Church of God News

Ambassador Auditorium (in center)

COGwriter

The property at the old Ambassador College again made the news:

City Ventures Has Amassed 3,500 Lots for Homebuilding

By Mark Mueller

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Santa Ana-based City Ventures LLC doesn’t have the history of some homebuilders here. But it certainly has the land…

An upscale project in Pasadena at the former site of Ambassador College is set to start selling later this year.

The project is expected to be the company’s priciest, with homes starting at around $1.5 million. http://www.ocbj.com/news/2011/feb/20/city-ventures-has-amassed-3500-lots-homebuilding/

As I reported in January of 2010 (see Ambassador College Campus Again Changing Ownership), City Ventures bought a lot of the property of the old Ambassador College.

The physical assets of the old Worldwide Church of God helped the church reach world leaders with the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom.  It seems to have become a burden to those who have tried to develop the property since, but perhaps not now (though in the current California economy this project may be problematic).

Of course, the Gospel message will be proclaimed to the world (Matthew 24:14) and it is not dependent upon physical assets.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains how he is and should be viewed today.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
The Temple and the Work This article discusses the two temples of the Old Testament and gives insight as to their possible relevance to the situation which has impacted the Church during this past decade or so.

I received an email this evening from someone that I have known a long while reporting that former WCG minister, Lester McColm died yesterday (January 2, 2011) at age 85 of heart-related complications.

Les McColm had been my minister three times.  First in Arroyo Grande, then later in Long Beach, and then finally in Fresno.  He coincidentally was reassigned to the areas that I moved to after I had moved to each of them.

I always liked Mr. Mac (the name many knew him by), but was surprised, and of course quite disappointed, that he went along with the Tkach changes.  Mr. McColm had always publicly indicated that he would not leave the truth that the old WCG had (prior to the Tkach changes), so that was a shock.

He is survived by his wife Penny.  His first wife had died (from cancer if I recall correctly) and I initially met Penny when he was courting her.  He and Penny were married for around 32-34 years if my memory serves me correctly.

COGwriter

In its 12/10/10 email, the Glendale, California based GCI (the group that ended up in charge of the apostate version of WCG) sent out a link to a short video titled Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? by its president, Joe Tkach.  In it, he stated:

Is Keeping Christmas a Sin?

In my younger days, I believed that celebrating Christmas was a sin. I wanted to let the Bible guide me in everything I did, and since I couldn’t find any command in the Bible to keep Christmas, I concluded that keeping it must be a sin.

Of course, it wasn’t very good logic, and it kept me from enjoying one of the most meaningful and joyous celebrations of the year.

After all, if we never did anything that isn’t specifically commanded in the Bible, we wouldn’t have Sunday school, children’s church, English language Bibles, printing presses, public address systems, fire alarms or charcoal grills. None of these are specifically commanded in the Bible.

But, of course, since he seems to be relying on human reason and not the Bible, he comes to odd conclusions.

His logic simply does not have proper biblical support.  For example, while “Sunday school” is not in the Bible, teaching children daily is (Deuteronomy 11:18-19).  The other items he brings up are irrelevant (red herring) arguments that miss the real issues.

In his presentation, Dr. Tkach also stated:

The fact that the Bible doesn’t command us to celebrate Christmas is not a valid argument against Christmas celebration.

But there are many biblical valid arguments against observing Christmas that he apparently overlooked (or at least neglected to place in his presentation in favor of Christmas).

Since Dr. Tkach asked in his title if keeping Christmas was a sin, it would seem logical to go to the Bible for its definition of sin.  Notice what the Apostle John wrote:

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4, KJV)

So sin is the transgression of the law.

Christmas Encourages Covetousness and False Witnessing

Which laws?

The laws in the Bible as the Apostle Paul wrote:

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7, NKJV)

Now, the above verse is an interesting one.  It says that coveting is a sin.  Does Christmas encourage children to covet?  Does it encourage them to expect to get various material objects whether they should or not?

Some may say yes, and others may feel otherwise.

Also, at least in many Western cultures, Santa Claus is supposed to bring presents to children all over the world by coming down chimneys at night.

Many parents actually tell children this lie every year.Yet the Jesus taught:

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…false witness…20 These are the things which defile a man (Matthew 15:19-20).

18 You shall not bear false witness (Matthew 19:18).

19 “Do not bear false witness (Mark 10:19).

20 You know the commandments:…Do not bear false witness (Luke 18:20).

Those fully observing Christmas also seem to forget that Jesus taught that Satan was a liar and the father of lies, and that once their children get older, they will realize that their parents lied to them. The Rheims‘ version of the New Testament specifically shows that Jesus taught the following:

43 Why do you not know my speech? Because you cannot hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. 45 But if I say the truth, you believe me not. (John 8:43-45).

Lying to children does NOT improve the bond between parents and children as some apparently hope the Santa Claus lie will somehow help their family. Please tell your children the truth. Is that not what Jesus would do?

Would Jesus lie about Santa Claus?

Of course not.  Jesus was without sin (Hebrews 4:15) and Christians are to imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Sin involves fitting into the world because of lust:

16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.  (1 John 2:16, NKJV)

Is not the observation of a holiday that many people lust after material possessions (lust of the eyes), observe to fit in society (lust of the flesh) and lie to children (pride of life) sin?  Is not the observation of Christmas a worldly thing to do?

Breaking the Ninth and Tenth Commandments is Evil

It is evil to break the ninth and tenth commandments according to Jesus:

Commandment 9 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…false witness…(Matthew 15:19-20).

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God (John 3:20-21).

…deceit…All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:22-23).

Commandment 10 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts (Matthew 15:19). …covetousness…All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:22-23).

The Apostle Paul wrote,

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil (Romans 12:9).

22 Abstain from every form of evil” (I Thessalonians 5:22).

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).

One of the reasons that Christmas is promoted across society is that the love of money by many promoters exceeds their love of God.  Christians are to abhor what is evil.  Christians are not to see how close to evil they can get without being burnt (cf. Proverbs 6:27).

Christmas observance is a sin because it encourages commandment breaking and violates other scriptures.

The God of the Bible Condemns Using Pagan Practices to Worship Him

There are also more scriptures that also should be considered.

Notice what God  had His prophet Jeremiah write:

2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
(Jeremiah 10:2-5, KJV)

In the above, God clearly says not to adopt non-Christian forms of worship and this seems to include objects like Christmas trees.  Now some may argue that since the tree cannot do evil, that it is okay to do have them anyway.  Those who feel that way may wish to ask themselves why God then wanted the following to be said to those with such trees:

11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. (Jeremiah 10:11, KJV)

The God of the Bible clearly does not want people to use Christmas trees to pretend to honor Him as He clearly is not honored by such things.

Of course, some may wish to reason about that by claiming that they are trying to honor the God of the Bible and not the pagan gods with things as Christmas trees, or even reason around it by thinking that simply not having Christmas trees, but observing Christmas honors Jesus and thus this is not sin.

