Christian Churches of God - Sabbath Message

Sabbath 24/03/37/120

Dear Friends,

It is important to understand that the 50 year Jubilee commanded by God in Leviticus 25:10-11 establishes within the Jubilee system a 7-year cycle (Lev.25:8) in which every 7th year the Law of God is to be read to all the congregations at the Feast of Tabernacles (Deut.31:9-13) so that everyone may hear God's Law and learn to honor the Lord God and to obey His teachings faithfully.

The last reading of the Law at the Feast of Tabernacles occurred in 2012 when the Christian Churches of God (http://www.ccg.org/) conducted its readings of the Law in accordance with the Temple calendar and its 7 year cycle that ended the 36th year of the current 120th Jubilee. The next reading of the Law will occur in 2019.

See the study paper: L1, The Law of God at http://www.ccg.org/english/s/l1.html

This Sabbath message is written for those who are new to the Faith and for those who are seeking answers and relief from the heresy of modern Christianity's lawlessness. Modern Christianity in its various forms and sects has rejected God's Law and has embraced Antinomianism, holding to the view that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of observing the moral Law of God as enumerated in the Ten Commandments.

Some historical evidence records that Antinomianism resurfaced from the 1st and 2nd century Gnostic theology with Johannes Agricola, in Germany, about the year 1535. It was an antinomian movement in which the authority of the Jewish law was held to be superseded by personal freedom. The Antinomian sect of the Antonians, most numerous in the Canton Bern area of Switzerland, had its beginning among the Roman Catholics according to some sources.

In his book, "Antinomianism", Mark Jones in chapter 1 on page 1, states: "Adam was the first antinomian (Rom.5). In the garden, he was against (anti) God's law (nomos) when he transgressed by failing to guard the garden and to forbid his wife to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve's own doctrinal antinomianism (Gen. 3:2-3) led to practical antinomianism (3:6). Thus, antinomianism was birthed by our original parents. Interestingly, though, their antinomianism was in response to Satan's legalism, for it was he who had (wilfully) misconstrued God's gracious loving-kindness to Adam and Eve and made God out to be a legalist, reflecting his own heart (3:1-5)."

Continuing:

"The Scottish theologian John "Rabbi" Duncan (1796-1870) had rightly argued that "there is only one heresy, and that is Antinomianism," for all sin, including heresy, is against God's law. The apostle John essentially makes this point when he says that sin is lawlessness (anomia) (1John 3:4). A history of antinomianism, when defined this way, could easily be derived from the Bible. Similarly, antinomianism, viewed either as breaking or opposing God's law, is the picture of society at large and regrettably even the church."

(see also the study paper #164C, Antinomian Destruction of Christianity by Misuse of Scripture at http://www.ccg.org/english/s/p164c.html).

The teaching that Christ's sacrifice and death on the stake releases man from any obligation to obedience to God's Laws makes a mockery out of repentance, baptism, and Christ's sacrifice. It totally distorts the understanding of what constitutes the New Covenant relationship with God and the purpose of His grace. It begs some fundamental and logical questions regarding: 1) what constitutes sin according to God? 2) What then constitutes repentance – what do we repent of if God's Laws have been "done away" by Christ's sacrifice? 3) What is righteousness? 4) What is the purpose of Baptism? 5) What is the purpose of the New Covenant if man has been released from upholding the Laws of God? 6) What is the purpose of God's grace if His Laws are no longer to be upheld in our life as a Christian?

Repentance requires an individual to stop sinning, to turn around and live a life defined by God's righteousness, which is not our righteousness as antinomians attempt to define it apart from God's Law. Any attempt by man to define godly righteousness apart from God's Word, from His Law, is self-righteousness and is as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). Antinomianism is an humanistic attempt to replace God. In reality, it is anti-God. It is man deciding for himself what is good and what is evil rather than allowing God to make that decision through His moral Law. It is a spirit of rebellion which is the same as witchcraft (1Sam.15:23).

Antinomian approach to the Scriptures is convoluted consisting of many statements that belie Scriptural evidence. The tactic Antinomians use is to selectively "cherry-pick" a Scripture, mainly from Paul's writings, that may appear to support their premise, but on careful analysis, the Antinomians' explanation is very shallow and sometimes even insulting to anyone with the capacity to think through their false premise and assumptions.

In recent months I met a business contractor at work who stated that he is a Jehovah Witness who doctrinally are antinomian. In the course of our many discussions on the Bible especially regarding the moral Law, I asked him, "if the Apostle Paul taught that we are no longer under obligation to observe God's moral Law, the Ten Commandments, why then do his epistles record that he continued to keep the Sabbath and Holy Days in light of Christ personally teaching and appearing to him after his conversion to Christianity"? "Would not Christ have told him that it was no longer necessary to keep the 4th Commandment, or any of the 10 Commandments if the moral Law was done away?"

