Torah Was for ISRAEL!

The Armstrong Churches of God, like the Christian Pharisees of the First Century, have always taught that Gentile Christians are obligated to obey some of the precepts of Torah. A few days ago, on Banned by HWA, Scout wrote a post entitled Notes on the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. In it, he made clear that the WHOLE Church (including the Jewish part of it) decided that believers would NOT be required to adhere to the tenets of the Old Covenant - Torah. Scout went on to make the point that this did NOT mean that the Church was discarding Torah, just that it wasn't a pathway to salvation under the New Covenant. Armstrongists, however, insist that Christians can lose their salvation by failing to observe some of the laws of Torah (like those related to Sabbaths and Holy Days). 

In my previous post on this topic (Was Torah for Everyone?), I said that "what is offered here is only a FRACTION of the many passages contained in Torah which make very clear that Torah was intended for the people of Israel." In making that statement, I was on very solid ground. To demonstrate the truth of that statement, and because it is so important for Christians to understand that we are operating under a different iteration of God's Law, I have decided to include a few more of the Scriptures which make very clear that Torah was intended for the people of Israel.

In the book of Leviticus, we read that God told the Israelites that he had separated them from the other peoples of the earth (Leviticus 20:24, 26). In the original Hebrew, the sense is that they were severed from other nations and people. They were to be clearly different from other peoples, and it wasn't just male circumcision which delineated that difference. The Sabbath was also a sign between them and God which distinguished them from all other people (Exodus 31:13, 17). Moreover, there were a number of other things that were to distinguish them from the Gentile nations surrounding them. For instance, in the book of Deuteronomy, we read: "You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. You shall not eat any abomination. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat." (Deuteronomy 14:1-6, ESV) There were even regulations about how they were to cut their hair, and what kinds of fabrics they were to wear! All of these things distinguished them from the Gentile nations.

Over and over again, the commandments of Torah were addressed to the children of Israel and reiterated throughout that these instructions were intended to distinguish them from the nations which surrounded them. Near the end of the book of Leviticus, we read: "These are the statutes and rules and laws that the Lord made between himself and the people of Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai."  (Leviticus 26:46, ESV) Indeed, later, in the book of Deuteronomy, we read: "When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this." (Deuteronomy 18:9-14, ESV) Clearly, God intended through Torah for the Israelites to be different from the Gentile peoples which they were displacing (and would be surrounded by) in every aspect of their lives!

Hence, once again, the Armstrongist narrative about Torah does NOT fit. We see that God clearly intended this iteration of his law for the people of Israel. Indeed, we have seen that the commandments of Torah were meant to distinguish them from the other peoples of the world. Armstrongists love to point out that Christ and his disciples kept Torah, but they completely ignore the fact that they were ALL Jews! Paul was also a devout Jew. Moreover, it was necessary that Christ observe the commandments of Torah to fulfill the Law and make his sacrifice of himself efficacious for securing our salvation! The PLAIN TRUTH is that Torah was never intended for Gentiles, or the Church which Christ founded. Christ fulfilled Torah for Israel and instituted a new iteration of God's Law for Christians (based on the same principles that were the basis for Torah - love for God and each other). Thus, for those who have accepted Christ's sacrifice and received God's Holy Spirit, their lives will reflect obedience to Christ's iteration of God's Law.

United Church of God's Steve Myers on I Corinthians 6 and Those Unrighteous LGBTQ Folks

In an Ambassador Bible College presentation, UCG's Steve Myers expounded on the sixth chapter of Paul's first epistle to the saints at Corinth (see Epistles of Paul 10). Now, he began with a fairly straightforward appraisal of Paul's admonishment to the Christians of Corinth against taking disputes between Christians to civil authorities for adjudication. Unfortunately, thereafter, his commentary descended into the predictable Armstrongist diatribe against homosexuals.

Myers begins this part of his lecture by quoting this English translation of Paul's text: "1 Corinthians 6:9 'Don't be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites.'" He continued: "Wow, this list is getting long here, isn't it? Interesting that he starts out with all these sexual sins. Why do you think he would do that? Oh yeah, we're in Corinth. We're in Corinth, right? This is the place where they had the temple with the thousand temple prostitutes. A lot of that was still going on at this time. Yeah, those things impacted the church. But he makes this point, don't be taken in, don't be deceived. These behaviors, this unrighteousness can take many forms. There could be many forms of unrighteousness. And he goes on, not just the sexual sins." This is followed by a brief acknowledgement by Mr. Myers that Paul listed a number of other specific sins in this connection.

Nevertheless, Myers quickly returned to his main topic. He continued: "He gets very specific. He says homosexuals will be disqualified from the Kingdom if that continues to be their lifestyle. Of course, our world today is promoting this life. It's a lifestyle choice to be a homosexual or to be a lesbian, or any of these types of things, questioning, and queer, and trans, and the whole thing. Well, this is speaking to all of that. So he says not only homosexuals, which of course, in Corinth, this would have pointed to the male prostitutes. We talked about individuals who were slaves that were donated to the temple worship of Aphrodite were temple prostitutes. Yeah, they were male prostitutes. The homosexuals would have been that." Steve went on to complete his thought: "Also interesting that he says sodomites as well. Now, you read those two words and say, well, aren't they the same thing? Kind of sounds like it and maybe today we might think of it in similar types of terms, and not trying to be gross or too explicit or anything like that. But the homosexuals that they're talking about here, the male prostitutes, you would associate those with being the passive partners in a homosexual relationship. The sodomites, on the other hand, would have been the aggressors, would have been the more active role in that. And so interesting that Paul is showing condemnation to both, to both sides of the equation. And so none of that is acceptable. None is acceptable. And so he'll deal with lesbians, they're not mentioned in this list here, but Romans 1:26 certainly points that fact out as well. So we're not letting any of that lifestyle choice get away with it, in other words."

Now, admittedly, that is a pretty slick presentation. He affirms the traditional stance against homosexuality as a sinful "lifestyle," while simultaneously giving a nod to alternative interpretations of this text. What's that? Well, he acknowledges that there are a number of Biblical scholars who believe the traditional interpretations of these passages into modern English have resulted in flawed and misleading translations of Paul's original Greek text into English! They point out that the modern concept of "homosexuality" was unknown to these ancient peoples. Yes, they certainly were aware of various types of same gender sexual relationships, but they were wholly unfamiliar with the modern notion of one having a sexual orientation.

This is made very clear by the two Greek words that have been translated here into English as "homosexuals" and "sodomites." In the King James Version of the Bible, the first word "Malakos" is translated into English as "effeminate." This interpretation was derived from the sense that the original Greek word was indicative of softness or expensive clothing (as in Christ's use of the term in the Gospels of Matthew 11:8 and Luke 7:25). In Blue Letter Bible's online version of Strong's Concordance, we see that the Greek word Malakos is "of uncertain affinity," and means "soft, i.e. fine (clothing); figuratively, a catamite:—effeminate, soft." What is a "catamite"? It is one who practices pederasty (a sexual relationship between an adult male and a boy). Now, hopefully, we can all agree that such a relationship should be regarded as an abomination. It clearly violates the Law of Love and does real harm to both the adult and the child by perverting the God-ordained intention that adults nurture and protect children. Clearly, the unequal mental, emotional, and power dynamic between the two precludes any notion of a loving and consensual relationship between two equals. This is the epitome of an unrighteous or sinful behavior!

