Questions and Answers
It is a good question and one that we need to take very seriously. As we approach the Passover each year, we go through a period of introspection and any grudges that we hold must be eliminated. But our self-examination must continue, and it is especially a good occasion now as we are approaching the Day of Pentecost this weekend. What is a grudge? We instinctively know what it is but, put simply, it is a feeling of resentment or ill-will. It is part and parcel of the way that the world behaves and reacts— it seems that if you don’t hold grudges or feel resentment towards others that you are not normal—but the way that the world views things is not our yardstick. It is what God says on this matter that really counts. Leviticus 19:18 tells us: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” We see in this passage that taking vengeance and bearing a grudge are related, and they are contrary to loving our neighbor. Bearing a grudge means to guard and to cherish it. The Pulpit Commentary states that Leviticus… Amos 5:13 reads: “Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time.” Does this passage tell God’s Church to cease proclaiming the Truth, as we are living right now in an evil time? In order to understand this passage properly, we must first of all consider the context and the theme of the entire book of Amos. The book deals with events leading to or occurring at the “day of the Lord”—when God will powerfully and mightily intervene in the affairs of men. The day of the Lord will begin approximately one year before Christ’s return and is oftentimes described as the day of God’s wrath, as God is angry about the sins of man. Regarding the “day of the Lord,” we read in Amos 5:18-20: “Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him! Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not… We state in our Statement of Beliefs, under “The Church’s Commission”: “We believe that it is the Church’s commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God to all nations as a witness, to warn all nations, and especially the lost tribes of the house of Israel (mainly in the United States, Great Britain, certain Commonwealth nations and nations in Northwestern Europe) of impending danger, and to feed the flock of Christ—the Church—spiritually and physically.” Regarding the gospel of the Kingdom of God, we state this in our free booklet, “How to Find the True Church of God”: “… the gospel includes, among other aspects, a message ABOUT Jesus Christ (Luke 24:44–46); about the grace of God (Acts 20:24); repentance and forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47); the belief in and obedience to the gospel (Mark 1:15; Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8); our salvation (Ephesians 1:13); peace (Ephesians 6:15); the promise of eternal life (2 Timothy 1:10); rulership of Christ and the saints here on earth (Revelation 20:4, 6; Daniel 2:44; 7:21–22, 27); and a message about the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:11)… “We read that it is the gospel OF Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 9:12), or Christ’s gospel (2 Corinthians… Even though we are very familiar with the concept of lengthy imprisonment, which is being considered as the normal and acceptable way to deal with those who broke the law or who are suspected of having broken it, we might be surprised to learn that this very concept of incarcerating human beings is not biblical at all. In addition, even though the Bible does speak of quarantine and isolation for those who are suffering from a contagious disease, we will find that this concept is never applied for those who are not sick or who have not manifested any signs of sickness. Instead, the Bible reveals that God will inflict lengthy imprisonment on wicked spirit beings… but not on humans. And we will discover that in most cases recorded in the Holy Scriptures, imprisonment has been imposed by the wicked rulers of this world on righteous and God-fearing people. We should take note of the fact that first and foremost, it is the fate of Satan and his demons to be imprisoned or “isolated” so that they cannot deceive mankind anymore. When Christ returns, He will lead captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8; Psalm 68:18), including Satan and his demons who hold mankind in captivity. They… Manna has both physical and spiritual significance in the Bible—not only in history but also in regard to our future. We read in the Bible that when the Israelites left Egypt, conditions were harsh. They had to travel in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land, and food was scarce. The people complained because of hunger. They seemed to have forgotten all the miracles God had performed in Egypt, with the ten plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea. So, God once again mercifully intervened miraculously by providing them with “manna,” which is also referred to as “bread from heaven” or “grain from heaven” or “angels’ food” (Exodus 16 and Psalm 78:24-25). Moses also explained to the Israelites in Exodus 16:15 that it was “the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.” They called it Manna which literally means “what,” as the margin has it in verse 31 (compare also again verse 15). One description of what Manna is composed of is found in Exodus 16:31: “And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” The appearance and usage was further described in Numbers 11:7-8, “… its color [was]… First of all, what is an ambassador? