Our new booklet, entitled “Sickness and Healing, What the Bible Tells Us,” has arrived from the printers in England and has been sent to those on our mailing list. You may also access this publication by going to the Church’s web site: www.eternalgod.org.
Can you prove from Scripture that the Sabbath is still in effect and is to be kept, today?
Listed below are seven proofs, when taken together, show that the Sabbath is still in effect and to be observed by Christians today.
1) Mark 2:27-28 — The Sabbath was made specifically for man, and Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath, not some other day.
2) Genesis 2:2-3 — The Sabbath was made by God through Christ at the same time that man was made, and was set apart as holy time for all mankind forever.
3) Exodus 16 — Israel had lost the knowledge of the Sabbath in the Egyptian slavery and God showed them which day it was by means of special miracles – and thereby, re-emphasized the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy.
4) Exodus 20: 8-11) — The Sabbath was one of the Ten Commandments.
5) Luke 4:16 — Jesus kept the Sabbath.
6) Acts 17:2 — Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, also kept the Sabbath.
7) Isaiah 66:23 — The Sabbath will be kept in the future when God’s Kingdom will be ruling on the earth.
From this we see 1) that the Sabbath was made for man, 2) that It was established as holy time, set aside for man forever, 3) that it was given before Israel was given the Ten Commandments, 4) that it is one of the Ten Commandments, 5 that Jesus kept it, 6) that Paul kept it, and 7) that it will be kept in the Millennium when God’s Kingdom will rule.
It is interesting to note in Acts 15 that the apostles and elders had come together because of various disputes which had to be cleared up. If there were any question concerning the Sabbath or the annual holy days, surely they would have been discussed at that meeting.
Thus we, as Christians, ought to be keeping the Sabbath, today. For further proof, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”
Who Is In Control
On Saturday, July 3, 2004, Norbert Link will be giving the sermon titled: “Who Is In Control?”
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.
Latest Booklet
Brian Gale reports that our booklet, “Sickness and Healing, What the Bible Tells Us,” is ready to be picked up from the printer. We will proceed to send this booklet to those on our mailing list once copies are received.
Does the Scripture in Acts 20:7 reveal that Paul's custom was to observe Sunday as the day he worshipped God each week, rather than the seventh day Sabbath.
Acts 20:7 reads: “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” This Scripture does not say Paul observed Sunday, the first day of the week, as a day of worship. If this were an example for us today, we would be starting the service on Saturday night – not on Sunday morning. Verse 7 shows Paul preached to them until midnight. Also services would have to continue till dawn (verse 11).
Next, we realize that the breaking of bread was not a religious service, but merely the eating of a meal. Acts 27:33-38 proves this. Notice Paul’s situation. He was a Roman prisoner in the midst of many Gentiles on board a ship (Acts 27:1-2). Obviously Paul was not holding a religious service. The men ate for their health (verses 33-34).
Acts 20:7 does not describe a regular service. Notice the context. Paul was en route from Greece to Jerusalem (Acts 20:2-3, 16). Since he did not know when he would see the brethren again, he wanted to teach them as much as possible. The people were more than willing to listen. So, after the Sabbath Paul remained behind teaching the brethren, while his ship sailed around the peninsula (verse 13). He remained talking with them till midnight and continued after a short meal until daybreak (Verse 11). Then after Paul had stayed as long as he could, he left them to walk across the peninsula to meet the boat (verses 13-14). He worked on that Sunday by taking this long walk of some 19 miles!
There is nothing in the above Scripture to indicate it was Paul’s custom to observe Sunday. In fact, all through the book of Acts we see it was Paul’s custom to observe the Sabbath (Acts 17:2; 13:14-15; 42-44). We also note in reading Acts 20:6 that Paul was traveling after having observed the Days of Unleavened Bread. He continued to observe the annual holy days as well as the weekly Sabbath years after Christ had died as He remained faithful to the commands of God.
Don't Become Negligent With God's Truth
On Saturday, June 26, 2004, J. Edwin Pope will be giving the sermon titled, “Do Not Become Negligent With God’s Truth!”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
Member Letter
A new member letter has been mailed this week. It can be read at https://www.eternalgod.org/lit/letters/brethren-20040615.pdf. Also, a new extensive booklet about Jesus Christ has entered its first review cycle.
From the wording of Matthew 5:19, it appears that even those who both break the commandments of God and then teach disobedience will actually be part of the Kingdom of God. Can you explain what this verse means?
This verse must be considered in light of other Scriptures in the Bible. Knowing that it is impossible for God to lie (Compare Titus 1:2), we know that the Bible does not contradict itself–that is, God hasn’t inspired teachings that differ. With that view in mind, let’s consider the verse in the context of Matthew 5 along with applicable principles in God’s Word.
