Do you teach that God commands His Church in the ancient book of Ezekiel to warn the modern United States of America, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other English-speaking nations, of impending disaster?

This is indeed the understanding and teaching of the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates in Canada and Great Britain.

First, let us realize that the message, that God gave to the ancient prophet Ezekiel, was in fact a modern prophecy for a modern “Ezekiel”:

It is critical to understand that under Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the nation of Israel became divided. Two separate nations developed, known as the “house of Israel,” with Samaria as its capital, and the “house of Judah,” with Jerusalem as its capital. We read in 1 Kings 12:19-20 (AV): “So Israel [being reigned by King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon] rebelled against the house of David unto this day. And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam [a prominent officer] was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.”

King Rehoboam of Judah tried to unite the two kingdoms (of the house of Israel and the house of Judah) by force, but God prevented him from doing so. We read in 1 Kings 12:21, 24 (AV): “And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon… Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.”

The two houses or kingdoms did not unite again throughout their history. They remained separate as two kingdoms — the “house of Israel,” consisting of the ten northern tribes, and the “house of Judah,” consisting of the southern tribes of Judah (The house of Judah was later joined by the tribes of Benjamin and Levi, compare 1 Kings 12:21, 31). We even read in 1 Kings 16:5-8 about a war between Israel and Judah or the Jews. Later, the ten tribes, led by the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, became “lost” from public view. Unbeknownst to most, they are today to be found in English-speaking nations around the world. Many people believe that the Jews are identical with the modern house of Israel, but this is simply not true. Christ spoke of the “LOST tribes of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6; 15:24). James referred to all of Israel and Judah as the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1; compare Revelation 7:4-8). We read that in the FUTURE, a unification of the houses of Israel and Judah will occur, under Christ’s rule, when they come out of a (future) captivity and return to the Promised Land (Jeremiah 30:3; 33:7).

In due time, the ancient house of Israel went into captivity, in 721-718 BC, by the hand of the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:5-6, 23). The house of Judah did not go into captivity until more than one hundred years later, by the hand of the Babylonians, under king Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:1-10).

This background is important to understand, if we want to comprehend the prophetic messages that God gave to the ancient prophet Ezekiel.

In a member letter, dated November 19, 1976, Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986) explained how he came to this vital understanding in the early years of his conversion and ministry:

“In those early days I was especially interested in the book of Ezekiel. A special reason was that I saw Ezekiel was first given God’s message in PROPHECY, while he was a Jewish slave, by the River Chebar in the land of Babylon. Now this was close to 120 years after the House of ISRAEL had been taken captive to ASSYRIA. My astonishment was aroused when I saw that his message was to be taken to the HOUSE OF ISRAEL. Now Ezekiel was a slave among the HOUSE OF JUDAH — not Israel. By this time many of the ‘lost sheep of the House of Israel’ had migrated north and west from Assyria. They were, by Ezekiel’s time, in Britain and Western Europe.

“… The first message, or instruction from God, comes, beginning the second chapter [of the book of Ezekiel]. ‘And He said unto me, son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation…[and they shall know] that there hath been a prophet among them’ (Ezek. 2:3,5…)… In chapter 3:1 God says, ‘… GO speak unto the House of Israel.’ Again in verse 4, ‘Son of man, GO, get thee unto the House of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.’ NOWHERE in the Bible are JEWS called ‘the House of Israel.’ This term applies ONLY to the TEN-tribe Kingdom of Israel taken into Assyrian captivity more than a hundred years before Ezekiel and the Jews of the House of JUDAH were taken to Babylon. Nowhere in the book does Ezekiel record his journey from where he was in Babylon to those of the House of Israel who were then in Britain and Western Europe. Nowhere does he record his giving of the message to them. He merely RECEIVED the message. He merely RECORDED IT IN WRITING. There is no reason to think his message was ever delivered to the House of Israel in Ezekiel’s time. The message in fact is for today — and contained a WARNING of things to happen to Britain, America and the Western European nations NOW in OUR DAY.”