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an ambassador as follows: “The highest-ranking person who represents his or her own government while living in another country.” Another definition is “an accredited diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country.” In another way, an ambassador can be “a representative or promoter of a specified activity.” Let us look at some of the requirements of a diplomatic ambassador who is domiciled in a foreign country, as they are sometimes listed, and compare them to the requirements of Spirit-begotten members of the Family of God. We understand, of course, that in far-too-many cases, these requirements for an ambassador in a foreign country are not present or manifested by him or her, but these are the requirements an ambassador should have, and which we as Christians must have or develop. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, we read that we are to be ambassadors for Christ: “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” We will see that there are many comparisons with the job function and responsibilities of a career ambassador and that of a… This Q&A is not meant to be a comprehensive review of various political persuasions, but rather a look at whether true Christianity and politics are compatible. Even within various political parties, there can be quite a difference of views from various factions within the party, but this usually only increases the difference with apostolic Christianity. We want to make it plain that adherence to any political persuasion is but folly and not to be countenanced by those who are baptised Church of God members. First of all, let us quote from our Statement of Beliefs under the heading “Relationship with God”: “We believe that a Christian’s duty to God is of a superior and higher nature than our duty arising from any human relationship (Acts 4:18-20; 5:27-29). We therefore, following Biblical commands and principles, do not participate in voting for national elections or jury duty, and we do not join the military…” We have some previous Q&As on the question of voting, as follows: “Why do you teach that a Christian should not vote in governmental elections?” (31st January 2002). “Is It Really That Important to Understand that We Must Not Vote in Governmental Elections?” (17th April 2015). “Would you please explain why and in what way governmental officials are… People claim, oftentimes falsely, that they have received God’s call—especially to preach or witness for Jesus. Indeed, the Bible does speak of God calling people, but what does that really mean and how can you know that God has called you? On the Day of Pentecost when God’s Holy Spirit was given to His Church, we find this: “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. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call’” (Acts 2:38-39). Here, Peter addresses the fact that God is calling specific people, and later he writes to those who have been called; those who are now part of the Church of God: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy… To answer this question, let us first of all look at some definitions. In a previous Q&A we wrote: “…the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) is followed by the Heavenly Signs (Revelation 6:12-14; Joel 2:30-31; Matthew 24:29) and by the Day of the Lord (Revelation 6:17). The indication is, from Scripture, that the Day of the Lord begins one year before Christ’s return (compare, for example, Isaiah 34:8). But even as the Day of the Lord does not end with Christ’s return, but is ongoing, so the Great Tribulation (which begins approximately 2½ years prior to the Day of the Lord) does not end, either, when the Day of the Lord starts. Rather, it continues until Satan, who causes the Great Tribulation to occur, is removed from his throne. “Christ returns to cut the Great Tribulation short (Matthew 24:21-22). This means, the Great Tribulation is still ongoing — it overlaps for one year, in that sense, with the Day of the Lord. So, all in all, the Great Tribulation lasts approximately 3½ years, but during the last year of the Great Tribulation, God starts to intervene — approximately one year before Christ’s actual return…” We also understand that God could shorten these days… First, we should look at where the command to de-leaven our homes is mentioned in the Bible, beginning with the Old Testament. We read in Exodus 12:15-20: “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the…Is it possible to hold a grudge against someone and still make it into God’s Kingdom?
Would you please explain Amos 5:13?
In what way do your booklets, sermons, sermonettes and updates (especially articles and comments in your Current Events sections) relate to the Church’s end-time commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God as a witness and to feed the flock?
Are Lengthy Imprisonments and Quarantines Godly?
What is the Physical and Spiritual Significance of Manna in the Bible?
Why are true Christians called ambassadors for Christ?
True Christianity and Politics—Are They Compatible?
What does it mean to be called by God?
Why will a loving God inflict the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord on Mankind?
Why is it important to de-leaven our homes prior to the Days of Unleavened Bread?