Well, perhaps the following may help them realize the sins involved in this:

29 “When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.   32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.   (Deuteronomy 12:29-32, NKJV)

Is not Christmas celebration adding something that God does not want?

Most people these days realize that most of the trappings of Christmas come from the worship of pagan gods.  Some even realize that the early Christians did not celebrate Christmas nor observe any date for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Even Catholic scholars realize this:

Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church (Martindale C. Transcribed by Susanti A. Suastika. Christmas. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume III. Copyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Early Christians also did not celebrate any birthdays (Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays?).

December 25th was Chosen as it was the Birthday of a Pagan Sun God

What some may find particularly reprehensible about Christmas is that not only are the trappings of it pagan, but the actual date selected was the birthday of the sun god Mithras.  This is known by pretty much all scholars.  Here is one from a Catholic scholar:

Mithraism A pagan religion consisting mainly of the cult of the ancient Indo-Iranian Sun-god Mithra. It entered Europe from Asia Minor after Alexander’s conquest, spread rapidly over the whole Roman Empire at the beginning of our era, reached its zenith during the third century, and vanished under the repressive regulations of Theodosius at the end of the fourth century…Helios Mithras is one god…Sunday was kept holy in honour of Mithra, and the sixteenth of each month was sacred to him as mediator. The 25 December was observed as his birthday, the natalis invicti, the rebirth of the winter-sun, unconquered by the rigours of the season (Arendzen. J.P. Transcribed by John Looby. Mithraism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

The World Book Encyclopedia notes,

In 354 A.D., Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun (Sechrist E.H. Christmas. World Book Encyclopedia, Volume 3. Field Enterprises Educational Corporation, Chicago, 1966, pp. 408-417).

It needs to be understood that some scholarly sources believe that the celebration in Rome of Christmas may have began 2-3 decades earlier (by Constantine), but none I am aware of suggest it was prior Constantine in the fourth century. Notice what the late Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote:

It is also to be noticed that our Christmas, December 25th, was the birthday of Mithra, and was only taken over in the Fourth Century as the date, actually unknown, of the birth of Jesus.  (King ML. The papers of Martin Luther King, Jr, Volume 4. Clayborne Carson, Ralph Luker, Penny A. Russell editors/compliers. University of California Press, 1992)

There have been scholars who believe that Constantine was involved as tradition claims a certain church in Rome as the first site of a December 25th “Christmas” celebration as the following 2007 news account indicates:

The church where the tradition of celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 may have begun was built near a pagan shrine as part of an effort to spread Christianity, a leading Italian scholar says.

Italian archaeologists last month revealed an underground grotto that they believe ancient Romans revered as the place where a wolf nursed Rome’s legendary founder, Romulus, and his twin brother, Remus. A few feet from the grotto, or “Lupercale,” the Emperor Constantine built the Basilica of St. Anastasia, where some believe Christmas was first celebrated on Dec. 25…

It opted to mark Christmas, then celebrated at varying dates, on Dec. 25 to coincide with the Roman festival celebrating the birth of the sun god, Andrea Carandini, a professor of archaeology at Rome’s La Sapienza University, told reporters Friday. The Basilica of St. Anastasia was built as soon as a year after the Nicaean Council. It probably was where Christmas was first marked on Dec. 25, part of broader efforts to link pagan practices to Christian celebrations in the early days of the new religion, Mr. Carandini said. (Scholars link 1st yule church to pagan shrine. Washington Times – Dec 23, 2007 ROME (AP). http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071223/FOREIGN/924350661/1001 viewed 12/24/07).

December 25th was a date to celebrate paganism.

So since the Bible says not to observe pagan religious celebrations and not to adopt any of their methods to serve the God of the Bible, and since December 25th is clearly recognized as the day to celebrate the birth of the pagan sun god Mithras, the celebration of Christmas by those who claim to live by the Bible is sin.

The video by GCI did not explain how come pagan religious celebrations are not sin, or even what sin is.  Since GCI does not teach that “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4) as it teaches, for example, that the Ten Commandments are done away, of course it would conclude that there is no sin involved in observing Christmas as GCI does not understand what sin is.

Christmas Takes Away from the True Gospel

Some argue that none of this matters.  They believe that their own understanding is superior to the scriptures cited here.  The Bible, of course, teaches otherwise:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.  (Proverbs 3:5-7, NKJV)

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8, NKJV)

Breaking the commandments of God is evil.

Christmas is a way of humans, not a way of God.

If God really wanted people to celebrate it, He would have given that as a command.  Instead, the Bible never even reveals what date Jesus was born.  That should be a clue for even the often biblically clueless.  The Bible teaches:

33 For God is not the author of confusion… (1 Corinthians 14:33, NKJV)

How could God really want people to observe Jesus’ birthday since He did not have the calendar date of it even recorded?  He wouldn’t as, amongst other things, that would cause confusion.

Because Jesus was not born on December 25th, God does not want pagan methods to be adopted to worship Him, and is opposed to decorations that resemble modern Christmas trees, the modern observation of Christmas gives a false portrayal of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  It leads to a false gospel (cf. Galatians 1:6-8), and an improper understanding of the plan of God.

Keeping Christmas is a Sin

The fact that the Bible commands against having religious holidays that resemble Christmas should be a reason that real Christians consider seriously if they would be at all inclined to consider being involved with Christmas.

Is keeping Christmas a sin?

For real Christians, it would certainly seem to be.  Those who overlook scriptures but rely on their own imaginations and human reason are in a different category as they are not being biblically-faithful Christians.

Your personal conduct does matter.  Your example does count.  And there are consequences to sin:

…the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23, NKJV)

Many this year will reason around the above and other scriptures, but those scriptures are still true and still part of the word of God.

Will you rely on the traditions of humans, societal pressures, or the word of God this year?

Some articles of related interest may include:

What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?
Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG/GCI which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

COGwriter

Yesterday, I received an email from a source identified as “prophecykeepersdotcom@yahoo.com”.  This email was telling me that a year ago, someone named John Hogue said he had learned something from an “oracle” that basically predicted that the Republicans would take control of the House and Senate in the United States yesterday (though the “Tea Party Republicans” would not always cooperate).  After the election results started to come in, I followed up on that by going to visit the website of John Hogue.

At his website, John Hogue had the following post Monday, 11/01/10:

Time and events catching up to my oracle’s cryptic prediction make clear to me what the message of that prophecy was…

Obama does not feel our pain in these economically dire times nor has he yet found his voice or figured out how to use this crisis to galvanize citizens to action. That doesn’t mean he won’t learn his lesson after tomorrow’s historic shocker.

In tomorrow’s midterm election, he will lose the House and by the slightest of margins, lose the Senate too.

