahu added…

“Netanyahu and Biden have had a long, friendly relationship, although they are often politically at odds…

“Prime Minister Yair Lapid, at the moment Netanyahu’s main political rival… issued a similar message on Iran during his meeting with Biden on Thursday… Lapid stressed to Biden that Iran will not agree to a stronger nuclear deal without a credible military threat…

“According to a report by Channel 12 news Thursday evening, Israeli officials have failed to convince US leaders to take a tougher approach toward Iran and increase the pressure on it at this time. Citing unnamed security sources, the report said this has created frustration in Jerusalem, as well as resolve to accelerate Israel’s own preparations to act if needed.”

 And so, Israel will not be helped by America and may try to fight Iran alone. But it could well be that Israel would not win that military confrontation. The Bible indicates that Israel will receive an incurable “wound”—prior to the Great Tribulation. (Compare Hosea 5:13; note also the rendition in the New American Bible).

Biden Unable to Move the Needle on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

 JTA wrote on July 15:

“After meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, U.S. President Joe Biden conceded that ‘the ground is not ripe at this moment’ to restart long-dormant peace negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders [with the goal of creating two states]… Biden made the remarks at a Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem on Friday on the last leg of his first trip to Israel as president. He announced $316 million in new aid measures [to the Palestinians]… in a move that contrasts sharply with the policy of his predecessor Donald Trump, who slashed most U.S. aid to the Palestinians…

“Biden left his meeting with Abbas without having moved the needle on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. High-level peace talks have not taken place since 2014, and a significant flank of Israeli politicians have moved away from supporting a two-state solution…”

Israel 365 wrote on July 20:

“Standing next to US President Joe Biden at their joint press conference, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas unblinkingly called to end ‘74 years of… occupation.’ In other words, Abbas called for the end of Israel, as Israel was established in 1948 – 74 years ago… Abbas added that the path to destroying Israel starts with creating a Palestinian state.”

Finally, the USA (Manasseh) and Great Britain (Ephraim)—even though divided among themselves—will align themselves against Israel (Judah); compare Isaiah 9:21.

Worse Than a Handshake

Mediaite published on July 15 the following headline:

“‘Worse Than a Handshake’: Washington Post SLAMS Biden for ‘Shameful’ Fist Bump with Saudi Crown Prince Who Ordered Its Columnist’s Murder… “

The article continued:

“Bin Salman ordered the 2018 murder of Post columnist and Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi… After the gesture between Biden and Bin Salman, Post publisher and CEO Fred Ryan ripped the president in a statement: ‘The fist bump between President Biden and Mohammed bin Salman was worse than a handshake – it was shameful. It projected a level of intimacy and comfort that delivers to MBS the unwarranted redemption he has been desperately seeking.’…

“Several U.S. presidents have visited the kingdom over the years. However, perhaps none had condemned the country as sharply as Biden did while campaigning for president. As a candidate, Biden said he was prepared to make Bin Salman and the Saudi regime ‘pay the price, and make them in fact the pariah that they are.’ Early in his presidency, Biden announced he was ending sales of ‘offensive weapons’ to Saudi Arabia. However, a $500 million military contract he signed off on last year involving attack helicopters appeared to contradict that pledge.

“In addition to Ryan’s remarks in the statement, Washington Post columnist and CNN political analyst Josh Rogin said on the network Friday that he agrees with Ryan and called it ‘an embarrassing moment for the United States, President Biden, and a concession to the propaganda victor of Mohammed bin Salman.’”

One is reminded of President Obama when he bowed before Arab leaders. Biden claims he brought up the murder to the Crown Prince who allegedly responded, according to Biden, that he was not responsible, to which Biden allegedly responded to, according to Biden, that he probably was. (However, all of this is doubtful; note articles below).

Biden’s Account Questioned

Reuters and The Algemeiner wrote on July 17:

“US President Joe Biden on Saturday differed with Saudi Arabia in their account of discussions at a bilateral summit about the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a major point of contention between the two countries. Answering reporters as he arrived at the White House from his first Middle East trip as president, Biden disputed the Saudi foreign minister’s account that he did not hear Biden blame Mohammed bin Salman for the killing of the Washington Post columnist, a harsh critic of his native Saudi Arabia. Asked whether the minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, was telling the truth in recounting the exchange between Biden and the crown prince, the president said ‘No.’…

“A Saudi official who was present at the meeting said the exchange was not as President Biden described and discussion over Khashoggi occurred before the official meeting in ‘an informal way.’ The official said he did not hear the president telling the crown Prince that he held him responsible for Khashoggi’s killing.”

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel al-Jubeir had told Fox News’ Alex Hogan that Biden never addressed Khashoggi’s murder during the visit. The problem is, as it has been reported quite frequently and regularly, Biden has been lying, inventing stories or exaggerating on many occasions.

On his trip, Biden was begging Saudi-Arabia for oil, apparently unsuccessfully, which the USA is short of, due to Biden’s ill-conceived policies, while he is selling American oil to China. Even Adam Schiff, among other leading Democrats, criticized Biden for his trip to Saudi Arabia and his conduct there. The Democratic Party is divided, but almost unified in their criticism of Biden. Note the next article by a left-liberal publication.

Biden’s “Cancer”

Fox News wrote on July 21:

“Biden was visiting a former coal power plant in Somerset, Massachusetts, to discuss new executive orders to fight climate change. While discussing the harm caused by emissions from oil refineries, Biden referenced his childhood home in Delaware and said that he and many other people he grew up with now ‘have’ cancer.”

The White House later denied the claim and “clarified” that Biden has no cancer. Another fabricated story by Biden.

Biden Sick with Corona

“President Joe Biden tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday morning, the White House revealed, just hours after returning from a trip to Massachusetts. The White House said Biden, age 79, is only experiencing ‘very mild symptoms’ [with dry cough and fatigue] and is fully vaccinated and boosted with four shots of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine… The president will ‘continue to work in isolation until he tests negative’ the White House said.”

On Wednesday, Biden claimed in Ohio during a town hall meeting: “You’re not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations.” This claim was obviously false. Even CNN’s post-event panel criticized Biden’s claim, with Anderson Cooper saying it was “just obviously not the case.”

Also, when Dr. Fauci who had been fully vaccinated tested positive for coronavirus, it was likewise claimed at first that his symptoms were minor, which turned out not to be true at all. 

Biden’s Dangerous Vision for the Middle East

The Huffington Post wrote on July 15:

“Trump defended Mohammed bin Salman, but Biden’s approach – promising a new U.S.-Saudi relationship, then changing course – is even better for the prince. [He gave him] an aura of invulnerability. Biden traveled to Crown Prince Mohammed’s home turf, greeted him with a fist bump that immediately made global headlines and then sat down for a meeting with the crown prince that was structured to present him as the president’s equal, despite the White House’s past insistence that Biden would largely deal only with King Salman. Both men and their teams ignored a reporter who shouted out: ‘President Biden, is Saudi Arabia still a pariah?’

“Biden’s approach to the crown prince conveyed the sense of normality in U.S.-Saudi ties that he has sought since 2018, when he faced global outrage and unprecedented fury from Washington after Saudi agents murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi on a mission that he had ordered. Trump repeatedly defended the crown prince, but public pressure forced him to end some U.S. support for the Saudi military campaign in Yemen, and senators from both parties voted to condemn Crown Prince Mohammed. The embrace Friday sent a message of complete rehabilitation for the crown prince, known as MBS, precisely because it came from Biden.

“Biden and his allies, including nearly all top Democrats, spent years bashing Trump for resisting accountability for the Khashoggi murder and ignoring MBS’s other alarming behavior, such as kidnapping Lebanon’s prime minister and launching a vicious domestic crackdown. As a Democratic presidential candidate, Biden pledged ‘to insist on responsible Saudi actions and impose consequences for reckless ones.’ And once Biden entered office ― accompanied by Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress ― the Saudis took him seriously enough to make concessions, partially releasing some dissidents and moving toward ending their brutal Yemen operation…

“Yet by last fall…,  Biden seemed to have reached the limits of his willingness to challenge Riyadh and America’s historic policy of overlooking Saudi abuses. With his current trip, the president has clearly signaled that he is not seeking a major change….

“Biden may soon give in to more of his demands. A congressional source told HuffPost that the administration seems close to lifting its year-old ban on selling offensive weapons to the Saudis…  Biden’s moves have spurred fear for the future and deep disappointment. Earlier in the week, Saudi activist Lina Alhathloul told a Capitol Hill audience that the U.S. was endorsing a dangerous vision of the Middle East. ‘This is not what stability looks like for me as a Saudi citizen. I don’t want a country that is governed by someone who tortures women, including my sister. Someone who cuts journalists into pieces. Someone who starts wars all over the region,’ she said… ‘It has been crushing for the activists in Saudi and Israel and Palestine who believed Biden. They feel completely abandoned,’ said Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of DAWN, a nonprofit that Khashoggi founded before his assassination…”

The Bible shows that ultimately Saudi-Arabia (Ishmael) will be part of a military confederacy with other Arab and Muslim nations (including Edom or Turkey) and with Assyria (modern Germany) against “Israel”—which could be a reference not just to the state of Israel or Judah, but also the modern House of Israel, including the USA and Great Britain (compare Psalm 83:1-8). Note the next article as well.

Biden’s Major Miscalculation

The Guardian wrote on July 17:

“For all the careful choreography of Joe Biden’s Middle East tour, the White House made a major miscalculation when the president finally came face to face with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, for the first time…. [Saudi Arabia] has important relationships with China and Russia… Those countries sell weapons, and have influence on Iran that the US doesn’t have….

“Saudi Arabia is home to the second largest proven oil reserves in the world, and is the producer with the biggest influence on its price, but Biden went home on Saturday without being able to make any major announcements on increasing global oil supply. ..

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has widened emerging cracks in the US relationship with the Gulf monarchies, who no longer view Washington as a reliable bulwark against Tehran… Despite the rhetoric about maintaining ‘active, principled, American leadership’, the chess pieces of the Middle East are moving, and the US is ready to quit…”

America is no longer a country which allies or enemies consider seriously.

Too Many Dead Horses?

The American Conservative wrote on July 18:

“Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, known to history as Caligula, ruled as the Emperor of Rome from A.D. 37 to 41… Caligula, the great grandson of Rome’s first emperor… Augustus Caesar, squandered the enormous wealth of the Roman State, declared himself to be a god, appointed his favorite racehorse to serve in the Roman Senate, and according to some sources, considered deifying the animal…

“Biden’s… deified horse, NATO, is on life support… The problem for NATO is, the economic hardship wrought by Biden’s sanctions against Moscow are threatening Europe with economic Armageddon. It’s bad enough when European bond and stock futures plunge and the euro dips below parity with the U.S. dollar, but when Paris, the city of light, shuts off its famous night lights to save energy, things are truly horrific.