Likewise, in the King James Version, the other word "Arsenokoites" is translated into English as "abusers of themselves with mankind." Once again, in Blue Letter Bible's online version of Strong's Concordance, we read for Arsenokoites that it is a compound word derived from "arren" meaning "man" and "koite" meaning a "bed" (and having the same relation as the English word to being associated with a sexual connotation). Now, as Paul was writing to the Greco-Roman city of Corinth (where pederasty and male temple-prostitutes were common features), I leave it to my readers to decide whether Paul was referring to the modern concept of homosexuality, OR if he meant to single out two of many sinful practices prominent to that part of the Gentile world. Notice too, that even Mr. Myers alludes to this practice in his remarks on this passage! I think we all sometimes forget that Paul's epistles were written to address problems of a particular congregation of a First Century Christian Church which he had been associated with (as in the first chapter of his letter to the saints at Rome). Moreover, Mr. Myers' reference to this behavior's connection to idolatry makes much more sense in this context (male prostitution in the service of Aphrodite) than it does in the wider context of homosexuality.

Once again, returning to the context of Paul's letter, it is clear that he was addressing the sinful behaviors of the unconverted people surrounding the saints in Corinth. Yes, in the broader sense, he was talking about a sinful lifestyle, but the concept of a "homosexual lifestyle" was wholly unknown to Paul and the people whom he was addressing. This is made clear by what he says about practicing all of the sinful behaviors enumerated by him. He reminded them that "Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (Verse 11, NLT) In other words, prior to their conversion, some of the folks whom he was addressing had engaged in the same kind of behaviors - they had formerly lived a sinful lifestyle.

In conclusion, like many folks before him, Mr. Myers is projecting our modern perspective and understanding onto a passage of Scripture which was written to folks with a different perspective and understanding of human sexuality and behavior. In other words, Paul was clearly NOT writing about consenting adults in a loving, faithful, and committed relationship! Hence, to suggest that he was talking about "homosexuality" in this passage would be a clear perversion of his meaning and intent. I don't know about you, but that reminds me of something that Peter once wrote about Paul's writings. He said that some of Paul's writings were hard to understand, and that "untaught and unstable people" sometimes twisted them "to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures." (II Peter 3:16, NKJV) It makes one wonder - who really has the agenda in this instance? Is Mr. Myers seeking to perpetuate his own understanding and traditions regarding homosexuality, OR Is he truly seeking to understand God's Word? I'll let my readers decide for themselves the answers to those questions - I think that I've made my own perspective very plain.

Learning to be Content

Paul wrote to the saints at Philippi: "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11-13, ESV) In this passage, Paul made it clear that he was talking about circumstances over which he had no control, and that the key to his contentment was reliance upon God. By employing this technique, Paul was putting into practice one of Christ's most important teachings about being a part of God's Kingdom.

In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Christ instructed his audience NOT to focus on the mundane things of this life (Matthew 6:19-24). He continued: "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:25-33, ESV)

Thus, we see that Paul had learned Christ's lesson about being content with circumstances over which we have no control. Christ directed his audience to consider the birds and lilies of the natural world, and how God provides for their needs. Hence, we see that Paul did both of the things which Christ taught about learning to be content: 1) Recognize your own powerlessness, and 2) Rely on God to provide for your needs. Moreover, inherent in this teaching is the underlying awareness that God may not decide to intervene and change the circumstance in which you find yourself! As Paul wrote to the Romans, "we know that for those who love God all things work together for good." (Romans 8:28, ESV) Are these lessons that we too can learn and employ to reduce anxiety and the stressful situations which sometimes arise in our own lives? Can we, like Paul, learn to be content in whatever circumstances we happen to find ourselves at any given time?

Will the Unborn Be Resurrected?

A friend posed some interesting questions about the resurrection, and I thought that I would share them and offer them to my readers to see if they would generate any answers:

Will embryos and fetuses be resurrected to physical life? If so, back as an embryo or fetus? Inside a womb?

How many humans did not need Jesus's sacrifice for sin? For example, embryos and fetuses, children who die at birth or in the first year or so of life, or before they have awareness of right and wrong. Since they did not sin before they died, would they need to be resurrected to physical life in order to at least have the option of sinning? But who would take care of caring for these young children till they are old enough to discern?

I'm not sure that I know how to answer those questions, but there are a few things that Scripture reveals about life, embryos, fetuses, death, and resurrection that may help us to arrive at some satisfactory answers. They are:

1. The book of Genesis seems to equate life with respiration. In KJV English, "the breath of life." (See Genesis 2:7, 6:17, 7:15, and 22)

2. The prophet Ezekiel talks about a symbolic resurrection of Israel in these terms:

"The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. Then he asked me, 'Son of man, can these bones become living people again?' 'O Sovereign Lord,' I replied, 'you alone know the answer to that.' Then he said to me, 'Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’ So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army." (Ezekiel 37:1-10, NLT)

3. In the third chapter of the book of Job, we read: At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. He said: 'Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived. Let that day be turned to darkness. Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it. Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own. Let a black cloud overshadow it, and let the darkness terrify it. Let that night be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the year, never again to appear among the months. Let that night be childless. Let it have no joy. Let those who are experts at cursing— whose cursing could rouse Leviathan— curse that day. Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain; may it never see the morning light. 'Why wasn’t I born dead? Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb? Why was I laid on my mother’s lap? Why did she nurse me at her breasts? Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace. I would be asleep and at rest. I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers, whose great buildings now lie in ruins. I would rest with princes, rich in gold, whose palaces were filled with silver. Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light? (Job 3:1-16, NLT)

A little later, in the same book, we read: "If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come." (Job 14:14)

4. In Paul's first letter to the saints at Corinth, we read: "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (I Corinthians 15:12-26, ESV) Clearly, Paul speaks of the resurrection of the dead as pertaining to those who have accepted Christ during their lifetime on this planet.

5. This notion about the resurrection is reinforced by what we read in the twentieth chapter of the book of Revelation:

"I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:4-6, ESV)

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done." (Revelation 20:11-13, ESV)

What do you think? How would you answer those questions posed at the beginning of this post?

Was Torah for Israel or Everyone?

In the post which preceded this one, we established that Gentiles were not permitted to celebrate Passover unless they were circumcised and became Israelites. Even so, in the way of a reminder (and to underscore the fact), we read in the book of Exodus: "And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. No foreigner or hired worker may eat of it. It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.'" (Exodus 12:43-49, ESV)

However, in addition to this clear prohibition against Gentiles being permitted to observe this festival, Torah is literally full of passages which make very clear that the commandments and instructions contained therein were addressed to the people of Israel. Indeed, in the very first book of Torah (Genesis), we read: "And God said to Abraham, 'As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.'" (Genesis 17:9-14, ESV) Once again, it is made very clear that the command to circumcise males applied to Abraham and his descendants.