It appears that Obama’s party (the Democrats) lost the House last night.  Although the final results are not known for sure yet today, unless the Democrats have 49 or less seats in the Senate, they still will control the Senate.  A count of 50 means that the Vice President can also vote to break ties, and since Joseph Biden is a Democrat, unless the count goes to less than 50, the Democrats will keep control of the Senate (unless one or more of them switch political parties).

Speaking of elections, in November 1980, a few weeks after Ronald Reagan was elected, I happened to have been visiting Sacramento.  On what I believe was the last Sabbath of that month, the late WCG evangelist Herman Hoeh was speaking.

Herman Hoeh stated that because of Ronald Reagan’s election, he and the church felt that the United States likely would last at least another eight years.  And that was so.

After it became clear last night that the Republicans would take control of the House of Representatives, I saw a Republican congressman named John Boehner gave an emotional speech.  In that speech he stated that the results of the election were a  “mandate for Washington to reduce spending.”

And while reducing spending is a nice goal, the reality is that without national repentance, the USA is doomed.  Unlike the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, I do not believe that last night’s election is any assurance that the USA has eight more years to survive.  And while it may (and perhaps longer), it also may not survive as a nation past 2015.

Cutting debt is, biblically, a good idea.  But even if the Republicans succeed in that (which in terms of total debt seems impossible in the next few years, but they may slow the increase in the debt), as early as today, the Federal Reserve is expected to announce its plans for potentially more “quantitative easing” (essentially increasing electronic dollars without producing goods to back the dollars up).  And that will result in even more debt.

The USA needs national repentance.  Changing control of the House does not change that need.  But even if the nation will do not repent, you can.

Some articles of potentially related interest may include the following:

Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? This article has eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. It includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? This is the longest and most complete article at the COGwriter website on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled since he is to be the USA president?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2018 or 2019?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

COGwriter

A search for what the Tkach “WCG” (now renamed GCI) teaches currently on Halloween brought up the following article first:

The day does have religious significance for some people, particularly wiccans and druids. For some people and in some regions, Halloween or some of its elements may have a non-Christian religious meaning. Some Halloween activities could be considered anti-Christian, and would, therefore, be avoided. Christians would want to avoid demonic associations, for example. With these things in mind, it would be appropriate for Christians to consider carefully their activities on this holiday.

For most children, however, there is no religious significance involved in either the day itself or in such elements as pumpkins or costumes. It’s true that such things as jack-o’-lanterns, bonfires and black cats, which are part of the Halloween tradition, may have roots in pre-Christian activities…

Most Christians believe they can celebrate Halloween (in some respects) as a purely secular day of fun…

Should Christians and their children participate in Halloween activities if they are unsure whether it is the right thing to do or are convinced it is wrong? The Bible teaches us that we should be fully persuaded in our own minds about these things—either pro or con. But we should not judge or condemn others who are of a different persuasion. The apostle Paul’s advice in Romans 14 can be applied to the question of Halloween activities…

It is the responsibility of each Christian to decide, based on biblical and Christian principles, whether to participate in Halloween activities, and to avoid judging other Christians who have different circumstances and make different decisions.

So, GCI is ambiguous.  And it needn’t be.

For example, when it stated “that such things as jack-o’-lanterns, bonfires and black cats, which are part of the Halloween tradition, may have roots in pre-Christian activities”, it could have stated that they they DO (not may) have pre-Christian, pagan roots, as none have a biblical origin (though jack-o’-lanterns may have began after Christ came, jack-o’-lanterns are not a Christian symbol).

Furthermore, most real Christians do not believe that they can celebrate pagan holidays.  Additionally, even the Vatican has warned that Halloween as observed in places like the USA, should not be done.

But the main point to address here is that GCI pointed to the Apostle Paul who was speaking about personal days to fast in Romans 14.  Paul was not talking about endorsing nor participating in pagan holidays, he opposed them.

Let’s first notice the fact that Romans 14 is specifically talking about vegetarianism and fasting days:

1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. (Romans 14:1-6)

GCI is suggesting that the above means that people can observe any day, including pagan ones in a pagan manner, if they so choose.

But is that consistent with the rest of the Bible or Paul’s other writings?

No, it is not.

Notice something else that the Apostle Paul wrote:

19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. (1 Corinthians 10:19-22)

If people in GCI will not look up scriptures, no wonder they remain associated with an organization that is more into its own version of political correctness in many areas than the Bible.

And if some want to argue that 1 Corinthians 10:19-22 is not related to Halloween (even though it is a pagan holiday with many demonic connections), perhaps the following scriptures will be of benefit:

2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.  3 For the customs of the people are vain (Jeremiah 10:2-3, KJV).

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: 20…idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, 21… drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).

Halloween is a holiday from heathens and in modern times has become a time of even more drunkenness, revelries, and the like. Tonight and tomorrow night, many adults will go out for drunken revelries.

The Bible is clear.  Observation of pagan holidays, like Halloween, are not appropriate for Christians.

Unlike GCI, the Living Church of God is not ambiguous on Halloween and posted two commentaries this week against it.  One I already referred to can be found in the article titled Catholic and COG Views on Halloween.

But here is something from one posted today as written by Davy Crockett:

At this time of year, as the daylight portion of the day becomes shorter and the leaves begin to fall, an ancient tradition with roots in paganism seems to gain in popularity with every passing year. Halloween, adapted from All Saints Eve, with all of the dark and foreboding trappings associated with this bizarre holiday, is celebrated by children and adults…

It’s pretty plain that such activities are not pleasing to God.

But, why darkness? Again, the bible makes it plain. The Apostle John recorded the words of Jesus when he wrote, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). The wise writer of Proverbs put it this way, “The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble” (Proverbs 4:19).

It is obvious that the “wicked one” (1 John 5:19) has kept this world in darkness to try to accomplish his perverted plan to keep mankind out of the Kingdom of God…

The Apostle Paul wrote to those early converts to Christianity in the church at Ephesus about coming out of darkness: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-11).

Jesus Christ came to bring the light and those that are called now can escape the dark side and live in His marvelous light, free from the pagan traditions and practices of this age.  http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/tw/commentary/tw-comm.cgi?category=Commentary1&item=1288357888#headline

The light of scripture eliminates any ambiguity about Halloween.

GCI is being ambiguous apparently because it does not want to stand up for the truth on this matter.  Real Christians do not observe Halloween.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include:

Is Halloween Holy Time for Christians? This article provides some historical and biblical insight on this question.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.

COGwriter

Yesterday, Shadows of WCG, an anti-COG site, started a series that the anonymous webmaster (who calls himself “J”) titled “The Key To Understanding Why Armstrongism is a False Gospel” (http://shadowsofwcg.com/?p=661).  And it is full of distortions.

Shadows of WCG makes many mistakes, and since the webmaster acts like he knows what he is talking about, I would like to deal with some of the distortions he has in the article.