His response to me was, "I often thought about that too." Further I asked him, "if the moral Law is no longer obligatory, by what law do you not put false gods before the one true God, or by what law do you not worship images as the Catholics do, or by what law do you not murder or do not commit adultery?"

He was unable to respond to the questions but asked me if I would comment on some of the material he was reading from the Jehovah Witnesses' magazine, The Watchtower. He e-mailed a number of excerpts from the articles he read that dealt with the Law and asked for my view which I will post below. They are:

JW: Jesus, being a Jew under the Law, observed the Sabbath as God's Word (not the Pharisees) directed. He knew it was lawful to do fine things on the Sabbath. (Mt 12:12)

Response: Yes, Christ observed the 4th Commandment in accordance with the Sabbath law as he set an example to his disciples. Paul and those disciples with him continued to observe the Sabbath (see Acts 13:42-45, 17:1-4, 18:4) and the Holy Days (Acts 18:18-21, 20:5-6, 15-16, 27:9, 1Cor.5:8, Col.2:16). This was an interesting move for someone who is being guided by Jesus Christ and who supposedly has done away with the Law. Paul states that we are to follow him as he followed Christ.

JW: However, the inspired Christian writings state that "Christ is the end of the Law" (Ro 10:4), which results in Christians' being "discharged from the Law." (Ro 7:6)

Response: First of all, Romans 10:4 does not say Christ has eliminated or done away with the moral Law. The end of the Law (telos gar nomou) here is the conclusion as the goal or the objective, being the point or act or state aimed at. It is not the cessation of the Law. Paul is drawing the comparison between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant requirement where now righteousness comes by FAITH (vs. 6) in Christ's sacrifice (vs. 9-13) and his righteousness. In Romans 7:6 a careful reading of Ch.7 shows Paul is drawing a comparison of the battle and war between the pulls of the flesh (that leads to sin) and between the Spirit of the Law (vs.14). In verse 12 Paul states, "So the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good." Paul concludes this chapter by stating, "So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin." Paul is admitting that he has human weaknesses (as we all do) but that he submits and serves the spirit of the law of God.

JW: There was another verse I wanted your view on: "The Law has become our tutor leading to Christ, that we might be declared righteous due to faith. But now that the faith has arrived, we are no longer under a tutor."—Gal. 3:24, 25

Response: Here Paul is referring to the ceremonial/sacrificial laws which were a tutor to Israel in the physical temple system. The animal sacrifices (tutor) taught the need of a Saviour and pointed to Christ, as it was he who was the true Lamb of God. Now that Christ fulfilled the sacrificial laws by his death on the stake, it is by faith in his sacrifice that the repentant sinner is purified in the water of baptism and declared righteous before God. When Paul wrote Galatians, the Temple was still standing and animal sacrifices were still being offered. He was pointing out that the tutor (sacrificial laws) was no longer necessary now that Christ fulfilled the sacrifice once and for all. The Jews wanted Paul dead because he preached Christ's sacrifice.

JW: Neither Jesus nor his disciples made any distinction between so-called moral and ceremonial laws. They quoted from the other parts of the Law as well as from the Ten Commandments and considered all of it equally binding on those under the Law. (Mt 5:21-48; 22:37-40; Ro 13:8-10; Jas 2:10, 11).

Response: That is an absurd statement since the apostle Paul's writing definitely distinguishes between the moral Law and the ceremonial law, and the apostle John too makes this distinction as we shall see. Christ in Matt. 5 is elevating the moral Law to its spiritual intent. In the old covenant, ancient Israel was not given the Holy Spirit, except for a select few like David and the prophets, therefore, as long as they did not commit the physical act forbidden in the Law, they did not break the Law. But, with the new covenant, and the giving of the Holy Spirit, Christ is elevating the Law to a higher level to its spiritual intent, the spiritual level, not diminishing it, not doing away with God's Law! Now lusting or coveting is in the mind (the thought process) and is where sin begins and takes hold, and committing the physical act completes the cycle of sin. That is why we are to control our thoughts, control what enters our mind, and reject sin in the mind BEFORE it takes hold in the mind. This is how Christ fulfilled the Law mentioned in verse 17 by elevating it to its spiritual plane, leaving us an example that we should follow in his footsteps (1Pet. 2:21-22).

The apostle John makes a distinction as to which Law of God he is addressing whether the moral law or the ceremonial law:

1John5:
2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and carry out his commandments.
3) For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome,

2John1:
4) I rejoice very much because I have found some of your children walking in the truth, just as we received commandment from the Father.
5) So now I request you, lady, that we love one another. (I am writing you, not a new commandment, but one that we had from the beginning.)
6) And this is what love means, that we go on walking according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should go on walking in it.