“Germany, the E.U.’s largest economy and NATO’s keystone state, is struggling… Every NATO member state realizes that the longer the conflict [between Russia and Ukraine lasts], the more likely the fighting will escalate and spill into NATO’s East European member states… Europeans see that a collision with Russian military power is a distinct possibility…

“The withdrawal [of] U.S. forces from Afghanistan was long overdue, but the timing and the method of withdrawal demonstrated that the U.S. armed forces are not just poorly commanded, the planning and execution of the withdrawal from Kabul was disastrous. To suggest that the U.S. military left a very dead horse on the tarmac in Kabul is an understatement.

“The Ukrainians trained, equipped, and enabled by NATO in key areas like intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance fought well, but they could not withstand the firepower and determination of a Russian Force that has endured 150 days of continuous combat in an area roughly the size of the United States between St. Louis, Missouri, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania…

“… it is vital to understand that all is not well inside the U.S. armed forces. The Biden Pentagon has created a system of intolerance that rewards unquestioning compliance with the Left’s policies and actively punishes dissent and divergence from the left’s prescribed behavior. Put another way, the lives of Americans in uniform are controlled by ideologically driven bureaucrats… The Biden administration has chosen the American military establishment as their instrument of social change, or as a new dead horse awaiting deification.

“It is an undisguised plan to eliminate any semblance of a colorblind military meritocracy in favor of elevating persons of color and women to dominate the senior ranks… There are good reasons to expect more white men to leave the armed services…

“No one in Washington, D.C., ever complained of too many white soldiers (95 percent of whom were cultural, if not religious, Christians) during the Civil War, on the battlefields of the First World War, on the beaches at Normandy and Okinawa, or in the deserts of Iraq. No one complained of too many white men in the skies over Midway, Vietnam, Afghanistan, or Iraq.

“Biden’s policies are fraught with danger. The basic requirements of warfare do not change to accommodate woke ideology. Officers must cultivate discipline, morale, and esprit, and the officers must themselves be first class soldiers, sailors, airmen, or Marines of proven character, competence, and intelligence. If Americans in uniform see evidence for racially biased policies, quotas and preferences, America’s best will not enlist. And that is arguably already happening.

“Americans and Europeans are becoming impatient with their timid and incapable political leaders…”

A frightening consequence of these developments is described in Ezekiel 7:14 (“… no one goes to battle”).

The Bad Politics and Leadership of Mitch McConnell and the Republican Party

Blaze News wrote on July 19:

“‘Bidenflation’ existed before he staggered into office on January 20, 2021. It was catalyzed when nearly every Republican supported the worst piece of legislation in American history on March 25, 2020, which set off a cascade of several other pieces of legislation underwriting, incentivizing, and consummating COVID lockdowns. The chief cheerleader of the bill at the time was none other than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the man whom Republicans are pining to see become floor leader once again next year to solve the inflation crisis…

“… the bulk of the unfathomable levels of spending came from the worst legislation in American history: the $2.2 trillion COVID lockdown/Big Pharma bill that (McConnell) ardently pushed for in March 2020, which at the time, represented half of the entire federal budget! That bill led to a cascading effect of unconscionable spending and tyranny that, between Congress and the Federal Reserve, unleashed more than $10 trillion on the economy.

“At the time, McConnell praised it as ‘a wartime level of investment into our nation.’ ‘The men and women of the greatest country on Earth are going to defeat this coronavirus and reclaim our future,’ said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell when announcing the deal that morning…

“Except, it wasn’t a wartime investment in production, it was an investment in lockdown, paying people not to work, imposing tyranny, and inducing a vicious cycle of Big Pharma failure that perpetuated both the pandemic and the economic misery… Never was there a time in history when Congress voted to spend so much money to simultaneously shut down production and make goods scarce while lining the pockets of individuals and corporations with endless cash…

“Because of the terrible COVID policies Republicans still refuse to acknowledge, the federal reserve went on such a bond buying spree that it literally increased the money supply by 40%… What’s worse, these same Republicans then immediately jumped on the bandwagon of the ‘next current thing’ by criticizing Biden for not giving enough money to Ukraine. It wasn’t just the over $50 billion we sent there without an understanding of the outcome we hoped to achieve, but it perpetuated a war and sanctions that are crushing supply chains, which further exacerbates the inflation…

“Obviously, Biden has done things on the regulatory side and through exacerbating the war on fossil fuels that aggravated this crisis, particularly as it relates to energy. But the foundation for this crisis was set in stone with the bills shepherded by McConnell when he was in the majority. And that date was not January 2021, but March 2020, when Republicans controlled two of the three branches. Since March 2020, the gross debt has increased by over $7 trillion. It took from George Washington’s day to the first half of 2004 to accrue our first $7 trillion in debt.

“Which brings us back to the GOP senators and congressmen… At least in 2010 during the Tea Party era, they claimed to oppose spending and then betrayed their promise. Today, they are not even acknowledging the issue of our time that caused the inflation. As such, how are we to believe anything would change…?”

Sadly, the downfall of the USA—first caused by bad domestic politics, and then by foreign enemies—is inevitable. Nothing and no one will change this. In describing mainly the USA, Isaiah 1:6 states: “From the sole of your foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.”

“Punishing Heatwaves”

AFP wrote on July 18:

“… nearly half of the EU’s territory is currently at risk of drought, as southwest Europe wilted under a punishing heatwave…. Italy was the hardest hit, with the Po River basin in the north of the country facing the highest level possible of drought severity… In Spain, water reservoir volumes are currently 31 percent lower than the 10-year average… while in Portugal, water to produce hydroelectric energy is at half the average of the previous seven years.

“The EU researchers also warned that the lack of water and strong heat are driving crop yields lower in France, Romania, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Weather forecasts predict more of the same, the report said, adding to an already ‘very critical situation’ that will exacerbate the effects on agriculture, energy, and water supply.”

AS wrote on July 19:

“Around forty-million people in the United States are under heat advisory as the country grapples with a severe heat wave. More than 115 excessive heat warnings and heat advisories have been released… which will be active through the end of this week. An excessive heat warning kicks in when temperatures are expected to hit more than 105 degrees F…. Temperatures could hit as high as 115 degrees in some parts of the country.”

Europe, as well as the USA and Great Britain [see article below]—all being plagued by devastating heatwaves—are receiving a warning of impending punishment (compare Isaiah 30:26). But sadly, they do not recognize it.

Italy’s Draghi resigns

The Associated Press wrote on July 21:

“Italian premier Mario Draghi resigned Thursday after key coalition allies boycotted a confidence vote, signalling the likelihood of an early election and a renewed period of uncertainty for Italy and Europe at a critical time…

“Italian newspapers on Thursday were united in their outrage at the surreal outcome, given Italy is dealing with soaring inflation and energy costs, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and outstanding reforms needed to clinch the remainder of the EU’s 200 billion euros in recovery funds. ‘Shame,’ headlined La Stampa on the front page. ‘Italy Betrayed,’ said La Repubblica. ‘Farewell to Draghi’s Government,’ said Corriere della Sera.”

Deutsche Welle wrote:

“Draghi’s resignation couldn’t come at a worse time for Italy. A change of government in Italy is part of the folklore. But Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s resignation is hugely damaging for the country as it struggles with one of its biggest crises in decades…  if Italy goes bankrupt and the euro comes under pressure, the European Union will teeter. Italy is too big to fail, too important to fail.”

Italy has been stumbling from one governmental crisis to the next… until a charismatic leader will appear whom Italy will give their power. 

Germany’s Ignorant Leadership

Breitbart wrote on July 19:

“Germany’s ostensibly liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), a globalist, pro-business member of Germany’s ruling coalition government, has said that it wants to see forced masking brought back this winter to help fight the flu. The country has already confirmed that it aims to return country-wide forced mask-wearing measures to Germany this winter, likely between October and Easter next year ostensibly in the hopes of keeping COVID-19 case numbers low.

“However, according to a report by Die Welt, some in government appear to have other motives, with the head of the FDP within the German parliament saying that the measures should be brought back to fight off the flu…. FDP bigwig Christian… Dürr’s statement follows confirmation from authorities within the so-called ‘traffic light coalition’ that a mask mandate will soon be returning to Germany, with the country’s lockdown-loving health minister, Karl Lauterbach, previously comparing mask mandates to laws requiring drivers to use winter tires during one half of the year. ‘The effectiveness of masks for individuals indoors is undisputed’, government minister Marco Buschmann claimed in an interview, continuing. ‘That is why some form of wearing masks indoors will certainly play a role in our concept.’”

To say that the “effectiveness” of masks is “undisputed” is beyond belief. The ignorance of politicians and scientists like Lauterbach, Dürr and Buschmann is frightening. Also, LifeSiteNews wrote on July 20:

“D.C. schools have a new mandate requiring all students 12 and up to receive the experimental COVID-19 vaccine before returning to school this fall.

“According to the mandate, all students 12 and up, unless exempted, must have received a series of COVID-19 shots or begun the process of vaccination before the start of the school year. The press release does not provide information on what kind of exemptions will be considered.

“The mandate is part of the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination law passed in D.C. last year. The law required all eligible teachers and students to receive the experimental vaccines.

“On July 8, the FDA fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 12 to 15 years old, despite evidence showing the vaccine is more dangerous to children than the virus.

“Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) recently approved the experimental shots for children as young as six months old.

“Meanwhile, a study from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine found a “mortality rate of zero among children without a pre-existing medical condition such as leukemia,” leading numerous experts to conclude that the benefits of injecting children against COVID-19 do not outweigh the risks.”

The EU Run by Germany?

Counterpunch wrote on July 15:

“The European Union is run on a day-to-day basis by Germany for German interests… The clueless Olaf Scholz has promised to up the German military budget and arsenal. Scholz follows in the footsteps of the equally clueless and dangerous Ursula von der Leyen when German Defense Minister… The European project a vehicle for peace? The proposition is ludicrous…”

The idea is, the clueless Germans are leading without realizing that they are being used… Imagine what will happen when the current weak and inconsequential German coalition will be replaced by powerful and decisive leaders.  