What we should notice very carefully from the foregoing is that Ezekiel was in captivity, when he received messages to be delivered to the house of Israel and other nations, including the Ammonites (Ezekiel 25:2), Moab (Ezekiel 25:8), Edom (Ezekiel 25:12), the Philistines (Ezekiel 25:15), Tyre (Ezekiel 26:2-3) and Egypt (Ezekiel 29:2) — all a great distance from his location in Babylon. We need to note, too, that Ezekiel saw visions of impending destruction upon Israel “in the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity” (Ezekiel 1:2-3). Jehoiachin went into captivity in 596 B.C. The fifth year brings us to about 592 B.C. — over 125 years AFTER the removal of the house of Israel in 718-721 B.C.! Ezekiel, a young captive Jew in Babylon, was given a future prophetic message for the house of ISRAEL, including a message about future punishment and slavery, over 120 years AFTER the ancient house of ISRAEL had already been punished and gone into captivity. Ancient Ezekiel never reached the ancient house of Israel with God’s prophetic message.

As we have explained in our booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” the modern house of Israel consists of English-speaking nations, including the United States of America, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. And God has given His end-time Church the charge to proclaim the “Ezekiel warning message” to those peoples.

The Ezekiel warning message (Ezekiel 3:16-21) is something that we have to take seriously. It is part of the gospel message of the Kingdom of God, that has to be preached (Matthew 24:14). Before the wonderful world tomorrow can be ushered in, the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord have to be fulfilled, which will be a time of terrible trouble for the modern nations of the houses of Israel and Judah, as well as the entire world.

We find this commission from God to Ezekiel: “‘…Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse–for they are a rebellious house–yet they will know that a prophet has been among them'” (Ezekiel 2:3-5).

Ezekiel’s message has become a part of God’s Word. This warning from God is for our day, and it MUST BE PROCLAIMED–along with many other prophecies preserved in the Bible for us! That responsibility has passed along to the Church of God!

In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is compared with, and even called a “watchman.” But the book of Ezekiel is for our time today — and it is therefore God’s end-time Church, which is to function as “a watchman” or “watchmen.” Notice these Biblical examples:

“So you, son of man: I have made you a WATCHMAN for the HOUSE OF ISRAEL; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them of Me” (Ezekiel 33:7).

“I have set WATCHMEN on your walls, O Jerusalem; THEY shall never hold THEIR peace day or night. You [plural in the Hebrew] who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent” (Isaiah 62:6).

“Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, That WATCHERS come from a far country And raise THEIR voice against the cities of Judah” (Jeremiah 4:16).

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk in it.” Also, I set WATCHMEN over you, saying, “Listen to the sound of the trumpet!” But they said, “We will not listen.” Therefore hear, you NATIONS, And know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O EARTH! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people–The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words Nor My law, but rejected it'” (Jeremiah 6:16-19).

We are to WATCH the events around us (Matthew 24:42), discerning the times, so that we can be effective WATCHMEN in God’s service (compare Amos 3:7), warning others of what will surely come to pass. Notice Hosea 5:9: “Ephraim [modern Great Britain] shall be DESOLATE in the day of rebuke; among the TRIBES OF ISRAEL I make known what is sure. Hosea 7:12 adds: “I will CHASTISE THEM [Ephraim] According to what their congregation HAS HEARD.”

Ezekiel 33:2-6 explains to us WHY God’s Church is to proclaim God’s warning message:

“When I bring the sword upon the land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their WATCHMAN, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet… [and] takes the warning will save his life. But if the WATCHMAN sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the WATCHMAN’S hands.”

God wants His Church to preach the establishment of God’s Kingdom here on earth. This includes, blowing the trumpet and warning of impending disaster. Some will listen and change their ways so that they, too, may enter the Kingdom. Many others, though, will not heed the message. Still, if His Church shrinks back from its God-given responsibility, He will have no pleasure in it (Hebrews 10:37-39).

Your Relationship with God

On Saturday, December 18, 2004, J. Edwin Pope will give the sermon, titled, “Your Relationship with God,” Part 4.

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Preaching the Gospel & Feeding the Flock

The new booklet on tithing, titled “Tithing Today?,” has been placed on the Web.

The Global Church of God in the UK has received 374 requests for our advertised booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

We are preparing a new member letter for the month of December, addressing the erroneous concepts associated with Christmas and “Peace on Earth.” A new booklet is being written on the topics of Military Service and War; Participation in Jury Duty; and Voting in Governmental Elections.