Likewise, in the book of Exodus, we read: "On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, 'Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel...if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel." (Exodus 19:1-6, ESV) Once again, Torah is very explicit about for whom these commandments and instructions were intended. Indeed, in the very next verse, we read: "So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him." (Verse 7)

Moreover, when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, there is also no doubt about to whom they were being given. We read: "And God spoke all these words, saying, 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.'" (Exodus 20:1-2, ESV) Notice that they were addressed to the people whom God had brought out of the land of Egypt - the people of Israel! And, when he had finished enumerating all ten of those commandments, we read: "when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off." (Exodus 20:18, ESV) All of which people? Isn't it clear that he was addressing the people of Israel who had gathered at the foot of the mountain? And, lest there be any doubt about who was being addressed, a few verses later, we read: "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven." (Exodus 20:22, ESV) Once again, it is clearly delineated within the text to whom God was giving those commandments. It is made very plain that those commandments were intended for (and given to) the PEOPLE OF ISRAEL!

Likewise, Torah also makes abundantly clear that Passover wasn't the only festival exclusively intended for the people of Israel. In the book of Leviticus, we read: "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that YOU shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts. Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. YOU shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places. These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which YOU shall proclaim at the time appointed for them.'" (Leviticus 23:1-4, ESV) In verse ten of the same chapter, we read: "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest." Also, a little later, we read: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation.'" (Leviticus 23:23-24, ESV) Also, we read: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the Lord." Leviticus 23:33-34, ESV) And, finally, the chapter concludes with: "Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the Lord." (Verse 44) Yes, they are the feasts of the Lord which he gave to THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL!

Indeed, this same language is used throughout Torah. In the same book, we read: "And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, 'Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth." (Leviticus 11:1-2, ESV) And, after distinguishing between clean and unclean animals, we read this about God's reason for delineating clean and unclean: "For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." (Verse 45) Once again, who did he bring up out of the land of Egypt? Could it be any clearer that these distinctions between clean and unclean were intended for the people of Israel? And, when Moses repeated the Ten Commandments, we read in the book of Deuteronomy: "And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, 'Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today. The Lord spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, while I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said: 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.'" (Deuteronomy 5:1-6, ESV)

In the very next chapter of the same book, we read: "Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach YOU, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey." (Deuteronomy 6:1-3, ESV)

Moreover, before the people of Israel crossed the Jordan River to take possession of the land which God had promised to give them, we read: "Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep the whole commandment that I command YOU today. And on the day YOU cross over the Jordan to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, YOU shall set up large stones and plaster them with plaster. And YOU shall write on them all the words of this law, when YOU cross over to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised YOU. And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster. And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. You shall wield no iron tool on them; you shall build an altar to the Lord your God of uncut stones. And YOU shall offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God, and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and shall eat there, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God. And YOU shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly.' Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, 'Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today." (Deuteronomy 27:1-10, ESV)

Now, for the record, what is offered here (in this post) is only a FRACTION of the many passages contained in Torah which make very clear that Torah was intended for the people of Israel. Indeed, the phraseology addressing the various laws and instructions contained therein to the people/children of Israel appears throughout the five books of the Pentateuch. In fact, the phrase "Speak unto the children of Israel" occurs thirty-two times in the King James Version of Torah! And, as I have related in many previous posts on this blog, Torah is also clearly tailored to meet the needs of a specific people, in a particular place, who found themselves in a peculiar set of circumstances. What? Throughout Torah, the various commandments and instructions assume: an agrarian-based society and economy, a people who accepted and practiced slavery and polygamy, and who were steeped in paternalistic notions about the proper roles of men and women within society. In short, Torah was addressed to the people of Israel. It was clearly NOT intended for Gentile peoples or to be universal in its application. Torah itself makes such a notion absurd!

So, You Plan on Keeping the "Biblical" Passover This Year?

For my friends who plan on "observing" or "keeping" the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread in a few days, I would like to recommend the following excerpt from a post by xHWA on the blog As Bereans Did:

So, you're going to "keep" a day that you see in the Bible. How do you plan to do that, exactly?

--HOW/WHERE

What do you plan to do to "keep" the biblical day? Are you going to keep this biblical day according to the biblical instructions for it? So, for example, let's imagine it's Passover. You're going to do what exactly? Eat a Seder? Do you know the Seder as it is kept today by the Jews is not what is instructed in the Bible? The Bible doesn't say to have four cups of wine and a hard boiled egg and vegetables in salt water and gefilte fish. If you are going to keep a biblical day - stressing the idea that you got it from the Bible rather than some made up holiday - don't you think you should keep it the way the Bible says to, rather than, you know, making up ways to keep it?

Don't worry. We have you covered. Here's what you do --

First, you travel to Jerusalem. You can opt to travel to Jerusalem if you're female, but if you're male you are required to. Because that's the only place you are allowed to keep it (DEU. 16: 5-7). You're going to have to do this a little early, because you need to select a lamb or a goat without blemish then keep it with you for four days (EXO. 12: 3-5). So, get there by the 10th of Nissan. Then, at the very start of the 14th of Nissan, you go ahead and remove all leaven from your household (EXO. 12: 15). That means no yeast or baking soda or rising agents of any kind. And no already leavened bread, which includes dough starters, cereals, cookies, crumbs, and etc. Jews will remove grains as well, to make sure they aren't contaminated with microbes that might cause them to rise when cooked. That includes any alcoholic drink made form grains. Anything with leavening in it has to go (DEU. 16: 4). Hint: you might want to check inside your toaster and under the seats of your car, too. (I know that from experience.) For seven days, the only bread you may eat must be unleavened (EXO. 16: 3). It's not just that you must avoid leavened bread, you must actively eat unleavened bread (EXO. 12: 20). Matzo is an easy option. Make sure it's Matzo rated for Passover, because not all Matzo is. (I know that from experience, too.) Removing leavening from your home will be difficult while you're in Jerusalem, we know. Perhaps you might want to divide the responsibilities, because as someone is at home removing the leaven, someone else is going to have to go to the Temple and sacrifice that lamb, or goat if you're bougee (EXO. 12: 6). Then, once the animal is properly sacrificed by the Temple Priests, you can go back to wherever you are staying in town and roast that lamb on its bones with some bitter herbs (EXO. 12: 8). Don't get fancy and try cooking it any other way, as that is not permitted (EXO. 12: 9). Goat burger with feta and arugula is verboten. Leftovers are also not allowed. Anything you can't finish eating that night will have to be burned up (EXO. 12: 10). No gyro for you tomorrow.

And while you're doing all that, the Temple Priests will be doing the offerings in Numbers 28: 19-24.

And that is the minimum requirement for how you keep a Passover! You are now ready to keep your first Biblical day.