Biden’s “Disgraceful” Anti-British Comments

Express wrote on July 17:

“… during a speech at Jerusalem,  [Biden] said: ‘The background of my family is Irish American. And we have a long history not fundamentally unlike the Palestinian people, with Great Britain and their attitude toward Irish Catholics over the years for 400 years.’… Margaret Thatcher’s former aide Nile Gardiner lambasted the US President and said: ‘Disgraceful anti British comments from Joe Biden. A reminder why this clueless US President is no friend of Great Britain.’

“His comment did not go down well on social media as well as many Twitter users criticised the President for his statement…

“This is not the first time that the US President has put his foot in his mouth. On Tuesday, he got embroiled in teleprompter trouble after he mistakenly read out the instructions: ‘End of quote. Repeat the line’ and on Wednesday he said he wants to keep ‘alive the honor of the Holocaust.’”

He then corrected himself saying “horror” of the Holocaust, as the line had been written for him. On Saturday, he also spoke of the “selfishness” of the American troops, but then correcting himself as well by using the word “selflessness.” In spite of the recognition of Biden’s frailty and a certain lack of cognitive functions, the fact remains that America’s prestige is suffering in the world as never before—and that the confidence in America’s reliability and friendship is being questioned as well.

Britain in Chaos

Gulf News wrote on July 16:

“After strikes, transport disruption, soaring inflation, a jump in COVID-19 infections and even the resignation of its prime minister, now the sweltering summer is about to add to the havoc in the UK. The Met Office issued its most severe warning for next week, with temperatures set to rise above 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in parts of England, including London, and might hit national records exceeding 40 degrees. The red alert… was triggered for the first time…

“It all adds to the chaos in a nation that’s grappling with messy politics and a wilting economy…  Searing temperatures across Europe have crippled agriculture in France, forced Spain to cut water supply in some regions and triggered a state of emergency in parts of Italy. But while more drastic this year, increasingly hot summers aren’t as unusual as they are in Britain. Greece, for example, regularly experiences deadly wildfires… The heat is set to put added strain on a UK energy system that’s already under pressure from soaring natural gas prices… the high-pressure system that’s bringing the heat also creates low winds that sap Britain of one of its biggest sources of cheap energy…

“Britain already faces a summer of train chaos, with several labor unions planning July walkouts over pay and conditions after travel across the country was previously halted in June… The health system is already under pressure with a huge backlog of patients awaiting treatment that was delayed during the pandemic lockdowns. Staff shortages are also pushing up wait times in accident and emergency wards while ambulance response times have also gotten significantly worse….”

Great Britain does not seem to be blessed at all by Almighty God. The same is true for the USA. All of this has been prophesied, due to the grave sins of both nations. And it will get MUCH WORSE. (Compare Leviticus 26:14-39 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

Could Boris Johnson Make a Comeback?

Express wrote on July 20:

“BORIS Johnson today had one final curtain call as Prime Minister as he ‘probably, certainly’ faced MPs in PMQs for a last time. But with thousands of Tory members demanding he stays on, is there a scenario in which the great survivor can make a comeback?

“Few Prime Ministers have been hounded out of office in quite the same way as Mr Johnson in what has been a relentless campaign since 2016 initially driven by Remainers and many in the broadcast media to portray him as a liar and buffoon. But as the leadership contest to replace him [h]as unfurled, the increasing feeling among some Tory MPs and many party members is that they have made a catastrophic mistake ejecting a man with a mandate from 14 million people.

“Picture the scenario in two years’ time. Britain continues to be mired in an economic crisis with high inflation, strikes by train drivers, doctors, teachers, nurses and more have brought the country to its knees. The cost of living crisis is out of control with thousands of households choosing between heating their homes and buying food. Extreme climate change protesters continue to cause chaos and the Government is still unable to stop illegal migrants crossing the Channel in small boats by the thousands each day. Meanwhile the war in Ukraine is dragging on and not going well, the fragile international alliance has fragmented and fractured…

“It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that he could stand for a third seat and win again particularly if there is a groundswell of support for him to lead again… If you think this sounds farfetched, it probably is… But the rules of what is normal do not apply to a small number of highly charismatic politicians. That was true of Churchill, and it is certainly true of Boris Johnson. A comeback can never be ruled out and a divided Conservative Party with no clear consensus leader or outstanding figure may be desperate for it to happen. Certainly, the petition calling for a vote on him by members is just the start.”

Church of England Cannot Define “Woman”

IFN News wrote on July 12:

“You would expect the English to be able to define a simple English word because they are English, right? Unfortunately, this logic does not apply to the English leaders of the Church of England. According to GB News, when asked the question ‘What is the Church of England’s definition of a woman?’ at a General Synod of the Church, senior bishop Robert Innes stated: ‘There is no official definition, which reflects the fact that until fairly recently definitions of this kind were thought to be self-evident, as reflected in the marriage liturgy. The Living in Love and Faith (LLF) project however has begun to explore the marriage complexities associated with gender identity and points to the need for additional care and thought to be given in understanding our commonalities and differences as people made in the image of God.’

“This lack of an answer is particularly troublesome because the first chapter of the first book of the Bible states: ‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.’ And since that time at the dawn of history, people have been able to define what a woman is: ‘an adult human female,’ as Matt Walsh so simply put it in his recent documentary ‘What is a woman?’ People have also been able to differentiate women from men. For example, women are able to bear and nurse children while men are generally faster, bigger and stronger than women; indeed, scientists have found that there are over 6,000 genetic differences between men and women. And one of the first things people do when they see another person is to determine whether that person is female or male. Even babies are able to do this.

“Yet what even babies can do the Church of England cannot. Indeed, the venerable Church of England cannot define what a woman is… If there ever was a case of George Orwell’s doublethink, this is it…”

The ignorance of our religious “leaders” is mind-boggling. Compare our recent Q&A, titled, “What is the definition of a woman?”

The “Wisdom” of Pope Francis

Merco Press wrote on July 14:

“Pope Francis, who comes from Argentina, known for its beef production and consumption, said that in some parts of the world, it would be a good idea to ‘consume less meat’ to help save the environment… Even though there have been several leading voices in support of a reduction in meat consumption, this is the first time the Argentine pontiff has made such proposal… Argentines are among the world’s largest consumers of meat, together with neighboring Uruguay, Australia and United States.

“Francis also said it is ‘legitimate to rebel’ when a ‘few powerful people’ decide to send them to ‘fight and die’ in a war. He defined the fighting in Ukraine as ‘senseless,’ and argued that if younger generations governed today, there wouldn’t be as many global conflicts…

“The pope also referred to a better world if ruled by women, ‘because those who have the mission of giving life cannot make death choices’ – the same would be true if the rulers were young people, because they wouldn’t want the future awaiting them to be thrown away.”

What incredible nonsense. Women are making death choices by the millions when they decide to abort their unborn children. Also, Scripture tells us that many problems exist or will exist because women and children are or will be ruling the nations (cp. Isaiah 3:4, 12).

The Bible says that the wisdom of men is foolishness with God (compare 1 Corinthians 1:20).

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

In the first part of this series, we discussed that antinomian is one who takes the principle of “salvation by faith and divine grace” to the point of asserting that the saved are not bound to follow the moral law contained in the Ten Commandments. As mentioned, the Bible refers to the Ten Commandments as the “spiritual law,” not the “moral law.” In this second part of this series, we will look at additional arguments put forward by those who fall into this category.

From the “Banner of Truth” website, the author gives further information about others who have their own say, in their own way.   He states: “In order to have as clear a view as we can of the present confusion, it is important to let some of the leading contributors to it be ‘heard’ in their own words.” Below are these together with our observations.

Statements of some of the leading contributors:

“John Reisinger… is one of the major exponents of New Covenant Theology. One of the chapter headings in his book Tablets of Stone is this: ‘The Tablets of Stone, or Ten Commandments, as a Covenant Document, Had a Historical Beginning and a Historical End’. He writes: ‘The Bible always considers the Tablets of Stone [i.e., ten commandments] as the specific covenant document that established the nation of Israel as a body politic at Mount Sinai’. ‘The Scripture nowhere states or infers that we are to think of the Tablets of Stone as “God’s eternal unchanging moral law”. We are always to think “Old Covenant.”’”

OUR RESPONSE:

The author confuses the “tablets of stone” with the “old covenant.” As we explain in our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” and in our recent 7-part series of Q&As on the topic of covenants, the Law of the Ten Commandments and the “old covenant” (whatever covenant is described or identified as the “old covenant”) are by no means identical. We also explain in our booklet:

“… a covenant is something altogether different from the law. A covenant is based on law–it does not bring law into existence. And when a covenant ceases to be in force, that has absolutely no influence on the validity or invalidity of the law, on which the covenant was based. A covenant is simply an agreement, and the parties can decide that the agreement is no longer valid. Unless the lawgiver revokes the law on which the covenant is based, the law continues to be in effect.”

Let us briefly review our Q&A entitled “Would you please explain the two covenants, as mentioned in Galatians 4:21-31? Doesn’t this passage teach that the Old Covenant with all of its Old Testament laws was abolished and is no longer in force and effect?”:

“In order to fully comprehend what Paul is referring to with his symbolism or allegory (compare Galatians 4:24), we must carefully review the context. We should note, first of all, to whom Paul is writing. The letter is addressed to ‘the Galatians’ — non-Jewish peoples who had come to the faith. These peoples never were part of the Old Testament relationship between God and the ancient nation of Israel. They were never part of the Old Covenant. IF Paul had in mind to address the so-called ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Covenants in Galatians 4, then his concluding statement in Galatians 5:1 would make little sense. There, he says: ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled AGAIN with a yoke of bondage.’

“Most commentaries say that Paul used his allegory to show that the Old Testament laws were abolished. They reason that Christ came to set us free from the ‘bondage’ of the Old Testament law. However, as we prove in our booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” Christ did not do anything of the kind. He did NOT come to do away with the Ten Commandments, and the statutes and judgments which define the Ten Commandments even further. Paul taught the Gentiles to keep the Sabbath. He taught them to follow him, as he followed Christ, and Paul kept the Sabbath, as did Christ. Paul taught the Gentiles on the Sabbath. Paul could not possibly have told the Galatians that they were no longer under the ‘bondage’ of the Old Testament law, when he told them not to be entangled AGAIN with a yoke of bondage. Whatever that yoke of bondage is, it is something the Galatians were entangled with before— and they were never ‘entangled’ with the Old Testament laws and covenants.

“Even IF Paul had in mind the abolition of the Old Covenant, that still would not mean that he was also stating that God’s law was no longer in force.”