His first distortion is calling COG teachings “Armstrongism” (though it is true that the late Herbert W. Armstrong held COG teachings).  For now, however, there is no point in debating that inaccurate label as church history shows that those who have followed COG teachings have often been branded with various labels by our critics (for more details, please check out the articles at The History of Early Christianity page).

Mistranslations are Often Relied Upon by COG Critics

Now, the Shadows of WCG article begins with an inaccurate analysis of my COGwriter news post titled Mistranslations: Why Many Do Not Understand About the Sabbath and the Holy Days. 

Shadows of WCG failed to point out, for one example, that the translators translated the same Greek expression the same three Greek Strong’s words (#4983, 3588, & 5547) used in Colossians 2:17 are used four other times in the New Testament and in those times the KJV translates it as “the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:12)–as does the NKJV–and that by not doing so in Colossians 2:17 the translators have demonstrated inconsistency in their translations which reflects an anti-Holy Day bias.

The Shadows of WCG webmaster apparently does not understand that what was done away in Colossians 2:14 was not “The Old Testament law!” as he asserts, but the penalty for breaking that law.

Notice what Colossians 2:14 states:

…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:14).

The handwriting of requirements (often also called the hand-writing of ordinances) was wiped away and nailed to the cross.

Which requirements were wiped out?

The Ten Commandments and Holy Days?

No.

Understand that the expression “the handwriting of requirements” is a Greek legal term that signifies the penalty which a lawbreaker had to pay–it does not signify the laws that are to be obeyed–only the penalty. It is only through the acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that the penalty was wiped out (“the handwriting of requirements”). But only the penalty, not the law!

Even some Protestant commentators realize this is so. Notice what Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible states about Colossians 2:14:

Whatever was in force against us is taken out of the way. He has obtained for us a legal discharge from the hand-writing of ordinances, which was against us (v. 14), which may be understood,

1. Of that obligation to punishment in which consists the guilt of sin. The curse of the law is the hand-writing against us, like the hand-writing on Belshazzar’s wall. Cursed is every one who continues not in every thing. This was a hand-writing which was against us, and contrary to us; for it threatened our eternal ruin. This was removed when he redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, Gal 3:13. (from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.).

In addition, let us look at the Greek term exaleipho translated as “wiped out” in Colossians 2:14:

NT:1813
exaleipho (ex-al-i’-fo); from NT:1537 and NT:218; to smear out, i.e. obliterate (erase tears, figuratively, pardon sin) (Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

In other words, exaleipho has to do with wiping out sin. This is also confirmed in Acts 3:19 where Peter also uses the term exaleipho, which is translated as “blotted out” below:

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

Hence, it is sin and the related penalties that are to be blotted or wiped out. And the penalties could vary from “being unclean to the evening” (Leviticus 11:24-28) to the death penalty.

But what about the law of God? Was the law of God to be wiped out?

Remember that the Bible clearly teaches that sin is lawlessness:

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. (I John 3:4-5).

Notice that Paul wrote:

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (Romans 6:1-2).

Thus, the New Testament makes clear that the law of God continues, thus it was not nailed to the cross or somehow wiped out.  The reality is that mistranslations are necessary for those who wish to claim an non-COG version of “Christianity”.

The Bible, however, also shows that the requirements of the Levitical priesthood (Hebrews 9:1,6-10), which were part of the penalty of sin, were blotted out.

And why?

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins…By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all (Hebrews 10:4,10).

Jesus’ one sacrifice was and is sufficient–we do not have to sacrifice animals any morel

Another requirement (which is related) would be the death penalty of sin, as “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23) or other specific ceremonial penalties associated with the Old Testament statutes (such as making a sin offering, being put outside the camp, or washing).

So while there were some items that were done away, the Ten Commandments, for one example, were not done away–if so, early professors of Christ would not have kept them.  Shadows of WCG and other anti-law COG critics simply have overlooked the FACT that early professors of Christ (which knew biblical Greek better than current scholars) did not believe that the Ten Commandments were done away (see The Ten Commandments and the Early Church). For more on the laws and statutes, please see the article Which Laws Are Done Away? Which Remain?

Supposed Beliefs of “Armstrongism”

But the main reason that I decided to actually post about Shadows of WCG article is because of J’s assessment about what the COGs stands for is often distorted or in complete error.

So, let’s look at some statements made by him:

Armstrongism does not believe Christ had the victory over sin and death at his death on the cross…

To his dying day, the false prophet and false teacher Herbert Armstrong taught that man does not have access to God except those in the Worldwide Church of God…

Armstrongism forces people backwards into a time when there was no access to God.

These statements about the COGs are not true.

Yet, because webmasters like “J” at Shadows of WCG make them, people who rely on COG critics above what the Bible actually teaches never will truly understand what the COGs are all about.  We in the COGs, specifically the Living Church of God, do believe that Christ had victory of sin when He was killed and resurrected and that all who ever lived will be offered salvation.  But we also agree with the Apostle Paul who wrote:

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. (Romans 3:31, KJV)

True Christians realize that the Ten Commandments teach love toward God and neighbor, while anti-law critics tend to look for excuses to not keep it–such people professing Christianity were warned about by the Apostle Jude:

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4, KJV)

I believe that real Christians keep the same faith that the original apostles kept, and that included the Ten Commandments and the Holy Days.

Here is another distortion from Shadows of WCG:

Armstrong does not hold any weight to Christ’s words “It is Finished”, minimizing it to simply his work on earth and not the entirety of his victory over the physical world of death and the door opened wide to access to the Father and the Holy Spirit

Untrue.  We in the COGs do believe that Jesus finished the work on earth that the Father gave Him to do when He spoke that.  Yet, Shadows of WCG seems to want to believe that Jesus was saying that the Ten Commandments, etc. were finished by His sacrifice.  And this is utter nonsense according to what Jesus and the New Testament writers taught (for details, see What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? and Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect?).

And the following tirade at Shadows of WCG is simply not true:

Armstrongism forces people backwards into a time when there was no access to God. Armstrongism forces people backwards into slavery. Armstrongism forces people into a rigid, legalistic system – in many ways, a loveless system – a system that produces shadows and no substance. Armstrongism forces people into justification by works and not by faith – believing that by being “of the circumcision” they can win favor with God – missing God entirely in the process. Armstrongism takes a covenant that is long old, obsolete, and useless and attempts to resurrect it – replacing the reality of access to God under the New Testament – a spirit led life of faith and substance – into a less glorious and imperfect system that enhances sin and guilt. Don’t believe me? Read the reports of those who have bought into the shadows and not the reality. There’s enough proof to fill a hard drive.

Those truly in the Church of God are living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), striving to live God’s way of life as Jesus and the Apostles did (1 Corinthians 11:1), and promoting it to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20).