We are preparing for our next annual conference, scheduled to be held in San Diego during the month of February, 2005. We would like to ask you to pray for God’s guidance for the preparations. Any ideas to be discussed during the conference would be welcome.

Should only ordained ministers of the Church of God baptize, or is it sufficient to get baptized through unordained members?

In our booklet, “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation,” we address and answer this question, as follows, beginning on page 27, under “Who Should Baptize?”

“Once a person is truly ready for baptism, a true minister of Christ should perform the baptism, though it may sometimes require a waiting period by virtue of the fact that a minister of Christ is not immediately available. We need to understand, though, that God is in charge and that when He calls someone and leads them to baptism, He will also work out the necessary details to send one of His ministers to perform the baptism. For instance, God sent Peter to Cornelius, and He sent Philip to the eunuch so that they could be baptized.

“The biblical record indicates that only ordained ministers of God should perform baptisms. The reason is that the baptism is done for the purpose of receiving the Holy Spirit. We need to remember that following baptism by immersing under water, the minister is to pray over the person and to lay his hands on their head so that the person can receive the Holy Spirit. The Bible shows that without the laying on of hands, a person normally does not receive the Holy Spirit.

“Notice this in Acts 8:12-17: ‘But when they believed Philip [one of the original seven deacons, Acts 6:5] as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized… Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He [better translated: it – the Holy Spirit] had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon [Magus] saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given…’ (Compare, too, Acts 19:5-6).

“We read later in the same chapter that Philip was sent, through an angel, to the eunuch, and that Philip baptized him. If this baptism led to the gift of the Holy Spirit, then Philip, who by that time would have been a minister, would have prayed over the eunuch and laid his hands on him. We note that Philip is called an ‘evangelist’ in Acts 21:8.

“We cannot reach a different conclusion by virtue of the fact that Christ’s apostles baptized others before they received the Holy Spirit themselves. The twelve apostles were in quite a different position than the rest of us are today, having been specifically chosen by Christ for a very unique and particular purpose. They were sent out by Christ to heal the sick, cast out demons and preach the gospel, prior to their conversion (Luke 22:32, AV; compare regarding conversion, 1 Samuel 10:6, 9). These activities, especially healing the sick and casting out demons, are reserved today for God’s ordained ministers. You may want to read the stirring account in Acts 19:13-16, reporting about the futile and unsuccessful attempt of unordained people to cast out a demon.

“The fact that Christ allowed His apostles to baptize does not mean that unordained people have the authority to do so today. This would also include ministers from churches that do not teach and practice the law of God, including the observance of the Sabbath and the Holy Days. (Note that in unusual circumstances, God might grant His Holy Spirit to someone who is baptized by a minister outside the Church of God, or by an unordained person within the Church, if the baptized person fulfills all the requirements for proper baptism, as discussed earlier in this booklet. There is no promise, however, that God would grant the Holy Spirit under those circumstances, especially when the person to be baptized understands the role and function of God’s true ministers in His Church.)

“Every example pertaining to the New Testament Church identifies Christ’s chosen ministers as those who would baptize people, pray over them and lay their hands upon them, so that the Holy Spirit could be given to them. We find, for instance, that only God’s ministers were given special authority from God to pray for the sick and to lay their hands upon them (while anointing them with oil). Notice it in James 5:14-15: ‘Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.'(This is not to say that God might not give power to heal to some other people, but how sure can we be of that? We can be sure, however, that the elders of God’s Church have the authority and power to pray for healing of the sick.).”

Some have questioned this teaching, claiming that repentant Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, was baptized by Ananias. They state that Ananias was not an elder, and that it is therefore acceptable that unordained Church members baptize.

However, we must understand that the Bible interprets the Bible, and that God’s Word cannot be broken (compare John 10:35). This means, the Bible does not contradict itself. Each passage on a given subject must be read together with all the other passages, and they must be understood as complementing each other in harmony, rather than creating disharmony and confusion.