In Jeremiah 31:31-34, we read: “Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.   But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.   No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Richard C. Barcellos (“In Defense of the Decalogue”) explains this Scripture in this way:  “The law under the new covenant is God’s law… This promised blessing of the new covenant of the law written on the heart is to be enjoyed by the whole new covenant community… God is both the author of the law itself and the one who writes it on the heart.” He concludes: “The text of Jeremiah clearly assumes that the law of God under the new covenant is referring to a law that was already written at the time of writing of Jeremiah… Jeremiah clearly teaches that the law of God under the new covenant is a law that was written on stone by God and that will be written on hearts by God’. In other words: identical law. The law was first written upon tables of stone, whereas the great work of the Holy Spirit is to write it upon the table of the heart.”

Another writer trying to dismiss and reject God’s Law is Michael Eaton. He states:

“Christians are in no way under this tyrannical figure, the law” (Westminster Record). “If you walk in the Spirit deliberately you will fulfil the Mosaic law accidentally” (How to Live a Godly Life).

OUR RESPONSE – This is such a ridiculous assertion that the law is a tyrannical figure.  Merriam Webster Dictionary’s definition of tyrannical is: “…being or characteristic of a tyrant or tyranny: DESPOTIC”   How can the Law of God fit into such a description?   Romans 7:12 gives the opposite description: “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”

Continuing with another proponent of antinomianism is R T Kendall who wrote: “The moral law is not the Christian’s code of conduct, for true godliness is never to be achieved by being under the moral law. It will make you a legalist – long-faced, grouchy, without joy or peace” (sermon preached at Westminster Chapel). He claims that the Law of Christ is “a much higher law than the moral law, far more demanding. It presents a far greater challenge than the moral law, which is really the easy way out. It’s just so easy to keep the moral law and hate the Law of Christ” (Westminster Record).

OUR RESPONSE:

How can the Law of Christ be more demanding than The Ten Commandments?   Such theologians do not understand that the God of the Old Testament was the Logos who became Jesus Christ.   It was He who gave the Ten Commandments and He mentioned them as the commandments to be kept when He answered questions when He was here on earth – please review Matthew 19:16-19; 22:37-40; Mark 10:17-19; Luke 18:18-20.

It is significant that those who hate the Law of God try to undermine those who do love God’s Law and keep it as King David did: “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).  Such people are derided and can be called long-faced, grouchy, without joy or peace. It is a way of undermining the Truth and those who adhere to God’s clear instructions.

Another writer who rejects God’s Law is Gerald Coates, who wrote: “When the believer properly fulfils the royal law of love for God and neighbour, he renders the law obsolete” (What on Earth is this Kingdom).

OUR RESPONSE:

This is such a ridiculous and at the same incongruent and contradictory argument. The law is not obsolete (see Mathew 5:17-19).  Verse 18 of this passage is particularly significant: “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

Mr Coates, like so many, talks in riddles.  As we have said, love for God and love for fellow man is enshrined in the Ten Commandments.   They are one and the same but some refuse to acknowledge this.

Peter Meney is the editor of New Focus. He strenuously refutes any accusation of antinomianism, in the light of some editions of the magazine having “questioned the emphasis in some quarters on the ten commandments and their role in the life of a believer”. He writes: “… despite rumours to the contrary we regard the law of God to be holy, just and good.” He urges “that Christians are not duty bound to the ten commandments” but that “it does not follow that there are no objective laws, or rules for Christian living. There are. For these we enlist all of Scripture as our final authority and inerrant guide, interpreted and displayed in the life and teaching of our precious Lord Jesus and his apostles… We believe in the unconditional acceptance of a sinner with God on the sole basis of Jesus Christ’s blood and righteousness without reference to works and acts of obedience on the part of the believer. We believe that this assurance, personally received, is the only effective motive for holy living.”

OUR RESPONSE:

Even though Peter Meney refutes the “accusation” that he is a proponent of antinomianism, his statements quoted above prove that he is. These are duplicitous and contradictory remarks.  He refutes any accusation of antinomianism but says that Christians are not duty bound to the Ten Commandments.   He follows this up by saying, “it does not follow that there are no objective laws, or rules for Christian living.”   This is ridiculous.   He further asserts: “We believe in the unconditional acceptance of a sinner with God on the sole basis of Jesus Christ’s blood and righteousness without reference to works and acts of obedience on the part of the believer.”   Perhaps he ought to look at Acts 2:38 which reads: “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”   Repentance is required, and that is an act of obedience in itself.   We then have to live a life of keeping the Commandments, as Jesus, Himself, taught.

Don Fortner is the last example in this instalment of a person who is antagonistic to the Law of God and a proponent of antinomianism and the “New Covenant Theology.” He argues as follows:

“Those who tell us that believers are under the law as a rule of life have a hard time proving their position from the New Testament. This is because every statement about the believer and the law in the entire New Testament asserts exactly what Paul says in Romans 6:14 – ‘ye are not under the law’!…

“If you are a believer, if you trust Christ, you are not under the law for justification, for sanctification, for holiness, or for any other reason. This is the teaching of the New Testament. It is simply wrong for Christian ministers and teachers to bind believers to the law as a rule of life and conduct….

“The believer’s rule of life is not one section of Scripture but the whole revealed will of God in holy Scripture” (the New Focus website).

“The law of God is holy and just and good. But it becomes a very great evil when it is perverted and used for something other than its divine purpose… The law of God has but one singular purpose. It exposes man’s guilt before God, shutting him up to faith in Christ alone for salvation… To use the law for any other purpose is to pervert and abuse the law… When true love reigns in the heart there is no need for law.

“Not only is it unwise, it is a sinful practice, contrary to the faith of the gospel, for a believer to make the law a basis for his life before God” (Grace for Today).

 OUR RESPONSE:

The remarks by Don Fortner show a terrible ignorance and misunderstanding of the biblical teaching as to what it means that we are no longer “under the law.” We have this to say in our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” on page 18:

“… Others quote Romans 6:14, stating that we are no longer ‘under law but under grace,’ saying this means we don’t have to obey the law anymore. However, the correct meaning of this passage is that when we violate the law, we are no longer under the curse of the law—the death penalty—as the blood of Christ, given to us by grace, has covered and forgiven our sins—has paid the death penalty that we earned. Paul explains in the very next verse (verse 15), that this does not mean that we can now continue to sin—that is, to break God’s law. Rather, we are now to be ‘slaves of righteousness’ (verse 18), in keeping God’s law.”

Mr Fortner comes to an unbelievable conclusion when he writes: “Not only is it unwise, it is a sinful practice, contrary to the faith of the gospel, for a believer to make the law a basis for his life before God.” He ignores, either on purpose or because he simply doesn’t understand the many Scriptures that show that a believer has to keep the Law and that Jesus, the founder of Christianity, preached this obedience message too. For an in-depth discussion of this vital and salvational question, please read our free booklet, “God’s Law… or God’s Grace?”

Christ will reject those at His return who claim that they practiced “Christianity,” but instead practiced “lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).  The Amplified Bible writes: “.. depart from Me, you who act wickedly—disregarding My commands.” The revidierte Lutherbibel 2017 says: “… depart from Me who transgress the law.” And John adds in 1 John 2:4: “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“America’s Armed Forces in Big Trouble,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary: 

Pope Francis said that when women and young people governed today, there would not be as many global conflicts. But is this true in the eyes of God? And how serious is the situation inside the US armed forces, in part due to the attempt to accommodate the woke ideology? What prophesied consequences will that development have for the US military and the entire country? 

“Franziskus und Gauck gegen die Bibel?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program covers a similar topic as the StandingWatch program described above. 

“Gefalle ich Gott?” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “Am I Pleasing to God?”

“What Do You Say To God?” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We are taught to hallow God—especially when we pray. Recognizing God as Creator of all things will help us praise and glorify God when we speak to Him.

“Incremental Growth,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Rene Messier, is now posted. Here is a summary:

This message reviews the characteristics of God and explains why it is important to implement them in our lives for spiritual growth in knowledge and understanding.

On July 16, 2022, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “What Do You Say To God?” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Incremental Growth.”

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.

The work of physicists and astrophysicists can be fascinating. While I’ve been intrigued, my impression changed when I became aware that some have questioned the existence of God.

 They are entitled to their beliefs, but it is difficult to reconcile that one, with a deep understanding of the majesty of the cosmos, does not believe an all-powerful Creator God is at the heart of all. Still, most physicists and scientists admit that humans know only a fraction of what lies beyond what we see with the strongest instruments.

Some prominent physicists have recognized the existence of God as the Creator of all things—from Johannes Kepler who recognized that God created the cosmos in an orderly fashion, to Isaac Newton whose belief in the Truth of God cost him his position at Cambridge.

Others such as Stephen Hawking and Marie Curie did not believe in God’s existence. Albert Einstein saw the logic of a grand Creator, but he believed in the pantheistic god of Baruch Spinoza. He did not believe in a personal God who concerns Himself with fates and actions of human beings.

One theoretical physicist of note in the mid-20^th century was Richard Feynman. Born in Queens, New York, in 1918, he attended a public high school in his neighborhood. This high school produced 3 Nobel Prize winners, including Feynman. During his time at Cal Tech and MIT, Feynman had a profound impact on the science of theoretical and particle physics.

Feynman was down-to-earth with a child-like curiosity about the world, and a knack for explaining complex theories. Feynman considered himself agnostic, though he stated that it was impossible for science to disprove the existence of God, and therefore science and God could co-exist.

He made an interesting point concerning unseen waves of all kinds. He imagined two people having a conversation, and at that moment there are chaotic waves bouncing around between the two. Energy waves, radiation, light, heat, and radio waves—they are all present around each of us. We know that oxygen exists though we cannot see it.  Similarly, Feynman suggested placing a radio between the two people to illustrate the existence of radio waves by tuning in to a broadcast from a nearby station, or perhaps in his day, Radio Free Europe.

As believers, we know that God exists, just as those waves, and can be present with His people even though He is not seen.  In 1 Corinthians 3:16, we read: ^“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

For those whom God calls, this is fundamental. As believers, we know that God is with us, and that sin drives Him away. As children, we most often misbehaved when we thought our parents were not watching. One day, when I was eight or so, I was sitting on the curb up the street from my home. I had taken matches from the house and thought it would be a good idea to start a little campfire in the gutter. When I got home, my mom was angry. A neighbor had phoned her after watching my antics. I had gotten into trouble thinking I was out of Mom’s gaze.