The Ten Commandments reflect love, breaking them is evil (please see the article The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil).  Those who do not truly believe the Ten Commandments often are those involved in wars, immorality, and persecutions.  The fruits of violating the laws of God are not good.

Another inaccurate statement in the article at Shadows of WCG:

The only thing that matters is faith expressing itself in love.

That is not really quite what the Bible teaches.  Notice what the Apostle James was inspired to write:

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25, NKJV)

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.  (James 2:8-13, NKJV)

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:18-20, NKJV)

The Apostle James is clearly teaching that love involves more than just claiming faith, it involves doing and obeying the law of God.

Sadly, Shadows of WCG does not get is as J wrote:

The fruits of Armstrongism are imperfection, greed, envy, ego, haughtiness, arrogance, flamboyance, and an emphasis of the physical over the spiritual – which is exactly what one would expect when they focus on the law over the reality.

Only one who does really understand the Ten Commandments and has overlooked the warfare, sexual immorality, and persecutions that Protestants and their ilk have engaged in could make that claim.  Now certainly, people in or associated with the COGs have made mistakes, but the Bible is clear that God’s people have always had problems.

Interestingly, the following statement from Shadows of WCG is somewhat true (calling it “Armstrongism” notwithstanding) but is done in a manner that many could be misled by:

Armstrongism does not believe Christ gave all access to God when he died on the Cross and forgave man of their sins.

What we in the COGs actually teach is that the Father must call people to Christ:

44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44-45, NKJV)

The Father is calling some now and will call all others later.  Unlike the Protestant god, the God of the Bible will offer salvation to all that ever lived.  And this idea did NOT originate with Herbert Armstrong.  But many Protestants do not understand the place of the law or salvation (please see the article Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants).

Anyway, there are many critics on the internet that simply do not get it.  They overlook mistranslations.  They overlook what Jesus and the apostles taught.  They overlook how early professors of Christ actually understood the Bible, the Ten Commandments, and salvation.

But you do not have to be like those critics.

To see some of what Herbert Armstrong wrote and what the COG believes on various related matters, please see the following articles:

Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains how he is and should be viewed today.
Which Laws Are Done Away? Which Remain? What about the Ten Commandments? What about the 603 regulations in the Old Testament?
Were the Ten Commandments in Effect Before Mount Sinai? Some have said not. This article provides biblical quotes to answer this important question.
Job and the Ten Commandments Was Job written prior to Mount Sinai? Did Job know about the ten commandments? This article provides biblical answers to those questions.
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
Were the Ten Commandments Nailed to the Cross? Some have said so. This article provides some biblical quotes to answer this important question.
What Did Paul Actually Teach About the Ten Commandments? Many say Paul taught against the ten commandments. Is this true? This article quotes Paul with his words in green.
Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect? This article quotes the ten commandments and combines some of the previous articles into one article about the ten commandments. The commandments are shown at Mount Sinai, before Mount Sinai, in the teachings of Jesus, after the crucifixion, and in the teachings of Paul. It addresses the most common “traditions of men” regarding them as well.
Were the Pharisees Condemned for Keeping the Law or Reasoning Around it? Many believe that the Pharisees were condemned for keeping the law, but what does your Bible say? If they were not condemned for that, what were they condemned for?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.
Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation. Is war proper for Christians?
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer.
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Will God call everyone? Will everyone have an opportunity for salvation? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account?
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

COGwriter

Art Gilmore, who for decades was the announcer for the telecast and many other audio-video projects for the old Worldwide Church of God, died on September 25, 2010 in Irvine, CA at age 98 .  Though he had a sincere-sounding voice, he never was a member of the old WCG.

J. Tkach of GCI (the group that took over the old WCG) reported today that GCI has 900 local congregations.  But congregations that no longer are supposed to keep the Fall Feast days or other biblical holy days.

Ronald Weinland of COG-PFK announced his “newest truth” during the Fall Holy Days–basically that he feels that Satan is not immortal and will die (note: this position is not unique to Ron Weinland as others have also come to this conclusion).

Roderick C. Meredith of LCG spoke at the Last Great Day in Panama City Beach yesterday.  LCG had at least 1200 attend the Feast of Tabernacles there this year.  Including me and my family 🙂

Although the Holy Days for 2010 are now past, the following may be of interest:

Is Revelation 1:10 talking about Sunday or the Day of the Lord? Most Protestant scholars say Sunday is the Lord’s Day, but is that what the Bible teaches?
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Hebrew Calendar This John Ogywn writing explains why we in the Living Church of God use the calendar that we do and answers such questions as “Did Jesus Observe the Postponements?”
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins?
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well.
TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th? While the LCG observes Passover on the 14th, some observe it on the 15th. Why is the 14th correct?
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date?
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers.
UCG and Its Unleavened Bread Study Paper What does the Bible say about eating unleavened bread for seven days? What has UCG officially said about it?
Pentecost: Is it more than Acts 2? Many “Christians” somewhat observe Pentecost. Do they know what it means? It is also called the Feast of Harvest, the Feast of Weeks, and the day of firstfruits. What about “speaking in tongues”?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? Did they? Did Jesus? Should you?
The Book of Life and the Feast of Trumpets? Are they related? Is so how? If not, where not?
The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance The Jews call it Yom Kippur, Christians “The Day of Atonement”. Does it have any relevance for Christians today?
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians? Is this pilgrimage holy day still valid? Does it teach anything relevant for today’s Christians? What is the Last Great Day? What do these days teach?
LCG 2010 Feast of Tabernacles’ Information Here is information on many Feast of Tabernacles locations for this year.
Last Great Day study paper Was Jesus speaking about the 7th or 8th day of the Feast in John 7:37? UCG says the 7th, but what does the Bible teach? This extensive paper reviews UCG’s LGD study paper and includes comments as to where it erred.
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2012, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂

COGwriter

Gold has been over USD$1200 per ounce for much of the past several months.  This is primarily because many feel that the US dollar has problems as well as the US economy.

Because the USA was starting to not have enough gold to back its dollar, way back in 1961, the Plain Truth reported:

Germany, Japan have the largest surpluses of GOLD and DOLLARS…Rich Uncle {Sam} has the greatest deficit in governmental history and a GREATER DEBT than all the REST OF THE WORLD COMBINED!…

Vast foreign aid programs drain the U.S. Treasury…American spending to supply services and to support our troops in foreign countries and military installations around the world amounts to…dollars flowing out of the frightened U.S. Treasury. All of these factors, combined with heavy taxes, gigantic public and private debt, and no gold backing for our own currency if foreign investors demanded gold for their dollars, adds up to the staggering revelation that the U.S., richest nation in the world, is bordering on bankruptcy! (Hill DJ. What the US Gold Crisis Means to You. Plain Truth. February 1961, p. 9).

France did finally cash in dollars for gold and this caused a crisis in the USA.