You may have noticed an issue regarding the Temple and the animal sacrifices. Yes, that has been a thorny problem lo these past 1,900 years. It does have the unfortunate effect of making it nigh impossible to keep a biblical Passover. And that is a main reason why the early church didn't even try. So, how are you going to "keep" this biblical day, exactly, when you literally cannot keep it as the Bible says to? Make something up? The Jews did! It was the only reasonable thing they could do. So, they made up new traditions. Oh, we are not criticizing the Jews at all. Not one bit. They did what they had to do to continue observing ordinances given to them. It was either that or stop altogether. Can you blame them? We don't. But, that takes us right back to the initial problem, doesn't it? You've made up a holiday.

Oh, you can add in things that were done during the Last Supper, like foot washing - which was also made up, as there is no law for foot washing - but it might be good to bear in mind that Jesus did not have the Last Supper apart from its Jewish context. It was a Jewish Passover performed by Jews living during the final hours of the Old Covenant period. Jesus was doing the things we've reviewed and adding new elements. Adding Last Supper elements to your biblical Passover doesn't do anything to remove your obligation to also do what is required for your biblical day to be Biblical. Forgoing Passover elements and only going for Last Supper elements definitely turns Passover into Easter. It's what the first century church did. They got rid of Passover elements, only kept the bread and wine, and went forward calling it Passover. That would be the opposite of what you're going for, though. You're going for keeping a biblical day, not Easter. But isn't the Last Supper biblical? And you can't do the things required for your biblical day. There is no Temple, nor Priesthood, nor animal sacrifices. So I guess that leaves everyone in a difficult spot. The exact same spot as the first century church.

--WHEN

Now, when will you be enjoying this Passover?

The Bible says to observe it on the 14th day of the month of Nissan (aka Abib) (EXO. 12: 6). But when is that, precisely? Will you follow the Jews? Don't you know the modern Jewish calendar is not the same calendar used at the Temple in Jerusalem? After the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, and after the expulsion of the Jews from Jerusalem due to the Bar Kokhba revolt in 132 AD, the calendar used at the Temple no longer worked. So, Rabi Hillel II revamped the calendar in 359 AD. The calendar the Jews use today is based on but not the same as the one used at the Temple. In fact it's better. But better is still different. You are going to want a biblical calendar to go with your biblical day. What calendar did they use at the Temple? We aren't entirely sure. They kept the formula somewhat of a secret. All we know for certain is it's not exactly the one used today. Since we are on the topic of calendars, didn't you know the Jews had at least three "Hebrew" calendars in the first century (Essene, Galilean, and Judean/Babylonian)? And none of those three are exactly what Moses used. So, you need to decide which calendar you are going to follow. Don't choose a made up one!

What's more, when will you be enjoying this Passover meal?

You should know there is currently a timing dispute among people who attempt to "keep" this biblical day. Not calendar timing. This is different. The dispute is over when on the 14th the Passover rituals, like the Seder & etc., should be performed. Should it be on the evening at the start of the 14th or the evening at the end of the 14th? Hebrew days went from sunset to sunset, so each day technically had two evenings. Several verses say Passover rituals should be "at twilight" or "evening" on the 14th (EXO. 12: 18; LEV. 23: 5; NUM. 9: 3-5, 28: 16; JOS. 5: 10). But what does "at twilight" or "evening" or "between the evenings" mean, exactly? The first or the second? A casual reading could get you equally to either evening. I will spare you the details. Suffice it to say it gets complicated. Jesus kept His final Passover on the first evening, while the Jews kept it on the second. (There is nothing to indicate Jesus always kept Passover this way. It is reasonable to conclude He did not.) Who shall you follow? The one keeping the biblical day, or the one keeping the biblical day? In the end, we have two camps of people "keeping" the same biblical day on two different evenings. Which will you choose? And what will you say to the other camp, or about the other camp, when they question your decision? What will you do if they accuse you of heresy? The majority of non-Jews who "keep" biblical days aren't doing it because they find it fulfilling, they are doing it because they feel commanded to. They call them God's holy days. Any departure from their doctrine will threaten them and win you a negative response. You are a heretic in defiance of God in their eyes. And they will be happy to share that fact with you. You might want to be fully educated on why you chose what you did. But not for their sake. They are right and you are wrong and that is that. No, for your own sake. I suggest starting with a good understanding of the two Great Covenants.

--WHO

I am going to assume you are a Gentile since I cannot imagine any Jew would ever ask a question like this in the first place. So, Gentile, how do you plan on "keeping" Passover as a Gentile? Don't you know that according to the law of Passover, Gentiles were forbidden from observing Passover (EXO. 12: 43-49)? That's the law! That law likely includes Firstfruits and the Days of Unleavened Bread, since they were often lumped together under the term Passover. You must become a Jew in order to observe these days. Men, schedule your circumcision. Ladies, marry an Israelite. People like to say, "God gave us days to keep." But, did He? Because He didn't give them to us Gentiles at all. He gave them to the Jews, and Jews only. This is another main reason why the early church didn't even try to "keep" biblical days.

Jews can be some of the most welcoming people. Once they get to know you, they will invite people to share in their observance of Passover. They do so without expecting anything, including conversion. Conversion is generally not what they want at all. They just want to share who they are. I respect that, deeply. I would go without hesitation. However, it isn't exactly what the Bible prescribes. For a Jew to share their Passover is one thing. It's their day. It was given to them. They can share it if they want to. It's another thing entirely for a Gentile to take the day upon themselves. It's not our day. It wasn't given to us. If you are taking up this day when the Bible clearly says not to, are you doing the right thing, biblically speaking? The point is to be biblical, right?

I would imagine being prohibited from keeping a day we aren't sure when to keep and which we cannot keep as prescribed even if we wanted to is really going to complicate this plan to "keep" a biblical day.

So far, we have only gone over Passover. I haven't gone into the other biblical days, such as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Rosh Hashanah, Atonement, or Tabernacles. Not to mention Purim, which is in the Bible, so it's biblical, but it's also "made up" by the Jews (EST. 9: 22-27). Or Hanukkah, which is mentioned in the Gospels (JON. 10: 22-23), so it's biblical, but is detailed only in the Apocrypha, because it's "made up" by the Jews, too. Biblical and made up? Yes. It's enough to make a person think "made up" holidays are entirely permitted by the Bible. Because they are. In other words, it's biblical to make up days to honor God. The Bible allows that. How does that affect your decision?

But believe me, the other days come with just as much if not more detail as Passover. Do you even own a shofar? You'll need one. Will you side with the Pharisees or the Sadducees on when to observe Firstfruits? It matters. Are you going to have a last great day to your Tabernacles or not? Remember when I said you have to travel to Jerusalem to keep the Passover? You actually have to do that three times a year. Yeah. Please take the time to understand what you're getting yourself into before you start down this road of "keeping" biblical days.

Maybe you thought this was going to be a simple thing. Perhaps you thought you would just take a made up day out and put a biblical day in, like changing socks. The reality is it's not so simple in practice as it is in theory. This section has been about the days as they actually are. Using Passover as an example, we have show you the law. In other words, the days as they actually are, not as they are reinvented, or romanticized, to be. Do you love the days as they are, as they actually are, or have you built up an idea in your mind about the days that changes them into something else?