Why then do we sin? God knows our hearts and intentions, and it would be better to remember this and honor Him! Consider, Psalm 139:7-10, a psalm we often sing as a hymn to honor Him:

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.  If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”

We understand that God is always aware of our actions, wherever we are, much like Mom and Dad when we are young. We are human and God offers repentance, but think of God as standing next to you as you contemplate your next move—sin, or obedience? Choosing sin should leave believers remorseful. There is a remedy: repent, obey, and pray—as a first waking thought, and the last one before sleep. Proverbs 15:3 offers an image for us to take to heart: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

We cannot hide our actions or our intentions from God, so let’s not waste time justifying sinful behavior. It is better that we live each day with the understanding that God is there. We may not see Him, but we know He is there for us to turn to.

Jeremiah made the point that God is not as a limited pagan idol, but is both present and transcendent. He is everywhere through the power of His Holy Spirit emanating from Him. Let’s consider Chapter 23 of Jeremiah, and verses 23 and 24: “^‘Am I a God near at hand,’ says the Lord, ‘And not a God afar off?  Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?’ says the Lord; ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ says the Lord.”

God has never tried to deceive us to catch us sinning. He has been forthright as our Creator in using Scripture to illustrate that He is present with each of us. Perhaps we think that He is so busy and cannot be concerned about each person. Isaiah captured what God wants for us. In Chapter 57, and in verse 15, we read: “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’”

God is a mystery to be revealed as we seek perfection for His Kingdom. However, God is with us now and we want Him close. Sin can be as subtle as an unkind thought; others require forethought. Choosing sin is counter to being a Christian. It is also foolish and willful. Let’s choose to honor our Father with respect and the obedience that He commands. Consider how Isaiah quotes God’s words in Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

We begin with the assassination of Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister of Japan; continue with the Biden Administration’s course of action regarding the support of abortion; address the report claiming that a 10-year–old girl was raped; became pregnant and had an abortion; wonder whether Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson have been out of touch with reality; report on Biden’s trip to Israel (please see our new StandingWatch program in this regard, titled, “Will America Help Israel Against Iran?”) ;speak of many Republicans who seem to be willing to abandon Donald Trump; and refer briefly to the hypocrisy of the governor of Michigan.

We address the Vatican’s controversial accession to the Paris Climate Agreement and make some observations about the continuing rumor that Pope Francis might retire.

We point out the precarious situation in Germany; new developments in Italy; fears of weapon smuggling in Ukraine; alleged plans by Serbia and parts of Bosnia to join Russia; and Russian “encouragement” to naturalize all Ukrainians; and we refer to reports that Putin is to meet leaders of Iran and Turkey; and to Turkey’s ongoing controversy with Greece.

We address a mandate in Europe to prevent “speeding”; the rise of the Dollar towards the Euro; the fear that a devastating recession will hit the USA—if not already here; and Elon Musk’s decision to end his deal with Twitter.

We conclude with articles about another nail in the coffin of the wrong evolution theory and Noah’s Ark.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

Japan’s Shinzo Abe Assassinated

JTA wrote on July 8:

“Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister of Japan who boosted relations with Israel as part of his effort to increase his country’s global influence, was assassinated at a campaign rally on Friday. Abe, 67, who led Japan from 2012 to 2020 after a short stint in 2006-2007, was speaking at a rally in Nara when he was shot multiple times from behind…

“Abe was a staunch nationalist who sought to dramatically change Japan’s pacifist postwar character, increasing military spending and becoming more engaged with several world powers… Increased diplomacy with Israel was a prime example of Japan’s foreign policy shift during Abe’s consequential second tenure as prime minister… ‘I am determined, together with Prime Minister Netanyahu, to make further efforts to strengthen Japan-Israel relations, so that the potentials are fully materialized,’ Abe said [in 2014].”

The Sun wrote on July 8:

“Abe died after being brutally gunned down in a bloody assassination – with the lone gunman armed with a homemade weapon…. Tetsuya [the gunman who was captured and confessed to the crime], who formerly served in Japan’s navy, lives locally and cops have since discovered a possible explosive device in his home. Japan is regarded as one of the world’s safest countries and has some of the strictest gun control laws anywhere…. It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the days of prewar militarism in the 1930s… Doctors said Abe had bled to death, suffered deep wounds to his neck, and one of the bullets entered his heart.”

Unbelievably, Biden, when mourning the assassination of Abe, used the occasion to speak out against gun violence. Apart from being utterly insensitive, it made no sense at all. Despite some media reports to the contrary, Abe and Trump shared an ongoing friendship as well.

Breitbart reported on July 8:

“Former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly honored ex-Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday morning, saluting their long friendship in the hours leading up to the late leader’s death… ‘Absolutely devastating news that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, a truly great man and leader, has been shot…’ Trump said in a statement. ‘He was a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America. This is a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much…’

“Trump and Abe met several times while both men were in office and kept up the key alliance between Japan and the U.S. in the face of increasing regional activity by China… In August 2020,Trump called Abe the greatest prime minister in Japanese history during a call between the two leaders, days after the Japanese premier said he was stepping down for health reasons.

“The two men spoke at length, and Trump told Abe he had done a ‘fantastic job’ and that the relationship between their two countries was stronger than it has ever been… The end result was stability for both nations and the preservation of a bilateral relationship that remains to this day.”

However, this close relationship between Japan and the USA may not continue.

Biden Pushed to Sign Executive Order on Abortion

The left publication Salon News wrote on July 8:

“Facing mounting backlash from progressive lawmakers and activists over his tepid response to the Supreme Court’s (decision overturning Roe v Wade), President Joe Biden on Friday plans to sign a limited executive order aimed at bolstering access to abortion for people living in GOP-led states that have rushed to ban the procedure…

“The order, as summarized by the White House, also expresses the Biden administration’s commitment to shielding the right of pregnant people to ‘travel safely to another state to seek the care they need’ as Republican lawmakers look to bar residents from crossing state lines to obtain an abortion.

“Biden’s unilateral action comes as members of his own party and advocacy organizations are vocally criticizing the administration for failing to respond with sufficient urgency to the… [decision of the] Supreme Court… ‘What the president and the Democratic Party needs to come to terms with is that this is not just a crisis of Roe, this is a crisis of our democracy,’ Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said in a recent interview. ‘This is a crisis of legitimacy, and President Biden must address that.’ The White House’s outline indicates that the president is not going to utilize federal property to open abortion clinics in Republican-led states, a step that Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have urged him to take.

“Warren and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., have also suggested that ‘federal agencies could explore opportunities to provide vouchers for travel, child care services, and other forms of support for individuals seeking to access abortion care that is unavailable in their home state.’

“While Biden’s order is expected to make clear that paid sick leave is available to federal workers who need to travel to obtain reproductive care, the executive action appears to be limited to government employees.”

We only quoted the substance of the article and omitted the disturbing polemic of this left-wing publication. It shows the widening rift inside the Democratic Party between more liberal moderates and extreme leftists.

Life Site wrote on July 8:

“‘Long gone is the Democratic Party of ‘safe, legal, and rare,’” declared a statement issued by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America… President Marjorie Dannenfelser. ‘President Biden has once again caved to the extreme abortion lobby… Democrats will stop at nothing to promote their agenda of abortion on demand, up until the moment of birth… including dangerous mail-order abortion drugs…’”

The Strange Case of the Alleged Rape of a 10-Year-Old Girl

Breitbart wrote on July 13:

“An illegal alien is accused of raping a 10-year-old girl whose story was cited by President Joe Biden after she traveled from Ohio to Indiana to seek an abortion… The rape swept international headlines after Biden repeated the story twice during speeches at the White House. Biden cited the case as evidence that girls and women would have to travel out of red states to seek abortions following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade last month… Despite Biden’s claims, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost noted that although Ohio has hugely limited abortion across the state, its law allows for medical emergencies which include cases like the 10-year-old girl who was raped. ‘She did not have to leave Ohio to find treatment,’ Yost said.”

Newsmax added on July 13 that the 27-year-old man “confessed” to the rape and has been charged with first-degree felony rape, continuing:

“The child’s case first made headlines when Dr. Caitlin Bernard — an Indiana-based physician who provides abortion services — referenced, through the media, the harrowing story of a pre-teen girl crossing state lines from Ohio to Indiana, solely to get an abortion. And once President Biden acknowledged the story, a public backlash developed on two fronts — against the person who allegedly committed the crime, and whether Indiana authorities had properly reported the statutory rape.”

In spite of the reports, serious questions regarding this entire story remain.

Before the story broke regarding the alleged arrest of the accused rapist, the New York Post published on July 12 the following opinion piece by attorney and Professor Jonathan Turley:

“What is even stranger than the utter lack of confirmation of the story is the utter lack of interest in confirming it — or in the welfare of the child herself… some of us noted that the Ohio law actually does not prohibit abortions after six weeks but after ‘fetal heartbeat has been detected.’ Being three days over the six-week line is not a bar on abortion. More importantly, it also has the exceptions for cases like this one. In fact, Ohio says abortions are allowed ‘to prevent a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman,’ which would certainly be the case for a 10-year-old…

“There have been a number of false or inaccurate claims made about abortion law and the Dobbs decision, including false claims that women can be prevented from traveling for medical care or that ectopic pregnancy treatments are now barred as abortion in some states. These false accounts can be a dangerous form of disinformation if women believe that they cannot receive treatment for legal procedures… Whether this is a case of criminal victimization or political exploitation, we should all be motivated to find out the truth.”

Biden—the New Dictator?

On July 8, The New York Post published the following opinion:

“President Biden never promised to ‘make America constitutional again.’ Though he took office preaching the need for ‘unity,’ he increasingly rules like an elective dictator, relying on executive orders instead of working with Congress for legislative solutions. But leftists supporters are furious that Biden has not seized far more power to inflict their values on the rest of America… Leftists are angry that Biden did not issue a decree making abortion legal…

“… law professor Jonathan Turley observed, ‘President Biden has arguably the worst record of losses in [federal court] the first two years of any recent presidential administration.’

“On his first day in office, Biden issued an executive order compelling people to wear face masks any time they were on federal property… Last September, Biden decreed that every American working for a company with more than a hundred employees must get a COVID vaccine injection. The Supreme Court obliterated that mandate in January, ruling that there was no basis in federal law for his decree.

“Last November, the Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s attempt to perpetuate a national moratorium on evictions of renters. Six Justices scoffed that the administration’s legal defense relied ‘on a decades-old statute that authorizes . . . measures like fumigation and pest extermination.’ In April, federal judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down the Biden administration’s mask mandate for air travel, ruling that agencies were not permitted to ‘act unlawfully’…

“Despite being told again and again that he can’t just make law, leftists still insist Biden act unilaterally on abortion, guns and the environment. Ironically, despite four years nonstop howling about the peril from President Trump, many leftists understand nothing about the danger of absolute power.”