The US answer was to go off the gold standard completely in 1971. About the same time it made a deal with Saudi Arabia to price oil in dollars. So, while this prevented “foreigners” from being able to redeem US dollars for something from the USA treasury, instead it meant that dollars could be used to by oil. As other (mostly smaller) oil producers followed Saudi Arabia’s lead, this has served to support the US dollar for several decades.

Back in 1971, the Plain Truth mentioned gold and that a currency coming out of Europe would replace the USA dollar:

FOR 40 YEARS, (1931 to 1971) the American dollar reigned supreme in world trade and finance. From 1945 to 1958, the dollar was considered better than gold to most developing economies…

On August 15, 1971, President Nixon revealed his new economic plan. One part of the strategy was to cut loose the dollar from gold, in effect letting it “float” in foreign transactions until natural market pressure would decide its best value…

The European Common Currency appears to be the most likely successor to the dollar in this long line of monetary dynasties. Europe is the only continent with sufficient gold backing…

… and What About Gold?

The gold standard is not sacred. It is only about 100 years old in the history of man, a product of evolution as much as any social institution. But in a world of sovereign powers, there must be some standard to finance international trade and domestic currency. Gold has the confidence of more people than any other standard, especially in Europe. (Alexander G. America faces “The Dollar Crisis”. Plain Truth magazine, October 1971, pp. 3-4)

Other articles from the old WCG also predicted that the Europeans would end up with their own European currency and that it would be expected to replace the dollar.

All of this has been happening.  As the USA continues to increase its debt, the value of the dollar will ultimately drop even more.  This does not mean that gold will not drop in value (it goes up and down all the time).  But unless there is national repentance across the USA, the USA dollar will ultimately be worth less than the cotton it is printed on.  Gold, on the other hand, seems to be prophesied to retain value past that time (cf. Daniel 11:43; Revelation 18).

For additional information, check out the following article:

The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold?

“Sunday Church”, Naxos Greece

COGwriter

Author and former WCG/UCG member Steven Collins now attends a church on Sunday according to a post he made yesterday:

I am a member of Church at the Gate, an independent Evangelical Church in Sioux Falls, SD…I attend church on Sunday to hear excellent sermons by the pastor, Steve Hickey…

It should be noted that Steve Collins still believes in the seventh-day Sabbath.  But apparently believes he is getting sermons that he wants from a Sunday church.

He has his own ideas.  I wish he would spend more time understanding what the Bible and real COG leaders teach.

Those interested in biblical and historical documentation that the Sabbath refuters are in error, should check out the following articles:

Sunday and Christianity Was Sunday observed by the apostolic and true post-apostolic Christians? Who clearly endorsed Sunday?
Another Look at the Didache, Ignatius, and the Sabbath Did Ignatius write against the Sabbath and for Sunday? What about the Didache? What does the actual Greek reveal?
Is Revelation 1:10 talking about Sunday or the Day of the Lord? Most Protestant scholars say Sunday is the Lord’s Day, but is that what the Bible teaches?
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
Polycarp of Smyrna: The Heretic Fighter Polycarp was the successor of the Apostle John and a major leader in Asia Minor. Do you know much about what he taught?
Justin Martyr: Saint, Heretic, or Apostate? Justin is considered one of the first Christian theologians and scholars. But did he support a Gnostic version of Christianity? Do you know what he taught about souls going to heaven upon death? This article shows from his own writings, what Justin really taught.
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.

Samuele Bacchiocchi

COGwriter

There are many who on the internet mislead people with their attacks against the seventh-day Sabbath.

The following is from a highly flawed, yet search-engine popular, website on a page which attacks the writings of the late SDA scholar Samuele Bacchiocchi:

Christians never kept the Sabbath from the apostolic age (33 AD) through the time of Constantine (325AD). Source: www.bible.ca

The above page also make the following false claim:

We Speak truth in LOVE Source: www.bible.ca

Really?

The truth is that all real scholars realize that Christians kept the Sabbath for centuries.  But first, let’s look at the Bible.  Acts 13:42-44 shows what the Apostle Paul did,

…the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

Also Acts 18:4 states,

And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

Now, some may argue that does not prove he ever kept it.  But that is a false argument.  Notice what Paul himself claimed:

Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans (Acts 28:17).

If Paul was not keeping the Sabbath, he could not have made that claim.  Furthermore, it was the probably the Apostle Paul who wrote the following in the Book of Hebrews:

Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.'” And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience…There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:3-6,9-11, NIV).

This clearly shows that the command to keep the seventh day Sabbath is in the New Testament. It also shows that only those who will not observe it because of their disobedience argue otherwise. And that is why Paul observed it. Even Origen understood some of what Paul wrote above as he wrote:

But what is the feast of the Sabbath except that which the apostle speaks, “There remaineth therefore a Sabbatism,” that is, the observance of the Sabbath, by the people of God…let us see how the Sabbath ought to be observed by a Christian. On the Sabbath-day all worldly labors ought to be abstained from…give yourselves up to spiritual exercises, repairing to church, attending to sacred reading and instruction…this is the observance of the Christian Sabbath (Translated from Origen’s Opera 2, Paris, 1733, Andrews J.N. in History of the Sabbath, 3rd editon, 1887. Reprint Teach Services, Brushton (NY), 1998, pp. 324-325).

The 17th century historian William Cave reported that the early Christians, both Jews and those in Asia Minor, kept the Sabbath. Notice his report:

…the Sabbath or Saturday (for so the word sabbatum is constantly used in the writings of the fathers, when speaking of it as it relates to Christians) was held by them in great veneration, and especially in the Eastern parts honoured with all the public solemnities of religion. For which we are to know, that the gospel in those parts mainly prevailing amongst the Jews, they being generally the first converts to the Christian faith, they still retained a mighty reverence for the Mosaic institutions, and especially for the sabbath, as that which had been appointed by God himself, (as the memorial of his rest from the week of creation,) settled by their great master Moses, and celebrated by their ancestors for so many ages, as the solemn day of their public worship, and were therefore very loth that it should be wholly antiquated and laid aside. For this reason it seemed good to the prudence of those times, (as in others of the Jewish rites, so in this,) to indulge the humour of that people, and to keep the sabbath as a day for religious offices. Hence they usually had most parts of the divine service performed upon that day; they met together for public prayers, for reading the scriptures, celebration of the sacraments, and such like duties. This is plain, not only from some passages in Ignatius and Clemens’s Constitutions, but from writers of more unquestionable credit and authority. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, tells us, that they assembled on Saturdays, not that they were infected with Judaism, but only to worship Jesus Christ, the Lord of the sabbath (Cave William, D.D. Primitive Christianity: or the Religion of the Ancient Christians in the First Ages of the Gospel. 1840 edition revised by H. Cary. Oxford, London, pp. 84-85).