For those interested in reading the entire post, you may do so by clicking on this link:

https://asbereansdid.blogspot.com/2024/04/why-not-keep-biblical-days.html

Meditation

Joshua was told by God to meditate on his laws continuously. (Joshua 1:8)

The Psalms inform us that we should meditate on the Law of God, day and night. (Psalm 1:2, etc.) They also suggest that we should meditate on God's works - the things that he has done. (Psalm 143:5)

In the book of Isaiah, we read: "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)

In reminding his followers not to be anxious about the things of this life, Jesus told his disciples to "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28-30, ESV)

Paul wrote to the saints at Philippi that they should "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:8, NLT)

Questioning God?

The Armstrong Churches of God have always portrayed the "truth" about God and Scripture as fragile, and something that is only revealed to a few and easily lost. In other words, they have always actively discouraged their members from questioning God or their interpretations of Scripture. For them, once you have received the "truth," your sojourn for understanding is over. Indeed, according to them, further questioning or exploration is dangerous and might lead you to lose the understanding that you have attained. Does that bring to mind one of Christ's parables? It should.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus presented the Parable of the Talents and the Parable of the Pounds to his disciples. In both parables, a man commits some of his resources to his servants. In the Parable of the Talents we read that "he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money." (Matthew 25:18, ESV) When the man returned, the servant explained to his master "I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours." (Verses 24-25) Likewise, in the Parable of the Pounds, the servant who had received one pound, told his master upon his return: "Lord, here is your pound, which I kept laid away in a napkin; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow." (Luke 19:20-21, RSV) Interestingly, in both of these parables the master of the servants was very displeased with the servant who had failed to increase what had been entrusted to him. Indeed, in the Parable of the Talents, we read that the servant's master replied: "You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 25:26-20) Hence, from these two parables, it is reasonable to conclude that God and Christ expect whatever understanding has been given to their servants to be increased by them. According to Jesus Christ, it isn't a one and done kind of deal!

Indeed, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus told those same disciples to "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." (7:7-8, ESV) In the epistle of James, believers are instructed that "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." (James 1:5, ESV) And, there is also that ACOG famous quotation from Paul's second letter to Timothy: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (II Timothy 3:16, ESV) How does that happen? By studying and asking questions! (see Acts 17:11, II Timothy 2:15, and I Peter 3:15) In conclusion, I like that way that my Bing Copilot (AI companion) put it: "In summary, the Bible encourages us to ask, seek, and knock, and it emphasizes the importance of prayer and seeking wisdom from God. 🙏" In other words, if you've never asked those questions, how can you expect to ever be able to answer the folks who are unafraid to ask them?

Ten Years!

From time to time, I check on past posts to see which ones folks are still interested in - still looking over and considering. In recently doing so, I was reminded that this blog was begun ten years ago in January. During those ten years, I've posted 934 articles and over 1,400 comments here. Over those same years, I've also witnessed this blog go from an average of 50 views per day to about 800 views per day currently! No, I'm not bragging - the blog still has many fewer readers than some of the other blogs dealing with the same subject matter. Nevertheless, I do find it extremely satisfying to consider that I've made a small contribution to the spiritual journey of others and have helped a few folks to shake off the shackles of Armstrongism and find their way back to Jesus Christ, THE REAL TRUTH!

My thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read some of these articles, and the folks who were brave enough to comment here over the years (even if you disagreed with me). I hope that this blog has prompted a little introspection, thought, and tolerance of other views. That was my objective when I began this blog in January of 2014, and it remains my objective in 2024. I am also thankful for what this blog has done for me personally - in helping me to deal with some of the mistakes and deceptions of my past. I pray too that God will continue to bless my efforts to serve him and his people and guide all of us into a greater understanding and appreciation of the awesomeness of the God who cannot be contained!

Prove All Things on Christian Nationalism

I am very pleased to be able to recommend CGI's current episode of Prove All Things on "Christian Nationalism." The program was scripturally sound, well-reasoned, and well-articulated by CGI presenters Mike James, Jeff Reed, and Blake Silverstein. We can only hope that Pastors Bill Watson and Adrian Davis got to hear the program and pray that their future messaging will be influenced by the perspective presented therein!

You weren't called to be an ambassador for world peace!

Last month, Banned by HWA posted a presentation about the evangelism of Herbert Armstrong entitled Herbert Armstrong Meeting World Leaders. As the title suggests, the presentation focused on the many meetings that Mr. Armstrong had with government leaders around the world. Through the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation, Armstrong gifted various cultural, educational, and archaeological programs around the world and was invited to meet with the leaders of those countries as a tangible demonstration of their appreciation. As part of those meetings, Mr. Armstrong also presented gifts of Steuben Crystal to those leaders. Of course, all of this was funded by the tithe payers and contributors of/to the Worldwide Church of God.

Now, among the various groups which emerged from the downfall of the Worldwide Church, Gerald Flurry and his Philadelphia Church of God have supported and underscored this aspect of Herbert Armstrong's "work" more than any other group. Indeed, they currently offer a booklet entitled Ambassador for World Peace (by Gerald Flurry) which recounts Herbert Armstrong's efforts as an ambassador without portfolio. The booklet opens with this introduction about Mr. Armstrong's travels: "In the 1970s and 1980s, one private citizen was jetting around the world and meeting with hundreds of world leaders. He met presidents, prime ministers, kings, emperors, princes, legislators, ambassadors, generals, officers, mayors, judges, scientists, educators, magnates and executives. He talked with heads of state and heads of government in their offices at their invitations."

A little further into the booklet, Flurry offered this justification for Mr. Armstrong's travels: "Despite the global reach among the English-speaking peoples, Mr. Armstrong was troubled by something. He wanted God’s message to reach Russians, Chinese, Indians, Japanese, Indonesians, Bangladeshis and others. But how could he reach them? In countries like the United States, Canada and Australia, the message could go straight to the people through television, radio or literature. Mr. Armstrong prayed earnestly about it and asked God to help him see how to reach them. God answered that prayer. He showed Mr. Armstrong that in order to be heard by the populations of these countries, he had to reach the national leaders first!" Flurry continued: "Sometime after Mr. Armstrong began praying about it, he received invitations to meet world leaders: one from a European king, then another from Jewish leaders. He couldn’t understand what was really happening or why. Gradually, the invitations began piling up. Yet he was still puzzled about why God was opening those doors. Finally, he made the connection: This was how God planned to get the gospel to those other nations! Mr. Armstrong frequently visited top government officials, including leaders who shaped the thoughts of their populations. These officials were in charge of communication; it was their responsibility to get information to the people."