They sure don’t, and that is VERY dangerous, as it paves the way for tyranny and a dictatorship. Canada, under leftist Trudeau, is perhaps one of the best examples for this development.

Biden, Johnson and Macron… Out of Touch With Reality

The New York Post wrote on July 10:

“This is an Age of Rage, and it is only beginning… Boris Johnson… is a bust. The prime minister who made Brexit happen was knifed by his own Conservative Party. It’s a death by a thousand cuts, most of them self-inflicted….  In the big picture, public rage — the force that brought down Boris Johnson — has also paralyzed the presidency of Emmanuel Macron…  and given Joe Biden the worst popularity ratings since polling began. And the tidal wave of anger is still growing…

“Johnson’s colleagues made a pre-emptive strike before Britain’s voters turned on the party as a whole. The French public had no choice but to return Macron to the presidency in April’s elections: He was the least-worst alternative to the ex-fascist Marine Le Pen and the neo-communist Jean-Luc Mélenchon… Macron, a little man with Napoleonic plans, is now struggling to build a coalition.

“The American public have another two years of Joe Biden’s masterful leadership to look forward to. But the voters will get the chance to register their disgust in the midterms. They are… sure to massacre the Dems in November…

“Leftists are pleased that the original bad boys of populism are out — first Donald Trump, then Benjamin Netanyahu, now Boris — but there is no normal to return to. The voters trusted their leaders when the COVID-19 epidemic broke out — and their leaders panicked. Elected politicians outsourced the biggest challenge since World War II to the control freaks at the CDC while leaving it to corporate chemists to actually come up with the vaccines.  And the Biden administration still won’t tell us where it thinks COVID-19 came from.

“Emmanuel Macron’s restrictions on movement would have brought a gleam to the eye of a Vichy colonel: Not since the days of Marshal Pétain had the French needed an official pass to go beyond the end of the street. At least Macron played the role of dictator with unerring conviction.

“Boris Johnson imposed three merciless lockdowns, then broke his own COVID rules. Joe Biden ordered the cruel and pointless masking of children, then ambled about maskless in front of the cameras.

“The leaders of the Western democracies proved they neither understood nor cared about the suffering of their peoples…

“The post-COVID economy is a disaster. We have an unnecessary energy crisis, and the credibility of democracy itself is tumbling into an income gap that keeps getting wider. The trust between rulers and ruled has been broken.

“The worst of it is, no one forced our leaders to opt for lockdowns, mask mandates, infant vaccinations, mad money printing and green boondoggles. This was the experts’ ill-informed idea of good government.

‘Johnson and Biden both turned left after winning office, imposing expensive and unworkable green energy policies, and raising taxes even as they promised to revive their economies. Biden, with his usual integrity, will blame Vladimir Putin  or white supremacy when the Democrats lose both House and Senate in the midterms…

“We are ruled by halfwits and hypocrites without conviction or competence…”

Sadly, this is SO very true.  

Biden a “Great Zionist” and True Friend of Israel?

 The Algemeiner wrote on July 13:

“As US President Joe Biden kicked off his Middle East trip in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, Israeli leaders hailed the regional visit as a ‘journey of peace’ and called for global cooperation to arrest Iran’s nuclear program… Prime Minister Yair Lapid remarked at the greeting ceremony… that Biden once called himself a Zionist, saying that ‘you don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist.’ ‘You were right, and in your case: a great Zionist and one of the best friends Israel has ever known,’ the Israeli premier added.

“Biden reaffirmed that stance in his own remarks, calling the connection between the Israeli and American peoples ‘bone deep.’ ‘With this trip we have reaffirmed the unshakable commitment by the United States to Israel’s security, including partnering with Israel on the most cutting-edge defense systems in the world,’ Biden said.”

Biden, who was greeted at his arrival as “brother Joseph,” also said in an interview which was recorded before his trip but shown on Israeli TV after his arrival that he would use force as a last resort to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. But words are cheap. It will remain to be seen what the USA will do in case of a serious crisis.

Agreement Between the USA and Israel Regarding Iran?

JTA wrote on July 14:

“After releasing a joint statement that demonstrates unity on the need to counter the Iranian nuclear threat, U.S. president Joe Biden and Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid gave statements that demonstrate radical differences in their approach to doing so. The document released on Thursday, the second day of Biden’s visit to Israel, is a 1,500-word statement titled ‘The Jerusalem Declaration on the US-Israel Strategic Partnership.’ It states that the United States is committed ‘never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon’ and is ‘prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome.’

“But after the leaders’ meeting Thursday, Biden and Lapid gave a joint press conference in which Biden said that working to prevent a nuclear Iran, ‘I continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve this outcome.’

“Lapid struck a different note… ‘Words will not stop them, Mr. President. Diplomacy will not stop them. The only thing that will stop Iran is knowing that if they continue to develop their nuclear program, the free world will use force.’”

Deutsche Welle added on July 14:

“‘We will make sure Israel will be able to defend itself by itself,’ Biden said during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.”

G.O.P. Voters Ready to Leave Trump Behind?

DNYUZ reported on July 12:

“As Donald J. Trump  weighs whether to open an unusually early White House campaign, a New York Times/Siena College poll shows that his post-presidential quest to consolidate his support within the Republican Party has instead left him weakened, with nearly half the party’s primary voters seeking someone different for president in 2024 and a significant number vowing to abandon him if he wins the nomination…. A clear majority of primary voters under 35 years old, 64 percent, as well as 65 percent of those with at least a college degree — a leading indicator of political preferences inside the donor class — told pollsters they would vote against Mr. Trump in a presidential primary…

“Overall, Mr. Trump maintains his primacy in the party: In a hypothetical matchup against five other potential Republican presidential rivals, 49 percent of primary voters said they would support him for a third nomination. The greatest threat to usurp Mr. Trump within the party is Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who was the second choice with 25 percent and the only other contender with double-digit support. Among primary voters, Mr. DeSantis was the top choice of younger Republicans, those with a college degree and those who said they voted for President Biden in 2020…

“Should Mr. DeSantis and Mr. Trump face off in a primary, the poll suggested that support from Fox News could prove crucial: Mr. Trump held a 62 percent to 26 percent advantage over Mr. DeSantis among Fox News viewers, while the gap between the two Floridians was 16 points closer among Republicans who mainly receive their news from another source…”

The Radical Government of Michigan

Life Site News wrote on July 8:

“Michigan’s radically pro-abortion Democratic governor on Wednesday reaffirmed her commitment to defending legal abortion in her state, characterizing the ability to kill unborn babies as ‘a great part of [Michigan’s] legacy.’

“Whitmer, who imposed some of the harshest COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions in the United States during the coronavirus epidemic, said that abortion falls under the state’s commitment to ‘civil rights,’ ‘bodily autonomy,’ and the ability of residents to create a ‘great quality of life.’”

What happened to civil rights and quality of life in Michigan when terrible and unconstitutional lockdowns and restrictions were imposed on the citizens during the pandemic crisis?

Vatican Joins Paris Agreement … What’s Really Behind It

Life Site wrote on July 8:

“The Vatican announced today that it has formally joined the Paris Climate Agreement… The Vatican claims that in joining the Paris Agreement it is expressing its solidarity with the poor and future generations as those most affected by ‘climate change.’…   however, it has long been noted by pro-life advocates, that the 2015 Agreement includes an underlying agenda to push abortion, contraception [that are, or can be, abortifacient], and sterilization as necessary means of controlling the population and minimizing human consumption and use of the earth’s resources…

“Many see the Vatican’s accession to the Paris Climate Agreement today as yet one more step along what Voice of the Family called ‘the steady reversal of the Holy See’s former vigilance on this issue [of abortion] and the increasing incidence of the Vatican and international anti-life and anti-family forces working together, despite the Holy Father’s public condemnations of abortion.’”

The article also pointed out:

“Today’s announcement comes only one day after the European Union adopted a resolution… in which the E.U. defends abortion as a ‘fundamental human right’ and ‘calls on the governments of those [US] states which have passed laws and other measures concerning bans and restrictions on abortion to repeal them and to ensure that their legislation is in line with internationally protected women’s human rights.’”

The collaboration between the EU and the Vatican is obvious.

Pope Francis and Retirement

The Associated Press wrote on July 12:

“Pope Francis said he would not live in the Vatican or return to his native Argentina if and when he ever retires, but would instead like to find a church in Rome where he could continue hearing confessions. ‘I’m the bishop of Rome, in this case the emeritus bishop of Rome,’ Francis said in an interview… Francis, 85, denied he was planning to retire any time soon but repeated that ‘the door is open’ after Pope Benedict XVI in 2013 became the first pope in 600 years to step down…

“Some cardinals and canon lawyers have long questioned Benedict’s decisions in retirement, including his continuing to wear the white cassock of the papacy and keeping his papal name, Benedict, rather than reverting back to his birth name, Joseph Ratzinger. They say those choices and Benedict’s continued presence in the Vatican created confusion among the faithful and enabled Francis’ traditionalist critics to use Benedict as a conservative point of reference, threatening the unity of the Catholic Church.”

Germany’s Fear of Disaster

Deutsche Welle reported on July 10:

“Canada has announced it will return to Germany a repaired turbine of the Russian Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which is a core source of the gas supply to Germany. It comes as the pipeline prepares to undergo maintenance from July 11 to 21. Although the maintenance is nominally routine, the tension with Russia and the sanctions status in allied countries like Canada had prompted German leaders to consider the possibility of a longer shutdown.

“The repairs come amid Canadian sanctions against Russia extending ‘to land and pipeline transport and the manufacturing of metals and of transport, computer, electronic and electrical equipment, as well as of machinery.’ Ukraine had urged Canada not to return the repaired part, saying it would undermine sanctions against Russia [and] it would be ‘setting a dangerous precedent that will lead to the weakening of the sanctions regime imposed on Russia.’ [Ukraine] stressed the turbine must be returned to Ukraine rather than Germany. The country argued that Germany could rely instead on Ukrainian pipelines to transport a sufficient amount of gas…

“Fears are growing in Germany regarding a difficult winter, should Russia maintain its reduced gas supply. Peter Adrian, the president of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), warned that the crisis could take its toll not only on citizens in need of heating their homes, but also on companies and Germany’s economy at large. Adrian told the dpa news agency that this could trigger a serious recession, predicting a decline in economic output of up to 10%. ‘The clock is ticking and, as businesses, we have to think about the worst case scenario,’ Adrian said, warning of ‘disaster’ should Russia fail to turn the gas supply back on after the conclusion of the pipeline’s maintenance on July 21.”