We already saw that baptized people did NOT receive the Holy Spirit, UNTIL the ministry laid hands on them. A letter from the Letter Answering Department of the Worldwide Church of God sets forth the long-understood teaching of the Church in this regard:

“The laying on of hands is a symbolical act which sets individuals apart and signifies the imparting of spiritual blessings, authority, and power… In the New Testament, a newly baptized person had laid hands on him for the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Notice in Acts 8:16-17 that after God’s ministers had baptized repentant converts, then [they] ‘laid… hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And… through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given.’… The laying on of hands also accompanies an ELDER’s prayer for the afflicted. We read in Acts 9:17: ‘And Ananias… putting his hands on him said, [Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus… has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit].'”

We then read, in verse 18, that “Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.”

The Bible describes Ananias as “a certain disciple in Damascus” (Acts 9:10), a “devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there” (Acts 22:12).

Some commentaries claim that Ananias was a lay person. But even if that were the case, then this episode could still not be used for a carte-blanche authority, given to unordained members to baptize. Please note that Ananias received a direct order from Christ Himself, in a vision (Acts 9:10-12), so that Paul “may receive [his] sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:17). However, based on other Scriptures, as discussed above, the conclusion in the above-quoted letter of the Letter Answering Department seems to be correct that this disciple Ananias was an ELDER, when he laid his hands on Paul to heal him, and when he baptized Paul (The Bible does not specifically say that it was Ananias who baptized Saul, but this seems to be highly probable).

As our previous comments have shown, only ELDERS of God’s Church are charged to anoint the sick with oil, lay their hands on them, and ask for God’s healing. Since Ananias did just that, it appears that he was an elder.

The above-cited letter of the Letter Answering Department concluded: “The laying on of hands, then, serves to show that God works through His MINISTERS. This ceremony is mentioned as one of the basic doctrines of His church in Hebrews 6:2.”

Unordained members who decide to baptize others and “lay hands on them” (Acts 8:17-18; 19:5-6) should realize that they would not have a Biblical basis to justify their action. This would be true, even if their particular Church organization, or a particular minister, may “authorize” such behavior, as it would not be supported by God’s written Word, and we must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29; 4:19).

This Life

On Saturday, December 11, 2004, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “This Life.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Can we conclude from Ezekiel, chapter 20, verse 25 (Authorized Version), that God gave Israel laws which were not good?

When we review from God’s Word what He tells us about His laws – we can know this statement in verse 25 of Ezekiel 20 cannot be complete as presented.

In Psalm 19:7-10 we read: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.” Romans 7:12 tells us “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”

What then, could this verse in Ezekiel be revealing to us? Much can be learned by reading the preceding 24 verses of this 20th chapter of Ezekiel. Israel, of course, had been in captivity under the rule of the Egyptians for some 400 years, and had totally lost any knowledge of God and of His Ways. God had determined to reveal Himself once again to these descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel).

In verse 11 of this chapter we see, that God gave them His statutes and judgments: “…which if a man does, he shall live by them.” Continue – verses 12-13:

“Moreover, I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths.”

Thus, God lifted His hand against them (verses 23-24): “Also I lifted My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.”

Somewhat clearer than the Authorized Version, the New King James Bible gives a little more understanding relative to verse 25: Therefore, God “…GAVE THEM UP to statutes that were not good.” The Living Bible states it this way: “I let them adopt customs and laws which were worthless. Through the keeping of them they could not attain (eternal) life.”

These were laws and statutes they had determined for themselves to live by. Yet, in so doing, they could not please God!

What were these laws – these statutes – these judgments that the people took to themselves? They are the laws Paul spoke of in the second chapter of the letter to the Colossians. He described these laws as “philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and NOT according to Christ” (verse 8). Paul identified these human “regulations” (verse 20) as “commandments and doctrines of men” (verse 22).

In Psalm 81:11-12 God reveals exactly what He did in this matter with Israel. “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels.”

Notice, also, Acts 7:41-42: “And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven (false worship), as it is written in the book of the Prophets…”

Yes, God allowed them to go their own way. It was their choice – as it is with God’s people, today! Proverbs 14:12 tells us: “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

Moses explained to Israel in Deuteronomy 4:5-8 that God’s righteous laws were for their wisdom and understanding in the sight of all the nations. This was a blessing to them from the Almighty!

Notice verse 8 of Deuteronomy 4 (Authorized Version): “And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?” And in Deuteronomy 6:24-25 (Authorized Version): “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is today. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all the commandments before our God, as He hath commanded.”