While I disagree that Jewish converts were allowed to keep the Sabbath to “humour” them as Dr. Cave wrote (since nearly all the original Christians were Jews, all the original Christians did keep the Sabbath–Sunday was a later development), he at least does realize that early Jewish converts and those in Asia Minor (“Eastern parts”) kept the Saturday Sabbath.

According to an old, but probably modified in the 4th century document, Polycarp of the second century kept the Sabbath:

I will give the narration in order, thus coming down to the history of the blessed Polycarp…

And on the sabbath, when prayer had been made long time on bended knee, he, as was his custom, got up to read; and every eye was fixed upon him…

And on the following sabbath he said; ‘Hear ye my exhortation, beloved children of God. I adjured you when the bishops were present, and now again I exhort you all to walk decorously and worthily in the way of the Lord, knowing that, when I was in the ministry of the presbyters, I applied so great diligence according to my power, and shall do this the more now when the greatest peril awaits me if I am negligent. For after the fear of the judgment, it were shameful to abate and relax anything having regard to men, and not rather to build up higher the zeal which has reached thus far. It pertaineth to you therefore to hold back from all unruliness, both men and women; and let no one imagine that I exact punishment from offenders not from conscientiousness but from human pride. For it has happened that some of those who were put into offices, when they ought all the more, as one might say, to strain every nerve in the race, just then relax their efforts, forgetting that, the greater honour a man appeareth to receive, the greater the loyalty which he ought to pay towards the Master, and to remember the words of the Lord how He himself said, On whom I conferred the more, from him let them demand the more abundantly in return; and the parable of those who had the talents committed to them, and the blessing pronounced upon the servant that watches, and the reproof of those who refused to come to the marriage feast, and the condemnation of him whose garment was not befitting the marriage festivity, and the entering in of the wise virgins, the saying Watch ye, and again Be ye ready, Let not your hearts be weighed down, the new commandment concerning love one towards another, His advent suddenly manifest as of rapid lightning, the great judgment by fire, the eternal life, His immortal kingdom. And all things whatsoever being taught of God ye know, when ye search the inspired Scriptures, engrave with the pen of the Holy Spirit on your hearts, that the commandments may abide in you indelible.’

Thus speaking in this way from time to time, and being persistent in his teaching, he edified and saved both himself and his hearers. (Pionius, Life of Polycarp (1889) from J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 3.2, pp.488-506)

Thus, Polycarp regularly kept the Sabbath and preached on it.

Even the Protestant scholars Roberts and Donaldson admitted that John’s practices could be considered supportive of the idea that the Sabbatarians were correct. They mentioned the following in a dispute about Passover which John kept,

…on the fourteenth day of the moon…The long survival of St. John among Jewish Christians led them to prolong this usage, no doubt, as sanctioned by his example…Those who in our own times have revived the observance of the Jewish Sabbath, show us how much may be said on their side, and elucidate the tenacity of the Easterns in resisting the abolition of the Mosaic ordinance as to the Paschal, although they agreed to keep it “not with the old leaven.” (Introduction to Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus. By Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. Excerpted from The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, editors); American Edition copyright © 1885. Copyright © 2001 Peter Kirby).

Roberts and Donaldson immediately continued with,

Our author belonged to a family in which he was the eighth Christian bishop; and he presided over the church of Ephesus, in which the traditions of St. John were yet fresh in men’s minds at the date of his birth. He had doubtless known Polycarp, and Irenaeus also. He seems to have presided over a synod of Asiatic bishops (A.D. 196) which came together to consider this matter of the Paschal feast. It is surely noteworthy that nobody doubted that it was kept by a Christian and Apostolic ordinance. So St. Paul argues from its Christian observance, in his rebuke of the Corinthians. They were keeping it “unleavened” ceremonially, and he urges a spiritual unleavening as more important. The Christian hallowing of Pentecost connects with the Paschal argument. The Christian Sabbath hinges on these points (Ibid).

The “author” they are referring to is Polycrates, who claimed to continue what most Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox would consider to be Jewish practices. The points they are referring to is that if the Passover should be kept on the exact day and John did that as Polycrates wrote, then the Sabbath should also be kept on the exact day, the seventh day.  ( I should probably add that Justin Martyr is often cited as proof that the Sabbath was done away, but Justin was clearly a heretic–this is clearly demonstrated in the article Justin Martyr: Saint, Heretic, or Apostate?).

Historians also recognize that the Sabbath was kept in Jerusalem until after Hadrian had that city taken over in 135 A.D.  The historian E. Gibbon reported the following (bolding mine):

The first fifteen bishops of Jerusalem were all circumcised Jews; and the congregation over which they presided united the law of Moses with the doctrine of Christ…

The Nazarenes retired from the ruins of Jerusalem to the little town of Pella beyond the Jordan, where that ancient church languished above sixty years in solitude and obscurity. They still enjoyed the comfort of making frequent and devout visits to the Holy City, and the hope of being one day restored to those seats which both nature and religion taught them to love as well as to revere. But at length, under the reign of Hadrian, the desperate fanaticism of the Jews filled up the measure of their calamities; and the Romans, exasperated by their repeated rebellions, exercised the rights of victory with unusual rigour. The emperor founded, under the name of Alia Capitolina, a new city on Mount Sion, to which he gave the privileges of a colony; and denouncing the severest penalties against any of the Jewish people who should dare to approach its precincts, he fixed a vigilant garrison of a Roman cohort to enforce the execution of his orders. The Nazarenes had only one way left to escape the common proscription, and the force of truth was on this occasion assisted by the influence of temporal advantages.

They elected Marcus for their bishop, a prelate of the race of the Gentiles, and most probably a native either of Italy or of some of the Latin provinces. At his persuasion the most considerable part of the congregation renounced the Mosaic law, in the practice of which they had persevered above a century. By this sacrifice of their habits and prejudices they purchased a free admission into the colony of Hadrian.

When the name and honours of the church of Jerusalem had been restored to Mount Sion, the crimes of heresy and schism were imputed to the obscure remnant of the Nazarenes which refused to accompany their Latin bishop. They still preserved their former habitation of Pella, spread themselves into the villages adjacent to Damascus, and formed an inconsiderable church in the city of Bercea, or, as it is now called, of Aleppo, in Syria.  (Gibbon E. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume I, Chapter XV, Section I. ca. 1776-1788)

In other words, until 135 A.D. the Sabbath was kept by Christians in Jerusalem as it was part of what is commonly called “the Mosaic law”.  After Hadrian took over, many compromised and stopped keeping the Sabbath, while the faithful fled elsewhere and kept with the traditions that they learned from the Bible and the apostles.  The “Nazarene Christians” kept the Sabbath and this was recorded as still occurring centuries after the above incident by Catholic writers such as Epiphanius and Jerome.

Thus, to claim that no one kept the Sabbath after 33 A.D.  Is not speaking the truth in love–it is the spreading of lies and falsehoods.

Ignatius’ Writing?

