Jesus as the literal Son of God

 

This is super important! Look at verse 3, it says that God (Jehovah) sent and I quote "his own Son". This right here refutes the false teaching that Jesus Christ is not the literal Son of God the Father. Some say Christ only became the Son at His virgin birth, but how could this be if He was already God's Son prior to being sent. Jehovah God couldn't send something He already didn't have which in this case is a Son. Jehovah and Jesus aren't role playing a Father/Son relations...hip as some teachings indicate. Jehovah didn't send a co equal, co eternal member of a Triune Godhead to us, He sent His literal Son Jesus to us. The Father/Son relationship of Christ with Jehovah is beautiful and it is because of this, that we can call the Son "God" and this Father/Son relationship also gives Christ full Divinity and Diety. The weight of evidence in Scripture points to Jesus Christ as the literal Son of God. Some teachings say that Christ as the "Son of God" is just a title but that is absolutely not supported by scripture. Jesus Christ was the Son of God before the creation of this world, before His virgin birth on this earth and He is still the Son of God now.

Romans 8:3-4 (KJV)
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

What is Biblical Faith?

Many people say we are justified by Faith before Jehovah and His Son Jehoshua and they are right, however saving Faith is not what many in Churchianity think it is. Here is the definition of faith according to Strong's Greek dictionary:

Faith in the greek is the word "pistis" which means persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:-assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

As you can see from the above definition of Faith, that it is not simply belief as in "I believe in Christ" and that's it. The true definition of faith is having fidelity towards the Messiah and His Father. How is this fidelity measured? It's by obeying the Word (Jehoshua) of Jehovah. This is where the moral law (10 Commandments) comes in (1 John 5:2)

1 John 5:2 (RSB)

"By this we know that we love the children of Elohim when we love Elohim and keep his commandments."

Many of today's Christians try to say that the commandments mentioned in the New testament are different than the 10 commandments given at Sinai. This ridiculous notion is refuted in Malachi 3:6

Malachi 3:6 (ASV)

"For I, Jehovah, change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed."

See, true biblical faith is action not just a verbal statement of belief or even a heart sentiment. The bible says faith without works is dead meaning it was never true faith in the first place. True Faith is fidelity to Jehovah and His Son Jehoshua whichis measured by being obedient to their 10 Commandments which are unchangeable and immutable. True faith will rely on the Messiah to keep those moral laws that are now written on our hearts and minds.

Hebrews 10:16 (KJV)

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

So now instead of looking to stone tablets we have the moral law (10 Commandments) written on our hearts and minds. Now we look to Jehoshua first, which if we obey His word, will lead us to keeping the commandments of Jehovah. For what does the word say about being doers of the word?

Romans 2:13 (KJV)

"(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."

Aha!! So works and action do matter! The faith that many of the churches in Christendom teach is not the faith that the bible teaches. Biblical faith is accompanied by action "doing" not simply hearing or having belief in heart or words. Many churches teach that you can come to the Saviour as you are, which is true but then they say dont worry about changing as God will clean you up (sort of by osmosis). This type of teaching is false and contradicts the clear word of Jehovah God which says we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling:

Philippians 2:12 (KJV)

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Wow! It takes work to excercise our salvation. Many in today's Church world teach the opposite of this, that you can just have this weak faith just by believing in word and heart and then sit on your laurels and live life the way you see fit. When someone tries to tell these nominal Christians that they need to obey the Messiah and His Father by keeping the commandments the first charge out of the nominal Christians mouth is "your legalistic or unloving or judgmental" etc.
Many of the more dedicated Christians have no problem with about 8 or 9 of the 10 Commandments but when it comes to the 4th commandment of keeping the Sabbath they scoff and say it is not for today as it is the least of the 10. What did our Messiah Jehoshua say about this?

Matthew 5:19 (KJV)

 "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."

Stern words from our Saviour regarding those that teach others to break even the least of the commandments. Many in Christendom treat and speak of the Sabbath as the least of the 10 Commandments. Jehoshua's words above were for these very men and women as He knew that wolves would soon enough come in and not spare the flock. Perhaps this is why the 4th commandment begins with the words "Remember the sabbath day"

Exodus 20:8-11 (ASV)

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;
10 but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Also, many in Churchianity say that the Sabbath day was for the nation of Israel however they didn't exist when Jehovah hallowed and sanctified it after six days of creation. Clearly the Sabbath is a creation memorial for mankind not just the Israelites. As the Christian Congregation we are spiritual Israel, so even if Israel was a nation (which it wasn't) when Jehovah made holy the Seventh day Sabbath, we would still need to keep it.