We, as God’s people, today, would do well to follow these righteous instructions from our God! For more information, please read our free booklets, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…” and, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”

Life of David

On Saturday, December 4, 2004, Norbert Link will give the sermon, continuing the series on the life of David.

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Preaching the Gospel & Feeding the Flock

A new StandingWatch program was recorded last week and placed on the Web, titled, “Attitude!”

In the following Update, reference is made to “unique visitors,” “number of visits,” “pages” and “hits.” “Unique Visitors” are the total number of visits by a unique internet address. The “number of visits” is the total number of visits by all visitors over a given period of time. If I visit your site and then come back four more times, you should see one “unique visit” and five “visits” from me. “Pages” are the total number of pages viewed by visitors. These do not include images, java script or CSS and the like — just HTML and CGI type files. “Hits” refers to every file requested by the visitor. This includes pages and images together.

There are now 63 million registered Internet domain names. In October, we ranked in the top 7% viewed at 4,189,626. In September and October, the CEG Webpage received 49,349 and 51,621 hits, respectively.

The Sabbath is consistently the highest bandwidth use day. This would be attributed to people downloading sermons. These are presumably people outside of our fellowship, as we are listening to streaming audio off of a separate server.



-------------+-------------+--------+----------+-----------

             |  Number     |        |          |

Day          |  of visits  |  Pages |  Hits    |  Bandwidth	   

-------------+-------------+--------+----------+-----------

01 Sep 2004  |  69         |  322   |  636     |  11.24 MB	   

02 Sep 2004  |  70         |  318   |  1266    |  29.12 MB	   

03 Sep 2004  |  106        |  748   |  4646    |  44.64 MB	   

04 Sep 2004  |  120        |  513   |  1940    |  105.58 MB	   

05 Sep 2004  |  56         |  193   |  670     |  7.00 MB	   

06 Sep 2004  |  65         |  203   |  826     |  92.01 MB	   

07 Sep 2004  |  81         |  227   |  855     |  23.73 MB	   

08 Sep 2004  |  76         |  185   |  558     |  32.46 MB	   

09 Sep 2004  |  72         |  225   |  1167    |  63.80 MB	   

10 Sep 2004  |  108        |  745   |  4755    |  54.35 MB	   

11 Sep 2004  |  117        |  424   |  2352    |  43.38 MB	   

12 Sep 2004  |  83         |  300   |  870     |  31.60 MB	   

13 Sep 2004  |  84         |  443   |  1104    |  104.04 MB	   

14 Sep 2004  |  80         |  332   |  844     |  47.91 MB	   

15 Sep 2004  |  89         |  246   |  1028    |  19.84 MB	   

16 Sep 2004  |  160        |  539   |  1802    |  53.83 MB	   

17 Sep 2004  |  98         |  709   |  4340    |  36.51 MB	   

18 Sep 2004  |  123        |  735   |  2235    |  1.82 GB	   

19 Sep 2004  |  93         |  236   |  997     |  37.95 MB	   

20 Sep 2004  |  79         |  305   |  975     |  34.54 MB	   

21 Sep 2004  |  78         |  260   |  729     |  28.10 MB	   

22 Sep 2004  |  79         |  244   |  595     |  23.61 MB	   

23 Sep 2004  |  78         |  1111  |  1989    |  17.12 MB	   

24 Sep 2004  |  112        |  814   |  5524    |  54.46 MB	   

25 Sep 2004  |  149        |  550   |  2086    |  115.78 MB	   

26 Sep 2004  |  78         |  273   |  1170    |  12.55 MB	   

27 Sep 2004  |  80         |  298   |  1034    |  17.16 MB	   

28 Sep 2004  |  93         |  403   |  982     |  67.17 MB	   

29 Sep 2004  |  78         |  194   |  657     |  9.73 MB	   

30 Sep 2004  |  95         |  248   |  717     |  15.94 MB

-------------+-------------+--------+----------+-----------	   

Average      |  91.63      |  411.4 |  1644.97 |  103.28 MB	   

Total        |  2749       |  12343 |  49349   |  3.03 GB

Hebrews 5:8 tells us that Christ "learned obedience by the things which He suffered." Didn't Christ live a sinless life? Wasn't He therefore always obedient? If so, how did Jesus Christ LEARN obedience by the things which He suffered?