1John2:
1) My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one.
2) And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world's.
3) And by this we realize that we have come to know him, namely, if we continue observing his commandments.
4) The one who says, "I have come to know him," and yet does not observe his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person.
5) But whoever does observe his word, in this person the love of God has truly been made perfect. By this we know that we are in union with him.
6) The one who says he remains in union with him is himself under obligation to go on walking just as that one walked.

Rev 14:12
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ.

The moral law is the Ten Commandments whereas the ceremonial/sacrificial law is not part of the commandments.

JW: The Scriptures plainly state that Christ's sacrifice "abolished . . . the Law of commandments consisting in decrees" and that God "blotted out the handwritten document against us, which consisted of decrees . . . and He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake." It was the complete Mosaic Law that was "abolished," "blotted out," taken "out of the way." (Eph 2:13-15; Col 2:13, 14)

Response: Here in Eph.2 is a perfect example of how antinomians twist Scripture. If you back up to verse 11 you will see that the subject matter is circumcision and Gentiles being alien from the commonwealth of Israel. This is not addressing the moral Law. You had better hope that with Christ's sacrifice God blotted out the handwritten document against us. That document is the CHEIROGRAPHON or the bill of indebtedness we owe to God for our sins. That debt is DEATH, but Christ paid that debt for us.

JW: Consequently, the whole system of Sabbaths, be they days or years, was brought to its end with the rest of the Law by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. This explains why Christians can esteem "one day as all others," whether it be a sabbath or any other day, with no fear of judgment by another. (Ro 14:4-6; Col 2:16)

Response: In Romans 14 the first 4 verses deal with vegetarianism while verses 5-6 deal with fasting and has absolutely nothing to do with the moral Law. Re Colossians 2:16 Christ, who was without sin, kept the law and the Feasts, and the New Moons, thus he became the King and the replacement High Priest of God's new covenant Temple. To assert that this text does away with the Sabbaths, New Moons and Feasts is a complete misuse of the language both of the Greek and the English. Upon Christ's return to this earth and the commencement of his millennium reign, he will enforce the keeping of the Sabbath, New Moons, and annual Festivals on all humanity (Isa.66:23, Zech.14:18-19).

JW: Paul made the following expression concerning those scrupulously observing "days and months and seasons and years": "I fear for you, that somehow I have toiled to no purpose respecting you."—Ga 4:10, 11.

Response: Here is another perfect example of the shallowness of antinomianism. In Galatians 4. let's go to verse 8. Here Paul is addressing those who were part of the Church in Galatia and how that when they formerly did not know God they were enslaved to false gods (8). In verse 9 Paul is criticizing them for turning back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits - false gods. In verse 10 Paul is pointing out that they were going back to observing the specials days, seasons, and years of these false gods. A perfect example of this today would be when a person realizes that Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc. is pagan, comes out of that pagan worship for awhile, but later returns to it; this person would come under the same criticism by Paul.

Further, Paul instructs the Corinthian Church to observe the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread, an 8 day Feast commencing with the evening of 14 Abib as the lord's Supper. Again, this was an interesting move for someone who is being guided by Jesus Christ and who supposedly has done away with the entire Law of God.

Finally, in Thessalonians Paul addresses antinomianism that was already at work in his time:
2Thessalonians 3-13:
3) Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction. 5) Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things? 7) True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who is right now acting as a restraint is out of the way. 8) Then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence.
9) But the lawless one's presence is by the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders. 10) and every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth in order that they might be saved. 11) That is why God lets a deluding influence mislead them so that they may come to believe the lie, 12) so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned. 13) But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

Truth stands against antinomianism as it has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. It will be dealt with and destroyed when Christ returns to re-establish Godly rule and His Law in the Millennium.

R.J. Rushdoony in the introduction to his book, "The Institutes of Biblical Law", Vol.1, clearly expresses the falsehood of antinomianism as he states:

"It is a modern heresy that holds that the law of God has no meaning nor any binding force for man today.
It is an aspect of the influence of humanistic and evolutionary thought on the Church and it posits an evolving and developing god.

This "dispensational" god expressed himself in law in an earlier age, then later expressed himself by grace alone, and is now perhaps to express himself in still another way.

But this is not the God of Scripture, whose grace and law remain the same in every age, because He, as the sovereign and absolute Lord, changes not, nor does He need to change.
The strength of man is the absoluteness of his God."

God's people are not confused or deceived by the "grace doing away with God's Law" argument presented by today's false religion. "Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye dismayed at their revilings" so says God through His prophet Isaiah in 51:6-7.

Tom Schardt, Coordinator of Southern California