Now, I don't know about you, but it seems to me that there are some obvious problems with Mr. Armstrong's evangelistic efforts directed at world leaders and Mr. Flurry's justification of those efforts. They are: 1) The commission was to preach the Gospel (Good News) about salvation through Jesus Christ - to go and "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV) In other words, there is NOTHING in these instructions about talking about an ill-defined "strong hand" intervening in world affairs someday! 2) Christ's original apostles preached to crowds of people. According to the New Testament canon, the only time that they appeared before secular world leaders was after they had been arrested and hauled before them by lower level religious and political officials who didn't like what they were saying! 3) Christ's original apostles also usually walked or traveled by boat to conduct their evangelistic campaigns. In other words, they didn't have access to a luxurious personal/private jet and the world's best hotel accommodations! 4) While there are a few instances in the Hebrew Bible where prophets were sent to the kings of Israel and Judah with a message, there is no Scriptural foundation for claiming that preaching to the leader of a nation satisfies God's instruction to carry his message to the people as a whole. On the contrary, according to the Bible, it was the responsibility of his servants to reach as many of the people as possible with the message committed to them!

It should also be noted that the Trinity Foundation, in their article Calculating the Cost of Ministry-Owned Aircraft Flights, had this to say about Gerald Flurry's group: "Philadelphia Church of God owns a Gulfstream GIV-X which is also known as a Gulfstream G-450. On March 19th <2021>, the jet made a round trip flight from Oklahoma City to Birmingham, England with a stop in Bangor, Maine on the return trip. The round trip international flight took 18.5 hours of flying time. According to Aircraft Cost Calculator, the Gulfstream G-450 has an hourly operating cost of approximately $4,363. Estimated travel costs are $80,716." Now, let's be clear, there is NOTHING wrong with carrying the Gospel around the world (or traveling by aircraft), but think about how much cheaper a couple of tickets on a commercial flight would have been! Moreover, if you're traveling to speak to the local Rotary Club, legislature, mayor, or prime minister about world peace, you may want to take another look at whether or not that would actually qualify as fulfilling the Great Commission!

Easter with a congregation of Lutherans

This morning, we attended an Easter worship service with a local congregation of Lutherans, and God's Spirit was present there. The pastor's main text was the concluding chapter of the Gospel of Mark, and he pointed out that the earliest manuscripts end with the eighth verse (verses 9-20 were added later). Hence, the original account of Christ's resurrection looked like this:

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Originally, the account ends without the disciples actually having seen Jesus, and a "young man" in a "white robe" telling them that Christ would meet them in Galilee. The pastor pointed out that, just as it is recorded in the story, Christ has gone ahead of us - He is there before we get there and will reveal himself to us there. Like those disciples, we are astonished and trembling with uncertainty - we don't fully understand what has happened, but we can be assured Christ WILL be waiting for us there when we reach our Galilee.

He has risen!

In the twenty-eighth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, we read: "Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.'" (Matthew 28:1-7, ESV)

Likewise, in the Gospel of Mark, we read: "When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?' And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" (Mark 16:1-7, ESV)

In the Gospel of Luke, we read: "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.' And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest." (Luke 24:1-9, ESV)

And, finally, in the Gospel of John, we read: "Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.' So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes." (John 20:1-10, ESV)

Now, admittedly, there are variations in these accounts of Christ's resurrection. However, they all agree that the tomb was empty when his disciples arrived - that Jesus of Nazareth had risen from the dead. Interestingly, while only two of the Gospels supply a narrative about Christ's birth, all four of the canonical gospels contain an account of his death and resurrection! Hence, we are forced to conclude that this is an integral component/article of the Christian message/faith. Moreover, it isn't just the Gospel accounts which make this clear - the other writings of the New Testament reinforce the importance of this event!

In Peter's first sermon on the Pentecost following Christ's ascension to heaven, we read that he told the crowd: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses." (Acts 2:22-32, ESV) Once again, for Peter to have devoted so much of his message to the subject of Christ's resurrection, we are forced to conclude that this event was important/critical!

Likewise, in his epistle to the saints at Rome, Paul wrote: "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10) He asked "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?" and "Who is to condemn?" He answered: "Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." (Romans 8:34) Paul also underscored the importance of Christ's resurrection for the saints at Corinth. He wrote: "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." (I Corinthians 15:3-4, ESV) Apparently, some folks were saying that there wasn't any such thing as a resurrection. Once again, Paul underscored the essential nature of Christ's resurrection to their faith. He wrote: "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (I Corinthians 15:12-22, ESV)

Indeed, we read in the book of Acts that ALL of the apostles preached about Christ's resurrection (Acts 4:33). Once again, Paul stressed the connection between Christ's resurrection to his own hope of being resurrected one day. He wrote to the saints at Philippi about his former life as a devout Jew: "whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11, ESV) Likewise, in the first epistle of Peter, we read: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." (I Peter 1:3-4, ESV)

Hence, it is cleat that Christ's victory over death makes our own resurrection possible someday! Yes, we celebrate Christ's death every time we partake of the Eucharist/Lord's Supper/Passover, but we celebrate Christ's resurrection every day of our brief lives on this planet! After all, the fact of his resurrection makes eternity accessible to those of us who believe that it happened!

The Philadelphia Church of God: A Bunch of Political Hacks Pretending to be Christian

In the latest edition of The Philadelphia Trumpet magazine (April 2024), Stephen Flurry and Andrew Miller have an article titled Lawlessness by Design: The radical Obama-Biden regime is creating chaos at the southern border to provoke a civil war. The article castigates the Biden Administration for the crisis at the U.S. - Mexican border (this despite the fact that Trump ordered congressional Republicans NOT to support a bi-partisan immigration bill which would have provided considerably more resources for law enforcement on the southern border). The same article went on to praise the efforts of Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott to defy the federal government and set up his own border enforcement apparatus.

The authors went on to write that: "This is exactly the kind of dilemma between lawlessness and lawlessness that Joe Biden and, much more so, Barack Obama love to use their power to impose! Biden has compared 'MAGA Republicans' to Islamist terrorists, while Obama has called them bitter people clinging to guns and religion. These leaders do not want to defend conservative Americans from drug cartel agents and Latino socialists. Their goal is to use illegal immigration as a weapon to fundamentally transform America into a socialist nation." Really? Sounds to me like they are parroting right-wing talking points!

And, just in case anyone had any doubts about the Philadelphia Church's political stance, the authors removed all doubt with this statement: "In his July 2021 article 'What Will Happen After Trump Regains Power' (theTrumpet.com/23957), our editor in chief explained that President Donald Trump was the legitimate winner of the 2020 election. He further said that the Bible prophesies Trump’s return to power, yet he 'will have to fight for it. It doesn’t have to be military action, but it certainly could. President Trump could also lead some states to secede from the union.'" In other words, they clearly support Donald Trump's LIE that he was the "real" winner of the 2020 election.

In the same issue, Richard Palmer has an opinion piece titled Burn Down America - to Get Trump? The article decries the fact that Trump is being prosecuted for taking classified documents while Biden is not (even though that decision was made by an independent special counsel). The article goes on to suggest that the woman whom Trump was found liable for sexually assaulting is not credible, and that New York Attorney General Letitia James is just out to get Trump - that there wasn't any real fraud on his part! For Palmer (and the folks in the PCOG), the rule of law is under attack in the United States because Trump is the subject of so many indictments! That is so full of irony that it's not even funny. Indeed, Donald Trump has done more to undermine the rule of law than ANY of his predecessors in the White House!