However, the claim that probably needs the most refutation is the false claim that early second century writings did away with the Sabbath.  This is also false. Here is is what the Greek states from Ignatius’ Letter to the Magnesians:

Εί ούν οί έν παλαιοîς πράγμασιν άναστραφέντες είς καινότητα έλπίδος ήλθον, μηκέτι σαββατίζοντες, άλλά κατά κυριακήν ζώντες, έν ή καί ή ζωή ήμών άνέτειλεν δι’ αύτού καί τού θανάτου αύτού, <öν> τινες άρνούνται, δι’ ού μυστηρίου έλάβομεν τò πιστεύειν, καί διά τούτο ύπομένομεν, ïνα εύρεθώμεν μαθηταί ‘Iησού Χριστού τού μόνου διδασκάλου ήμών·

The above has been intentionally mistranslated by many.  I will not cite the mistranslation here, but for them and additional proof they are in error, please check out the article The Didache, Ignatius, and the Sabbath.

Here is a translation consistent with the Greek:

8.1 Be not seduced by strange doctrines nor by antiquated fables, which are profitless.
8.2 For if even unto this day we live according to the manner of Judaic concepts, we admit that we have not received grace: for the godly prophets lived after Christ Jesus. For this cause also they were persecuted, being inspired by His grace to the end that they which are disobedient might be fully persuaded that there is one God who manifested Himself through Jesus Christ His Son, who is His Word that proceeded from silence, who in all things was well-pleasing unto Him that sent Him.
9.1 If then those who had walked in ancient practices attained unto newness of hope, no longer {Judaically} keeping sabbath contrariwise according to the Lord’s way of life, on which our life also arose through Him and through His death which some men deny – a mystery whereby we attained unto belief, and for this cause we endure patiently, that we may be found disciples of Jesus Christ our only teacher –
9.2 if this be so, how shall we be able to live apart from Him? Seeing that even the prophets, being His disciples, were expecting Him as their teacher through the Spirit. And for this cause He whom they rightly awaited, when He came, raised them from the dead.

Notice what the Tkach WCG/GCI currently teaches about this passage on its website in an article written by its Michael Morrison:

Ignatius praised some who were “no longer observing the Sabbath.” Clearly, Ignatius did not observe the Sabbath. (Morrison M. Sabbath and Sunday in Early Christianity Part 2: Early Second Century and Justin Martyr. 1999)

Many amateur websites cite mistranslations of the same passage of Ignatius as proof that the Sabbath was done away by the beginning of the second century.  However, Michael Morrison, while making many errors, is not quite that foolish as he continued with the following:

It is debated, however, whom he is praising. In the previous section, he was talking about the Old Testament prophets, but it does not seem likely that he would accuse them of abandoning the Sabbath, even though some patristic writers cited the prophets’ criticisms of Sabbath-keeping (e.g., Isa 1:13). More likely, he is praising Jewish Christians who had given up the Sabbath — “those who were brought up in the ancient order of things.” This does not mean that all Jewish Christians had abandoned the Sabbath, but some had, and Ignatius was praising them to the Magnesian Christians. The lack of extensive argumentation indicates that the Magnesians, like Ignatius, did not observe the Sabbath, but that Judaizers existed who advocated the Sabbath. Furthermore, Ignatius praised some people for “living in the observance of the Lord’s Day.” The meaning here is debated, since “day” is not in the Greek, and a textual variant exists. Space does not permit a detailed discussion, but Ignatius’ attitude toward the Sabbath makes it likely that he was observing a different day, in a different way.

Notice the Michael Morrison realizes that the word “day” is not in the text and that there are other ways to view this passage.  Also note that he only claims that it was “likely” Ignatius was keeping a different day–that is false.  It is true that Ignatius kept the Sabbath in a different way than the Pharisees and that is basically what the passage in question indicates.

The reality is that a true understanding of the Greek shows that Ignatius was not doing away with the Sabbath.  Michael Morrison’s assertion that Ignatius did not keep the Sabbath is in error as that contradicts information in his other writings.

Sabbath-keeping in Asia Minor was publicly still going on to at least 364 A.D. or else the Eastern Church would not have convened a Council in Laodicea to excommunicate any who rested on the seventh day. Notice what the Council of Laodicea declared in English and Latin,

CANON XXIX. CHRISTIANS must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord’s Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ (THE COMPLETE CANONS OF THE SYNOD OF LAODICEA IN PHRYGIA PACATIANA).

Quod non oportet Christianos Judaizere et otiare in Sabbato, sed operari in eodem die. Preferentes autem in veneratione Dominicum diem si vacare voluerint, ut Christiani hoc faciat ; quod si reperti fuerint Judaizare Anathema sin a Christo (Cited in Andrews, p. 362).

But although that Council tried to abolish the Sabbath, sabbath-keeping continued among the faithful. Around 404 A.D. Jerome noted,

…the believing Jews do well in observing the precepts of the law, i.e….keeping the Jewish Sabbath…there exists a sect among… the synagogues of the East, which is called the sect of the Minei, and is even now condemned by the Pharisees. The adherents to this sect are known commonly as Nazarenes; they believe in Christ the Son of God, born of , the Virgin Mary; and they say that He who suffered under Pontius Pilate and rose again, is the same as the one in whom we believe”—yet, Jerome considered them to be part of “a most pestilential heresy” (Jerome. Translated by J.G. Cunningham, M.A. From Jerome to Augustine (A.D. 404); LETTER 75 (AUGUSTINE) OR 112 (JEROME). Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series One, Volume 1. Edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. American Edition, 1887. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

In the fifth century, the historian Socrates noted:

For although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the sabbath of every week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and at Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this. The Egyptians in the neighborhood of Alexandria, and the inhabitants of Thebais, hold their religious assemblies on the sabbath, but do not participate of the mysteries in the manner usual among Christians in general (Socrates Scholasticus. Ecclesiastical History, Book V, Chapter XXII. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 2. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. American Edition, 1890. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

The plain truth is that early Christians kept the seventh-day Sabbath.

Those interested in biblical and historical documentation that the Sabbath refuters are in error, should check out the following articles:

Another Look at the Didache, Ignatius, and the Sabbath Did Ignatius write against the Sabbath and for Sunday? What about the Didache? What does the actual Greek reveal?
Is Revelation 1:10 talking about Sunday or the Day of the Lord? Most Protestant scholars say Sunday is the Lord’s Day, but is that what the Bible teaches?
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
Polycarp of Smyrna: The Heretic Fighter Polycarp was the successor of the Apostle John and a major leader in Asia Minor. Do you know much about what he taught?
Justin Martyr: Saint, Heretic, or Apostate? Justin is considered one of the first Christian theologians and scholars. But did he support a Gnostic version of Christianity? Do you know what he taught about souls going to heaven upon death? This article shows from his own writings, what Justin really taught.
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.