Frictions between Germany and Ukraine are increasing as well. On Monday, Canada’s ambassador to Kyiv was summoned over the decision that Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry called “unacceptable.”

The Associated Press wrote on July 13:

“Russian energy company Gazprom appeared to cast doubt Wednesday on the prospects of quickly restoring the flow of natural gas to full capacity through a major pipeline to Western Europe. Gazprom reduced the gas deliveries through Nord Stream 1 to Germany by 60% last month. The state-owned gas company cited technical problems involving a piece of equipment that partner Siemens Energy sent to Canada for overhaul and couldn’t be returned because of sanctions imposed over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The Canadian government said over the weekend that it would allow the gas turbine that powers a compressor station to be delivered to Germany, citing the ‘very significant hardship’ that the German economy would suffer without a sufficient gas supply to keep industries running and generate electricity. Gazprom tweeted Wednesday that it ‘does not possess any documents that would enable Siemens to get the gas turbine engine … out of Canada.’ It added that ‘in these circumstances, it appears impossible to reach an objective conclusion on further developments regarding the safe operation’ of a compressor station at the Russian end of the pipeline, which it said is ‘of critical importance.’…

“Nord Stream 1 runs under the Baltic Sea and is Germany’s main source of Russian gas, which recently has accounted for about 35% of the country’s total gas supply… German politicians have dismissed Russia’s technical explanation for last month’s reduction in gas flowing through Nord Stream 1, saying the decision was a political gambit to sow uncertainty and further push up energy prices… German officials are concerned that Russia may not resume gas deliveries at all, pointing to a possibility that it might cite another technical detail as a reason to keep the gas turned off.”

Russia stated that it is not certain that gas deliveries will resume on or about July 21, as this may also depend on Europe’s conduct regarding their sanctions against Russia. 

Italian Government Near Collapsing–Again?

 Reuters reported on July 14:

“Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s coalition government risked collapse on Thursday after the 5-Star Movement, one of its members, failed to support a parliamentary confidence vote including measures to offset the cost of living crisis. Straight after the vote, Draghi headed to the Quirinale Palace in Rome to meet President Sergio Mattarella, the supreme arbiter in Italian politics, and the two men held talks for almost an hour….

“The confidence vote had become a focal point for tensions within Draghi’s broad coalition as its parties prepare to fight each other in a national election due by early 2023….The 5-Star decision to boycott the vote plunged Italy into political uncertainty and risked undermining efforts to secure billions of euros in European Union funds, tackle a damaging drought and reduce its reliance on Russian gas.

“It could lead to national elections as early as September or October after other coalition parties said there should be a vote if 5-Star no longer backed the government…. Draghi, Italy’s sixth prime minister in the past decade, had been seen as providing reassurance that Italy would respect any conditions attached to the new mechanism but his departure would create fresh uncertainty.”

After World War II, Italy’s governments have been one of the most unstable in Europe. After the fall of Israel’s coalition, we might also see a collapse of the unstable coalition in Germany very soon. 

Alarm Over Ukraine Weapons Smuggling

UK Today News reported on July 12:

“Nato and EU states are pushing for better tracking of weapons they have supplied to Ukraine in response to fears that criminal groups are smuggling them back out of the country and on to Europe’s black market. Since Russia launched its war against Ukraine, western states have pledged more than $10bn in military support, from portable rocket launchers and armoured vehicles to rifles and vast amounts of ammunition… ‘All these weapons land in southern Poland, get shipped to the border and then are just divided up into vehicles to cross: trucks, vans, sometimes private cars,’ said one of the western officials. ‘And from that moment we go blank on their location and we have no idea where they go, where they are used or even if they stay in the country.’…

“Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, said in April that its investigations indicated that weapons trafficking from Ukraine into the bloc to supply organised crime groups had begun and was a potential threat to EU security… ‘Initially, Ukrainian officials maintained registers of firearms handed out to civilians, but this practice was abandoned as the war progressed and firearms have been distributed without records since then,’ it said…”

This was so predictable, and it will not help the development or maintenance of any “friendship” between Ukraine and Europe.

Part of Bosnia and Serbia to Join Russia?

Newsweek wrote on July 9, 2022

“… secessionist threats by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik is a ‘dream come true’ for Russian President Vladimir Putin… who promised… that ‘we are not leaving our friends.’… Dodik said in June… that Serbia would ‘wait for the appropriate global circumstances’ to achieve its plan of seceding from Bosnia. This also comes amid fears of instability in the Western Balkans, potentially fueled by the Russian war in Ukraine, which prompted Germany to plan to deploy troops with the European Union’s peacekeeping mission in Bosnia…

“Dodik [is] a Putin supporter who serves as the Serb member of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency… Dodik’s goal to break apart half of Bosnia and unite it with neighboring Serbia has led the United States and the United Kingdom to impose sanctions against him earlier this year over attempts to fuel conflict and destabilize Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Bosnia has already gone through a war from 1992-1995 that left over 100,000 people dead before a deal, known as the Dayton Accords, was reached to end the conflict. The agreement created Bosnian Serb and Bosniak-Croat bodies who were connected by joint Bosnian institutions and a tripartite presidency…

“Dodik and Putin have similar goals when it comes to Bosnia which includes strengthening Serbian-Russian alliance as they both want to block Bosnia from seeking an EU and NATO membership…”

Ukrainians to Become “Russians”

Reuters wrote on July 11:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday extending a simplified Russian naturalisation process to all citizens of Ukraine, a document published on the government’s website showed.

“Previously, a simplified procedure for acquiring Russian citizenship applied only to residents of the self-proclaimed breakaway territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine, which Russia seeks to ‘liberate’ from Kyiv’s control, as well as the Russian-occupied regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, the state news agency TASS reported.”

Putin to Meet with Iran’s and Turkey’s Leaders

The Associated Press reported on July 12:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Iran next week… a day after the U.S. warned that Tehran could provide Moscow with drones for its action in Ukraine…. The White House said Monday that it believes that Russia is turning to Iran to provide it with ‘hundreds’ of drones, including those capable of carrying weapons, for use in Ukraine…

“During a trip to Tehran next Tuesday, Putin will attend a trilateral meeting with the leaders of Iran and Turkey, the so-called Astana format of meetings for Syria-related talks… Putin’s visit to Iran will follow U.S. President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week, where Iran’s nuclear program and malign activities in the region will be a key subject of discussion…. Putin will also have a separate meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.”

The claim by the White House that Iran is to send drones to Russia has been highly disputed as being inaccurate in some of the conservative media, such as the Ron Paul Institute and Breitbart which referred to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan as “one of the key perpetrators of the ‘Russia collusion’ hoax in 2016 and 2017.”

Turkey vs. Greece … and the USA

Greek Reporter wrote on July 10:

“Far-right nationalist Turkish politician and Erdogan ally Devlet Bahçeli released a map that indicates that the Greek islands in the Aegean and even Crete belong to Turkey. Bahçeli is one of the founders of The Grey Wolves, a nationalist, Islamist, and fascist group that is considered a terrorist organization across much of the world. Throughout the 1970s, the Grey Wolves conducted guerilla attacks against minorities, artists, and leftists in Turkey…

“In June, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned Greece to demilitarize its islands in the Aegean, saying he was ‘not joking.’ He spoke during Turkish military exercises near the islands… The Turkish leader also claimed that the US bases in Greece may be targeting his country instead of Russia. ‘There are nine US bases right now. They were established in Greece. Against whom were they established? The answer they give is ‘against Russia.’ We don’t buy it, take no offense,’ Erdogan said during a joint press conference with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.”

No More Speeding?

The Drive wrote on July 6:

“The European Union officially adopted a mandate Wednesday requiring all new vehicles sold in the EU to include technology that could prevent drivers from speeding when activated…

“ISA regulations say that if a vehicle speeds on any road, the system—when activated—must warn the driver or even automatically slow down the vehicle until it reaches the posted speed limit… As of July 2024, all new vehicles sold in the EU must be equipped with ISA.”

Will then many police officers be out of a job?

Dollar Nearly Equal to Euro—Helping or Hurting?

Fortune wrote on July 7:

“The U.S. dollar has been surging so much that it’s nearly equal in value to the euro for the first time in 20 years. [The exchange course has been between 1.02 Dollars and 1.00 to the Euro, for several days now.] That trend, though, threatens to hurt American companies because their goods become more expensive for foreign buyers. If U.S. exports were to weaken as a result, so, too, would the already-slowing U.S. economy…

“Yet there’s a positive side for Americans… A strengthened dollar… delivers bargains to American tourists sightseeing in Europe, from Amsterdam to Athens…

“In the meantime, the dollar’s rise is complicating an already uncertain outlook for the United States, the world’s biggest economy…”

Deutsche Welle added on July 12:

“The euro has taken a major beating against its US peer since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, falling to its lowest level in 20 years… The general worsening of the eurozone’s outlook amid soaring gas prices and fears of Russia cutting off natural gas supplies is dragging down the shared currency. The oversized reliance of major economies such as Germany and Italy on Russian gas has left investors unnerved, with economists forecasting a much quicker and more painful recession in the euro area than in the US… Bets that the euro would continue its fall below parity have increased in recent days…”

It won’t be the world’s strongest economy for long, if that assessment is even true…

Express wrote on July 13:

“THE EURO is facing a huge crisis after the single currency plummeted below the value of the US dollar for the first time in nearly 20 years – further deepening Eurozone recession fears. The bloc’s currency plunged to $0.9998 against the greenback, breaking below the $1 level for the first time since December 2002, before the euro back up to $1.0023. It has already sunk by nearly 12 percent this year, deepening fears the Eurozone could be plunged into a disastrous recession. The situation was worsened on Wednesday when it was revealed US consumer price inflation had soared to 9.1 percent – the highest in more than 40 years.

“The euro only briefly brushed parity against the US dollar this morning, but it was enough to send shockwaves through Europe’s biggest stock market indexes…”

Next Recession Worse Than 2008

Newsmax wrote on July 8:

“Next Recession Is Coming, Likely Worse Than 2008…

“The United States has experienced at least 34 recessions since 1857, occurring every 10-15 years on average, with the last one taking place in 2008 – and that means Americans are due for another one very soon. And we’re likely going to get it.”

Many feel that the USA is already in a recession, which indeed will get worse.