The Philadelphia Church of God has dropped all pretense of being above the political fray! They are proudly in the thick of the culture wars currently raging within the United States, and they are unapologetically in the bag for Trump and the Republicans. Aren't these folks supposed to be preaching about the Kingdom of God? I wonder if Trump plans on having a rally in Edmond, Oklahoma this year?

NO, indulging your grievances, anger, resentment, and bitterness is NOT OK!

For those who would be followers of Jesus of Nazareth, the motivations and impulses of the world around us are NOT acceptable for us to imitate! Folks in the wider world have a multitude of grievances (real and imagined) which give rise to feelings of anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, and a desire for vengeance. Unfortunately, many of the folks who surround us give in to the impulse to lash out at the folks whom they perceive to have offended, provoked, wronged, or hurt them. In short, many of us are motivated by a desire to "even the score," punish, or defeat those whom we perceive to be our enemies.

This, however, was NOT the way that Jesus Christ looked at the world. In his famous "Sermon on the Mount," Christ said: "God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy," and "God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way." (Matthew 5:7, 11-12, NLT here and throughout) He went on to say: "You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!" (5:21-22)

Some will read those words of Christ and think, "That's too much - that goes against my grain!" Jesus, however, did not stop there! He continued: "You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." (5:38-48) In other words, for Christ, the standard way of dealing with other people was unacceptable!

When teaching his disciples about how to pray, Christ told them to pray that God would "forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." (Matthew 6:12) He went on to elaborate: "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." (6:14-15)

Moreover, in dealing with each other, Christ went on to say: "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye." (Matthew 7:1-5) Jesus then summarized the principle by saying: "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." (7:12)

And Jesus practiced what he preached. He always treated the people who came to hear him and ask for his help with kindness and compassion. Sure, Christ could be harsh with those who mistreated those who were inferior to them in power, prestige, and wealth. Even so, his objective was always to motivate humans to treat each other with kindness, mercy, and compassion. Indeed, when he was hanging on the cross, Christ prayed: "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

Compare that with: "If someone hits me, I hit them harder!" "If someone disrespects me, I will destroy them!" "If someone hurts me or my interests, I will take everything they have!" "I will never forgive him/her!" "I won't stop until I have my revenge!" "I will not stop until I make you pay for what you have done to me!" In short, many of us tend to hold on to hurts and grudges like a child holds on to their blanket or Teddy bear! Unfortunately, so many of us are inclined to indulge our worst instincts and impulses. Nevertheless, as we have seen, this is NOT the way for anyone who would claim to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth to behave!

Life, Death, and RESURRECTION!

Predictably, the Armstrong Churches of God are currently all on the anti-Easter bandwagon. According to them, this Christian holiday has pagan origins, and it ignores Christ's instruction to celebrate his death. However, their teachings about Easter ignore and mischaracterize a whole lot of Christian theology and tradition. The truth of the matter is that the Eucharist (celebration of Christ's death) is a prominent ritual in ALL of the various denominations/organizations of the traditional Christian Church. Moreover, the scriptural and historical evidence available to us demonstrates that Christ's resurrection has always been celebrated by Christians.

As for the differences in timing between the ACOG observance of the "Christian Passover" and the traditional observance of Easter, I would like to recommend a post from the As Bereans Did blog titled Primer to the Quartodeciman Controversy. In addition to this controversy over the timing of the feast, we should also note that many Christians celebrate the Eucharist every week (as in communion for Roman Catholics), while others celebrate it quarterly (as in the Baptist tradition). In other words, the once every year tradition has never been the universal standard for Christians. After all, Paul did write to the Christians at Corinth that "every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again" (I Corinthians 11:26). In other words, whenever you partake of those symbols as part of his ekklesia, you are portraying Christ's death.

Now, while Christ certainly did institute the symbols of the Eucharist on the night before he was crucified, it is also true that all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) have accounts of his resurrection. Moreover, the other writings of the New Testament clearly underscore just how important that event (the resurrection) was to the First Century Church. Indeed, when the original apostles sought to replace Judas Iscariot, we read in the account that "Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection." (Acts 1:22, NLT here and throughout) Likewise, in Peter's inaugural sermon at Pentecost, we read that he said: "God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this." (Acts 2:32) Later, after Peter and John had been arrested and released, we read that "The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all." (Acts 4:33) Hence, we see that the resurrection of Christ was considered by the apostles to be an important element of the gospel message.

From Paul's perspective, the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the very thing which declared him to be the Son of God (Romans 1:4)! Paul also believed that Christ's resurrection made it possible for him and Christ's other disciples to be resurrected someday from the dead (Romans 6:5 and I Corinthians 15:12-26) Hence, just as Christ's original disciples rejoiced and celebrated his resurrection from the dead, there is nothing wrong with Christians in the present age doing the same thing!

And, finally, if we are going to get bent out of shape by a few vestiges of pagan symbols of Spring fertility and regeneration, then we might want to rethink our acceptance of the story of Christ's regeneration and what that portends for all of us - his disciples! Thus, the Easter holiday embodies the renewal of life and Christ's victory over death. 

Whose righteousness are you relying on? His or your own?

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated into English as "righteousness" is sedaqa. The sense of the Hebrew word is doing that which is good or "right" as defined by God. And, just as in the New Testament, it is understood that human efforts to be righteous will inevitably fall short of God's standard - that righteousness must be attributed to humans. Also, like the New Testament, the Hebrew Bible makes clear that this awareness about human righteousness is NOT to be interpreted as a permission, excuse, or license to indulge in wickedness. Once again, it is simply important to understand and acknowledge that God's righteousness is only attainable by humans with God's help!

In the Garden of Eden, God forbade Adam and Eve to partake of the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" (Genesis 2:17). Of course, the tree was a metaphor for humans trying to define righteousness and sinfulness without God's input - absent God defining it. And, we all know that Adam and Eve chose to eat the fruit of the tree which had been forbidden to them (Genesis 3:1-7). Interestingly, the very first awareness which came to the couple as a consequence of eating that fruit was a shamefulness associated with their bodies. Hence, human notions about sinfulness and righteousness were immediately corrupted/perverted, and it became clear that humans would not meet God's standard of righteousness.

Later, we are informed that God made some stupendous promises to Abraham (Genesis 15:4-5), and that Abraham "believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). Indeed, as we shall see, this faith-based attribution of righteousness will figure prominently in the writings of the New Testament. Later still, God told Abraham's descendants that their inheritance of the Promised Land had NOTHING to do with their righteousness - that it was based on that promise made to their believing ancestor so long ago (Deuteronomy 9:4-6).

In the book of Job, we read that Job maintained his own righteousness in the face of many calamities and defended his behavior before the friends who had suggested that he had somehow caused his own misfortunes. However, after God confronted Job and revealed to Job that his understanding of God and his purposes was insufficient, we read that Job repented of his self-righteousness. We read that Job answered the Lord and said: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:2-6) In the end, Job realized that his own righteousness had been an illusion!

The Prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would impart righteousness to many. Isaiah observed that "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6), and he wrote that "he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:9) God went on to say through the prophet that "by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:11) Indeed, toward the end of the same book, we read that "all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment." (Isaiah 64:6)

In the New Testament, we read that Jesus Christ told his followers "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6) How were they to be satisfied? By their own efforts? OR Does his statement clearly suggest that God would satisfy them with righteousness? Christ also told his disciples that their righteousness would have to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). Now, as the scribes and Pharisees were scrupulous in their observance of the commandments of Torah, it is reasonable to wonder how that (exceeding their righteousness) was to be accomplished. In that same "Sermon on the Mount," Christ went on to elaborate that he expected his followers to be motivated by the spirit of the Law. Indeed, later, in the same Gospel account, he told them that God's Law was comprehended by two "Great" commandments: Love for God and each other (Matthew 22:34-40).

Even so, Christ knew that he was about to do something on their behalf which would ensure that their righteousness exceeded that of the Jewish religious leaders of that day. Indeed, the Lord had told Joseph that his son would someday "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21) When John the Baptist saw Christ approaching him, we are informed that he said: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) A little later, in the same Gospel account, we read that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16-17). Christ, of course, accomplished that by living a righteous life, and then sacrificing himself for all of the sins which we have committed! Our sins were imputed to him, and his righteousness was imputed to us!

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul wrote: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:16-17) For Paul, this was the essence of the "good news" - that our faith in GOD'S righteousness would save us from sin and death. Then, after quoting the Hebrew Bible about no one being righteous before God, he wrote: "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26)

Later, in that same epistle, Paul reminded his audience about the example of Abraham. He wrote: "if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.' Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised." (Romans 4:2-12) He finished the thought: "That is why his faith was 'counted to him as righteousness.' But the words 'it was counted to him' were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:22-25)

Paul went on to explain to the Romans that "while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:6-11)

Next, he reminded them of the consequences of Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden and wrote: "if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:15-19)

To be clear, the fact that our righteousness is derived from Christ does NOT excuse Christians from the obligation to live a righteous life. He went on to admonish the Romans: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:12-14) Still, it is imperative that we understand and acknowledge that NO ONE will be justified by the works of the Law (Galatians 2:16). Paul also told the saints of Galatia that "if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose" (Verse 21). Thus, we ask again: "Whose righteousness are you relying on: Christ's or you own? 

  

How to be Christ's Friend

John 15:9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other." (NLT)

A Passage from ONE of the Messianic Psalms

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand — you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, 'Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.' I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness. (Psalm 40:6-10, NLT)

"May all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, 'The Lord is great!'" (Psalm 40:16, NLT)

Pathocracy in the Armstrong Churches of God

A 2019 Psychology Today article by Dr. Steve Taylor titled Pathocracy, unfortunately, offers us some insight into what has happened within the Armstrong Churches of God. According to the article, the concept of "pathocracy" was developed by a Polish psychologist to explain why people with personality disorders so often occupy positions of power. Indeed, the phenomenon is observed within human leadership in both the political and religious realm.

Dr. Taylor observed that "pathocracy is arguably one of the biggest problems in the history of the human race. History has been a saga of constant conflict and brutality, with groups of people fighting against one another over territory and power and possessions, and conquering and killing one another." Nevertheless, he went on to note that "there is an argument that this is not because all human beings are inherently brutal and cruel, but because a small number of people—that is, those with personality disorders—are brutal and cruel, intensely self-centered, and lacking in empathy. This small minority has always held power and managed to order or influence the majority to commit atrocities on their behalf."

Dr. Taylor went on to observe that "people with these disorders feel an insatiable lust for power. People with narcissistic personality disorder desire constant attention and affirmation. They feel that they are superior to others and have the right to dominate them. They also lack empathy, which means that they are able to ruthlessly exploit and abuse others in their lust for power." Likewise, according to him, "psychopaths feel a similar sense of superiority and lack of empathy, but the main difference between them and narcissists is that they don't feel the same impulse for attention and adoration. To an extent, the impulse to be adored acts as a check on the behavior of narcissists. They are reluctant to do anything that might make them too unpopular. But psychopaths have no such qualms."

Now, most of us are not doctors or psychologists, but we can all read a list of symptoms and have the ability to make connections. According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder are: Have an unreasonably high sense of self-importance and require constant, excessive admiration. Feel that they deserve privileges and special treatment. Expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements. Make achievements and talents seem bigger than they are. Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate. Believe they are superior to others and can only spend time with or be understood by equally special people. Be critical of and look down on people they feel are not important. Expect special favors and expect other people to do what they want without questioning them. Take advantage of others to get what they want. Have an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others. Be envious of others and believe others envy them. Behave in an arrogant way, brag a lot and come across as conceited. Insist on having the best of everything — for instance, the best car or office."

Any of that sound familiar? Anyone with an Armstrong Church of God background should recognize at least some of those traits in Herbert Armstrong, the founder of the Radio and Worldwide Church of God. What about some of the folks who have claimed to be his successors in the movement? What about Garner Ted Armstrong, Roderick Meredith, David Pack, Gerald Flurry, Bob Thiel, Ron Weinland, Jon Brisby, Bill Watson, Adrian Davis, etc.? Indeed, this also explains why so many ACOG folks tend to like and support Donald Trump!

Dr. Taylor went on to note that the phenomenon of pathocracy isn't just confined to personality disorders within the leadership of a group. He noted that "a significant part of the problem is the attraction that many people feel to charismatic demagogues. You can see this in the appeal of President Trump, despite the obvious flaws - his extreme narcissism, lack of empathy and his distorted, delusory view of reality - of his personality disorder. Psychologically, this is very similar to the attraction of spiritual gurus, who often attract the blind devotion of disciples, despite unethical and exploitative behavior. The attraction of gurus and demagogues is a deep-rooted impulse to return to the childhood state of worshipping parents who seem omnipotent and infallible and could take complete responsibility for our lives, and magically solve our problems. At the same time, the paranoia of pathological leaders leads them to demonize other groups and creates an intoxicating sense of group identity with a common purpose."

But why don't the good guys ever seem to end up in leadership? Dr. Taylor noted that "people with a high level of empathy and compassion usually aren’t interested in power. They prefer to be 'on the ground,' interacting and connecting with others. They may even refuse the offer of a high-status position because they’re aware that higher status will disconnect them (although for a non-empathic person, that is part of its appeal). So this leaves positions of power open for people with psychological disorders (or at least with a high level of ambition and ruthlessness, even if not a fully fledged psychological disorder)." In brief, the people who should be in leadership positions don't want to be! Ironically, it is the reluctant ones who are best suited to leadership - the ready and willing are often folks with an agenda or something to prove. In other words, they have little or no concern for the needs of the folks they desire to rule over. They are simply a means to an end.

This is the history and legacy of the Armstrong Churches of God. As I have said before, that isn't always cream rising to the top. Sometimes turds float on the surface too!