Matthew 5:19 states, ” ‘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.’ ” It is vital to read the continuation of this statement from Jesus in verse 20: ” ‘For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, YOU WILL BY NO MEANS ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.’ “
In verses 17 and 18 of Matthew 5, Jesus taught that He had not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. His whole existence and purpose as a man was prophesied in detail in both the Law and the Prophets. Note John 5:39 in Christ’s own words: ” ‘You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and THESE TESTIFY OF ME.’ ” He also explains His additional role that expands on what we now call the Old Testament: ” ‘The law and the prophets were until John, Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.’ “
We know that “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and SIN IS LAWLESSNESS” (1 John 3:4). Matthew 5:19 speaks of those who both break the law–that is, sin–and also teach such a manner of living. That is what Satan and his ministers do (Compare 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Satan will certainly not be a part of God’s future Kingdom–not even a “least” part of it (Please refer to our booklet:”Angels, Demons and the Spirit World”)! Neither will sinners be a “least” part of God’s Kingdom!
Paul showed that “…the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Sinning and teaching others that it is alright to compromise with and break God’s laws does not end up having eternal life as its reward. Utter destruction is the end result for those who practice such things: ” ‘But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the SECOND DEATH’ ” (Revelation 21:8).
The Bible consistently teaches that sinners will NOT be in God’s future spiritual realm: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will NOT inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
What exactly is meant in Matthew 5:19, and who are these “least”? The very next verse of 1 Corinthians 6 shows us the key: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (verse 11). Paul is reminding these Christians that they were formerly sinners, but they had repented and were now living in a new way (Compare Galatians 2:20).
We also find this statement: “for ALL HAVE SINNED and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Since we have all sinned, and since we are ALL TO REPENT (2 Peter 3:9), we must look to the further explanations that have been given about the Kingdom of God. 2 Corinthians 5:10 states: “For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Jesus also showed that the Judgment would involve rendering to each person the consequences of their own ways of living: ” ‘But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you [the “you” being some of those of His own generation who did not repent at His teachings]” (Matthew 11:24; also, Compare Matthew 25:31-46). Consider, too, what Peter says: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not OBEY the gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear’ ” (1 Peter 4:17-18)?
Daniel 12:2: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament. And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.”
We know from God’s immutable Word that those who repent and overcome will be given eternal life. This is not to say that we are immediately disqualified if and when we slip and sin. We know that we all still do sin, even after conversion. But we are told that when we sin, we need to confess our sin to God, in repentance, and that God will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrigtheousness (1 John 1:8-9). We also know that there will be different rewards within the family of God. That plan begins to unfold in the first resurrection and continues on as God brings to pass His awesome plan of salvation. Note this further statement from Jesus: ” ‘Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is LEAST in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he’ ” (Matthew 11:11).
Since we know that unrepentant sinners, who refuse to repent, will not be in God’s Kingdom, the “least” of Matthew 6 are not those who are unrepentant sinners. Rather, these “least” are those who actually repent and are granted entrance into God’s eternal Kingdom, but they do not bear the fruit of righteousness to the extent that some others do. Regardless of what “position” any may attain in God’s government of the future, to be given the unparalleled gift of eternal life with both the Father and Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment for everyone. Paul, who indeed did at one time fight against Christ and those who followed Him, also bitterly repented and went on to live out his life in service to God with this goal: “if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection of the dead” (Philippians 3:11).
Better Before
There are many times when we read the Bible and we understand the things that God commands us to do or at least we think so. Then there are the times when we read the Bible and we DON’T understand the things that God commands us to do.
In the latter case should we wait until we understand why God has commanded us in a specific way before we take action or should we act on the commands of God before we understand fully?
The answer is that OBEDIENCE should come before UNDERSTANDING.
We can see the necessity for this when we look at the parent-child relationship. A child lacks knowledge, wisdom, and judgment that experience may bring in the future. Because of this absence it is imperative that the child listen to and obey the parent who has the child’s best interest in mind.
If we believe that the Bible is the Word of God then we need to be able to step out in faith and DO as God has commanded. In the same way that a child needs to obey the parents BEFORE they UNDERSTAND, we need to obey the “mysteries” of God and His Word before we understand.
The “Father of the Faithful,” as Abraham is called, left behind a sterling example of obedience before understanding. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac after God had promised to perpetuate Abraham’s lineage through Isaac (Genesis 21:12). Did Abraham understand why God was asking him to do this? How could Abraham sacrifice his only son and still have descendants as the sand of the sea? How did this fit into God’s plans? Surely Abraham came up with a lot of good questions on his 3 day walk to Mt Moriah and no real good answers. But he knew without a doubt that God would still somehow keep His promise to him (compare Hebrews 11:17-19). Abraham was obedient to God even before he understood (Hebrews 11:8). He had learned the lesson through the course of his life that keeping the law of God was the most important thing he could and should do. This time was no different. Though he didn’t understand what God was doing he did it any way and in the end it worked out.
The ramifications of Abraham’s obedience can be seen in the immense blessings of his heirs even until today because God said, “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if you will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).
When we are faced with whether to follow God’s way or man’s way … choose God’s … no matter what!
The Truth – Part III
On Saturday, June 19. 2004, Edwin Pope will be giving the sermon which is entitled, “The Truth–Part III.” 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.