Musk Ends Deal With Twitter

Reuters wrote on July 8:

“Elon Musk, the chief executive officer of Tesla and the world’s richest person, said on Friday he was terminating his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter because the social media company had breached multiple provisions of the merger agreement… In a filing, Musk’s lawyers said Twitter had failed or refused to respond to multiple requests for information on fake or spam accounts on the platform, which is fundamental to the company’s business performance…. Musk’s abandonment of the deal and Twitter’s promise to vigorously fight to complete it casts a pall of uncertainty over the company’s future and its stock price during a time when worries about rising interest rates and a potential recession have hammered Wall Street.”

CNBC added:

“Musk is apparently paying attention to the stock price, too, according to the letter, ‘and is considering whether the company’s declining business prospects and financial outlook constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect giving Mr. Musk a separate and distinct basis for terminating the Merger Agreement.’”

We may recall that Twitter blocked many posts which were not in accordance with their left-wing agenda.

Another Nail in the Coffin of Evolution

Study Finds wrote on July 9:

“Charles Darwin’s natural selection theory is being put to the test. Darwin’s theory expounded that organisms which can better adapt to their environment are more likely to survive and produce more offspring. However, a new study by British researchers reveals natural selection may be making society more unequal… natural selection is favoring poorer people with little education…[natural selection] is pushing against genes associated with highly educated individuals, people who have more lifetime earnings, those who have a low risk of… major depressive disorders, and those with a lower risk of coronary artery disease.

“‘Darwin’s theory of evolution stated that all species develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual’s ability to compete, survive, and reproduce,’ says lead researcher David Hugh-Jones, a professor from UEA’s School of Economics…”

The study showed the exact opposite of what Darwin postulated. But the theory of natural selection or the survival of the fittest is one of the chief cornerstones of the theory of evolution. Without it, the theory collapses for that reason alone.

Noah’s Ark Rebuilt

Fox News wrote on July 10:

“The Ark Encounter park [in Kentucky] is a full-size representation of Noah’s Ark, based on the Genesis flood narrative in the Bible. The structure is roughly 510 feet long, 85 feet wide and 51 feet high…

“The Ark Encounter features the most authentic full-size replica of Noah’s Ark in the world…  It was built according to the dimensions given in the Bible — and has three decks of teaching exhibits.”

What will Bible-denying “scientists” say when the REAL Ark is found?

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

It is an unusual word in that it is not in common usage in everyday life.   However, the understanding of its meaning is vital to the true Christian.   It is pronounced as “an-tin-o-mi-an-ism”.

Wikipedia observes as follows:

“Antinomianism (Ancient Greek: ἀντί, ‘against’ and νόμος, ‘law’) is any view which rejects laws or legalism, and argues against moral, religious or social norms (Latin: mores), or is at least considered to do so. The term has both religious and secular meanings.

“In some Christian belief systems, an antinomian is one who takes the principle of salvation by faith and divine grace to the point of asserting that the saved are not bound to follow the moral law contained in The Commandments.

“The distinction between antinomian and other Christian views on moral law is that antinomians believe that obedience to the law is motivated by an internal principle flowing from belief rather than from any external compulsion.”

In short, it is a doctrine by which Christians are freed by grace and need not obey the law.

In our booklet “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever,” we read the following on pages 3-4 where Jesus was talking about religious deception as described in Matthew 24:

“Christ responded in verses 4 and 5 by warning them against religious deception, stating that many would come in His name, proclaiming that He was the Christ, yet their messages would be deceiving. This deception actually began shortly after Christ’s resurrection and the birth of the New Testament Church. The apostle Paul would later say that there were many of his time who preached another gospel and another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6)—one who had come to do away with the law of God. By the time of the destruction of the temple, much of the truth had been lost due to false teachings that had entered the Church. Subsequently, John was compelled to emphasize that anyone who would proclaim God but refuse to keep His law would be a liar, and no truth would be in him (1 John 2:4).

“The religious deception that Christ warned against would be ongoing. Even in the end time, just prior to and during the Great Tribulation…, religious deception would abound (verses 11, 24; compare Mark 13:22).”

In the introduction in our booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” we state:

“Almost two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ, under the inspiration of God the Father, prophesied that the very last generation of mankind would be so evil and wicked that it would be willing to even destroy ‘all flesh’ in a worldwide war (Matthew 24:22). At that time of impending cosmocide ‘the love of many’—even in God’s Church—’will grow cold’ (Matthew 24:12). There is a reason for such indifference and God tells us in the same verse what the reason is, ‘…because lawlessness will abound.’

“At that very time it will be as if people were to say, ‘The law is no more!’ (Lamentations 2:9). Instead, they will have been misled by the ‘mystery of lawlessness’ (2 Thessalonians 2:7). This mysterious concept was already at work in the days of the apostle Paul but it grew worse and worse over the centuries. The overwhelming majority, not having ‘received the love of the truth,’ will accept, support and even worship that man, thinking that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

“How could this be, given the fact that most people, especially in the Western World, are professing Christians, and as such, supposedly embrace the teachings of the Bible? Don’t they agree with, and keep, the fundamental and, we might say, constitutional law of the Bible, the Ten Commandments as well as God’s statutes and judgments that further define and explain the Ten Commandments? How could professing Christians be referred to in the Bible as people who follow ‘lawlessness’?”

“Most professing Christians do not believe that the Ten Commandments are still in force and effect, so they don’t see a need to keep them—neither in the letter, nor in “spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).”

It is fundamental, as we will see, to understand that the keeping of the Law of God is not something that we can make up in our own minds or some twisting of Scriptures to prove a different version of the Law to suit our own leanings.   It can be seen on the internet that a number of sources state that an antinomian is one who takes the principle of salvation by faith and divine grace to the point of asserting that the saved are not bound to follow the “moral law” contained in the Ten Commandments and they condemn this approach. In passing, the Bible nowhere speaks of the “moral law,” but it says that the Law is “spiritual” (Romans 7:14). They then contradict themselves by accepting their own form of understanding rather than taking the Ten Commandments at face value as the rule of law that we must keep.   Some even infer that those who keep the Ten Commandments are legalists!

On the website Christianity.com, we read their answer to the question: “What Is Legalism?  Definition and Examples”:

“Legalism exists when people attempt to secure righteousness in God’s sight by good works. Legalists believe that they can earn or merit God’s approval by performing the requirements of the law,” Thomas R. Schreiner said a legalist believes that their good works and obedience to God affects their salvation. Legalism focuses on God’s laws more than relationship with God. It keeps external laws without a truly submitted heart. And legalism adds human rules to divine laws and treats them as divine.”

The problem arises in mainstream Christianity that anyone who asserts that the Law of God has to be kept, can immediately be defined as a legalist and, quite probably they will belong to a cult.   This is often used just to try and further their antagonism to those who are, in actual fact, obedient to the Word of God.

To bring a practical everyday example of (often deliberate) misrepresentation is the word “homophobe”.  The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines this word as: “irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or gay people.”   Others may use slightly different or varied definitions, but the above definition is commonplace today and anyone opposing homosexuality, and quoting the Bible which describes this behaviour as perversion, is almost always vilified.   In other words, man’s definition is better and more acceptable today than the definition of the great Creator God!   What most people do today is misrepresent, on purpose, or through ignorance, what is a wrong interpretation.  A true Christian will not hate homosexuals, but disagree with their behaviour because God states that it is a perverse and wrong behaviour.  However, that usually doesn’t fit in with those who want to vilify anyone who does not approve of this wrong behaviour!

A typical, clever, response can be found on many websites that opine as follows:

“The moral law God expects us to obey is the law of Christ—’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets’ (Matthew 22:37-40). If we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will do nothing to displease Him. If we love our neighbors as ourselves, we will do nothing to harm them.”

In essence, they quote nine of the Ten Commandments but don’t agree with the 4^th Commandment which is to keep the Sabbath day holy.   Those keeping the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, which are also called Sabbaths, are seen as legalists whereas God describes these days as His days as we read in Leviticus 23:1-2: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.  Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.”’”

We are the New Testament Israel today—“spiritual Israel”—and this still applies to the people of God in 2022.   If there is anyone reading this Q&A who is not familiar with our teachings on keeping God’s weekly and annual Holy Days, please see the many Q&A’s on the same subject, and also see the following free booklets:

• How to Keep the Sabbath
• Is That in the Bible? Man’s Holidays or God’s Holy Days
• The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days
• The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days
• The Ten Commandments

Another “clever” answer by an internet blogger is: “So now we live, not by being forgiven our constant shortcomings, but by being out of the law’s bailiwick altogether; not by imitating Christ, the archetypal practitioner of holy obedience to God’s law, but by burrowing ever deeper into the joy of our free justification, and of our knowledge that Christ himself actually does in us all that his and our Father wants us to do.”

Let us allow Scripture to answer some of the above.

In the model prayer, Jesus says that: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Also, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ,” said the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1.

In the past, there have been members of the Church of God who have known the Truth but have succumbed to false teaching and the ways of this world which is a very dangerous spiritual state to be in.   It is described this way in 2 Peter 2:20-22: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’”

We know that those who interpret the plain Truth of Scripture in a different way to the Church of God will unlikely be persuaded to the Truth; but, it is our desire to strengthen Church members in the right knowledge of God as well as those who are genuinely seeking the Truth.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Will America Help Israel Against Iran?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

As Joe Biden visits Israel, hopes are high that a close relationship between America and Israel against Iran will be established and maintained. Lip services are clearly given to this effect, but how reliable is this “unshakable commitment”? Radical differences in approach have already been revealed. When push comes to shove, will America or any other nation help Israel, or will Israel be left in the cold?

A Tech Team Meeting was held on Sunday, July 10, 2022, and it was hosted by Eric Rank via Google Meets. Reports were presented covering options to You Tube for presenting our live services along with discussing our Ad campaigns and Feast plans.

“God Is… Our Destiny,” a new booklet written by Norbert Link, has been sent to graphic artist Shelly Bruno for finalization.

“Europas Aufstieg und Fall,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Europe’s Rise and Fall.”

“Der Reichtum der Verständigen,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany  by Mike Richter, is now posted. Title in English: “The Wealth of the Wise.”

“The Second Amendment and Gun Laws—Comments on News and Prophecy, July 9, 2022,” the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

A Mass Shooting at a Fourth of July Parade; the assassination of Japan’s Shinzo Abe; and the call for tougher gun control. Why is this discussion oftentimes hypocritical, and what is overlooked when addressing the Second Amendment and the Law of God? We also speak about the mess in the UK; the confusion pertaining to the definition of “a woman”; and the reasons for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

“Specks and Planks,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We are admonished in Luke 6:41-42 to examine ourselves first before we point the finger at others.  We want to avoid being hypocrites when judging others unrighteously, because we will also be judged by our actions.