Christian Churches of God - CCG Sabbath Message

Sabbath 26/9/32/120 A

Dear Friends,

The Sabbath message dated 21 November 2009 dealt with the restoration within the Churches of God of the New Moons according to the Biblical structure of the Sabbath system consisting of the weekly, monthly, and annual Sabbaths. It is evident from the Law and prophets of old, as well as the Messiah’s apostles, that the New Moon Sabbaths are included in this structure of holy days and are to be dedicated to the one true God Who, through His Laws, ordained the Sabbath system. The Sabbath message also brought to light evidence of a leader of one the major off-shoots of Worldwide COG who understood and proposed to its ministry to implement New Moon observance, but New Moon observance was never restored.

Since the aforementioned Sabbath message was issued, we have had some comments from members of the Worldwide COG offshoots who, for the most part, dismiss the observance of the New Moon Sabbaths in their publications and congregational practice.

It is most important and critical for the Sabbatarian Churches of God to understand that the restoration of New Moon Sabbaths is presently occurring, and whether they agree is irrelevant. The Christian Churches of God (CCG), as of 1 Abib 1994, was tasked by the Holy Spirit through the Messiah to begin the restoration of New Moons to its rightful position as a monthly Sabbath within the Sabbath system. It is a matter of fact that CCG is now the largest Sabbatarian Church of God in the world. Its congregations have been developed in power and its focus has been directed to the nations outside of Australia, Canada, England, and the USA. There are more Sabbatarian Christians among CCG ranks observing the New Moon Sabbaths than the combined total of members in all Worldwide off-shoots, and that also includes Worldwide itself at its peak of membership under Herbert Armstrong.

This Sabbath message will now focus on some of the comments we received that are interesting and revealing as to how the ministry of the off-shoots get around the fact that more and more of their members are coming to understand that New Moons are part of the Sabbath system and are keeping them.

One person states that they are allowed to keep and observe New Moons with their own family, but are not allowed to invite others. If someone asks and would want to join in the observance in a home, they are allowed to join in the observance, but it is not to be “spread around”.

Another person stated that New Moon observance was for the priests to do so he no longer does it, at least not openly. He apparently has to hide his obedience to God’s Law from the ministry. He continued to state that he just does not talk about it with others. So he has to go “underground” to observe New Moons. It is a pity to think that occurs in a Sabbatarian COG in a western society when CCG has members in Muslim countries where it is necessary to observe New Moons “underground” due to the sharia law that would imprison them if they were found out. Some of CCG members have been physically attacked and seriously disabled for their faith in Muslim countries by so-called Muslim fanatics.

This sort of justification being made by the ministry of a Church of God also shows the establishment of the ministry as the priest-class and the baptized congregation as the non-priest class. By this, they fail to understand that the Melchizedek priesthood is being made up of all baptized adults in the body of Messiah under the New Covenant. Any argument otherwise is scripturally baseless and arrogantly establishes a hierarchy of righteousness in their mindset of ministry over laity in the organization.

Peter’s message confirms that all of God’s elect are the holy and royal priesthood, not just the ministry.

1 Peter 2:4-9
4 Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; 5 and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame." 7 To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner," 8 and "A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall"; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

The leadership of the Holy Spirit in the ministry is to follow that of the Messiah as one who serves from the base and establishes his spiritual stone in the Temple to build on top of, not one who lords over the congregation, and then claims to absolve them from having to obey the word of God.

Any minister who would stand in the way or prevent the restoration of the Sabbath system should consider Christ’s own words in Matthew 5:18-19:

18 For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

It is worth repeating a critical point made in the Sabbath message referenced above:

“The Law and the Testimony is determined here a little, there a little, as follows:

Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 instructs the weekly Sabbath as the Fourth Commandment;
Leviticus 23 instructs the weekly Sabbaths, The Wave Sheaf and the Omer count to Pentecost, and the annual Sabbaths;
Numbers 10:10 instructs the New Moons;
Numbers 28/29 instructs the weekly Sabbath, New Moons, and Annual Sabbaths;
Ezekiel then groups the additional Sanctification process and groups them and the responsibilities of the Prince and the Congregation of Israel which is the Church of God. This text is also a Millennial text. He then goes on in 46: 1-3 to show they will be kept under Christ in the Millennial system.

Without restoring the New Moons and the Sanctification process there can be no complete restoration. The Church must restore the New Moons to be an authentic restoration.

Along with Elijah comes the restoration of all things (Mal. 4:5; Mat. 17:10-11). That final restoration under Elijah involves the restoration of the Nexus of the Law of God which is the only thing that the Church cannot restore. Then we will all keep the Laws of God or suffer the consequences. “From New Moon to New Moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh shall come and worship before me”, says the Lord (Isa. 66:23). This is the final restoration, the same law given to Moses and to us as the Church. That restoration has now commenced before the coming of Messiah and will continue until the nations are all subjugated and converted under Messiah.”

Those of the ecclesia going into the Millennium with the Messiah will be involved in restoring today what they will be teaching in the Millennium under Him.

See http://www.ccg.org/_domain/ccg.org/Sabbath/2009/S_11_21_09.html for the Sabbath message of 21 November 2009.

Tom Schardt
Coordinator Southern California and
Jeremy Hatchett
East and West Coast Coordinator