Jesus Christ, when He was here on earth as a human being, lived indeed a sinless life. He never sinned by breaking any of God’s Commandments (compare 1 John 3:4, Authorized Version). Rather, He kept perfectly all of God’s Laws. He said in John 15:10: “I have kept My Father’s commandments.”

The Biblical record is conclusive that Christ never sinned. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Christ “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He was “separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26); and even when He suffered, He “committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:21-22). Christ challenged His listeners to convict Him of sin (John 8:46), knowing that they would be unable to do so. He also testified of Himself that “no unrighteousness” was in Him (John 7:18).

Before Christ became a man, He had lived for all eternity as a glorified God being, in the Spirit, together with the Father (John 17:5). But when He became human, having laid aside His divine attributes (Philippians 2:5-7), He experienced for the first time what it was like to live with human nature — in this “sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3). He had to learn IN THE FLESH how to overcome sin and stay obedient to God; how to fight victoriously against the temptations of the flesh; and how to stay obedient in suffering, “to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

While in this sinful flesh, living with human nature, Christ learned obedience by condemning sin in His flesh (compare, again, Romans 8:3). He learned obedience to God’s will, in the face of terrible sufferings and pain, by submitting His own will to that of the Father, and by accepting and embracing the Father’s will in His life (Matthew 26:38-39).

Christ never sinned. He was always obedient to God’s Law. But as a human, He had to learn, by experience, how difficult it can be to always obey, and that sin can only be resisted successfuly through the power of God’s Holy Spirit living within us. Christ emphasized many times that He could do nothing of Himself (John 5:19); that the Father dwelling in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, was doing the works which Christ performed (John 14:10); and that Christ was not seeking His own will, but only the will of the Father (John 5:30; 6:38). Although Christ never sinned, He still had to learn obedience to God’s Law, as a human being, by the things which He suffered.

We find this insightful explanation in the NASB Study Bible which sheds light on verse 8 of Hebrews 5: “Though He was the eternal Son of God, it was necessary for Him as the incarnate Son to learn obedience–not that He was ever disobedient, but that He was called on to obey to an extent He had never before experienced. The temptations He faced were real and the battle for victory was difficult, but where Adam failed…, Jesus resisted and prevailed.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary states, in regard to Hebrews 5:8-9: “This sonship did not immunize him from the necessity of learning as every genuinely human being must learn. The deepest lessons of life are learned through anguish. The learning of Jesus was not an exception to this. Being made perfect means, not that he was not at every given moment perfect, but rather, that his moral perfection ultimately depended upon his response to each challenge presented to him. This was especially true as this challenge intensified, as his cross drew nearer and became… a grim, present reality.”

“The New Bible Commentary: Revised” adds the following thoughts: “Also by the experience of such a discipline, He, Son of God though He was, learnt the full meaning and cost of human obedience, and was thereby perfected in His human character, and in His fitness to be the cause to men of salvation eternal in quality. Men can enjoy the full benefit of his saving work only if they, too, are baptized into the same spirit, and become those who at any cost make active obedience to Christ their continual practice.”

The Nelson Study Bible explains the fact that “Jesus learned obedience,” in this way: “Jesus experienced all of what a person goes through on this earth. He knows how difficult it is to obey God completely, just as He understands the attractions of temptation ([Hebrews] 2:18). Yet He persisted in obedience, leading a sinless life (I John 3:5).”

Notice, too, how other translations render Hebrews 5:8. Moffat says: “he learned by all he suffered how to obey.” William Beck writes: “He found out from what He suffered what it means to obey.”

One of the clearest interpretations of Hebrews 5:8-9 can be found in the rendering of the Living Bible, as follows: “And even though Jesus was God’s Son, he had to learn from experience what it was like to obey, when obeying meant suffering. It was after he had proved himself perfect in this experience that Jesus became the giver of eternal salvation to all those who obey him.”

Jesus lived a perfect life without sin. Still, as a human being, He had to experience what it is like to live in this flesh, subject to temptations and sufferings, and stay obedient to God. He indeed learned obedience by the things which He suffered. We must learn obedience in the same way. For more information, please listen to our new sermon, “To Obey Is Better.”

©2024 Church of the Eternal God