Many today in Christendom love to profess that they will be part of the last days remnant church that will refuse to bow down to the antichrist (papal Rome), however if they refuse to keep the Sabbath the Word (Jehoshua) of Jehovah calls them liars, let's look at what the book of Revelation says about this last days remnant Christian Congregation and what traits it will possess:

Revelation 12:17 (KJV)

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 14:12 (KJV)

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Obviously one of the marks of the last days remnant Christian Congregation will be keeping the commandments of Jehovah. Notice that the commandments of God are a distinct thing from having the faith of Jehoshua and His testimony which is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). The faith of Jehoshua is His death, burial and bodily resurrection and ascension to heaven at the right hand of the Father. The commandments of God can clearly only be a reference to the moral law (10 Commandments) as they are made to be distinct from faith of Jesus and His testimony the above two passages. In these last days, just having a nominal belief in Jesus (in word and heart) without obedience (action) to His and His Father's commandments will not grant you eternal life, see below:

Revelation 22:14 (KJV)

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

It's not too late for you though, find a Sabbath keeping fellowship and don't listen to Pastor's/teachers/theologians that don't speak according to the law and the testimony (10 Commandments)!

Isaiah 8:20 (RSB)

"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

What is Hell and the Lake of Fire? A New testament persepctive (Part 1)

Sabbath or Sunday?

Many of today's pulpit preachers in Christendom say that the apostles instituted the first day of the week (Sunday) as a change of the day of worship from the Seventh-day Sabbath. Let’s look at the instances in scripture that mention the apostles gathering on Sunday (first day of the week) and see if the context denotes a change of solemnity from Sabbath to Sunday and marks a new institution of Sunday gathering/keeping for the Church.

Luke 24:33-40 (KJV)

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

John 20:19 (RSB)

"The the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Yahshua and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." 

So we see here in the above two passages of scripture that describe the first instance on record of the apostles meeting on Sunday, that the motive for the disciples gathering together on this particular day was "FOR FEAR OF THE JEWS". The  disciples were demoralized after the death of Yahshua their master. Not one mention here of prayer, exhortation, or the reading of scriptures. The purpose for this meeting was not to inaugurate Sunday as the new "holy" day but rather it was simply due to their fear of the Jews, nothing more nothing less.

ACTS 2:1

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."

The next instance of the apostles gathering on Sunday is described in the above text. Sunday keepers love to quote this verse as the institution of Sunday worship, however the Jews had been keeping this day of Pentecost for 1500 years (The Feast of Pentecost) and they still keep it to this day, even if it falls on a Sunday, while at the same time keeping the Seventh day weekly Sabbath. 

Today's modern Christian would do well to realize that Jesus and His apostles always kept the Sabbath. Many of today's Christians use this verse in ACTS to justify the abolition of the Sabbath and justification of Sunday keeping. What they don't realize is that their teachers have resorted to using a Jewish festival as a pretext for the desecration of the Bible Sabbath.

Acts 20:6-7 (KJV)

6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.

7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Sunday keepers will use the above scriptures to justify their disobedience to Jehovah's Sabbath and institution of a new "holy" day, however if you remember ACTS 2:46 "And they, continued daily in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house," etc. Luke here informs us that the type of fellowship noted above in ACTS 20:6-7 was common to every day of the week not just Sunday. The Christian who uses this verse to prove Sunday solemnity has their hopes vanish into thin air with the text from ACTS 2:46.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (KJV)

16 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Presuming that the request of Paul had been strictly adhered to, let us call attention to what had been done each Sabbath during our Saviour Jehoshua's life and continued for 30 years after.

The followers of the Lord Jesus Christ met "every Sabbath" to hear the word of Jehovah; the Scriptures were read every Sabbath day." "And Paul, as his manner was to reason in the synagogue every Sabbath, interposing the name of the Lord Jesus Christ," etc. ACTS 18:4. What twisting of scripture it is to infer that the reading of the Scriptures, prayer, exhortation, and preaching, which formed the routine duties of every Sabbath, as has been abundantly proved, were overslaughed by a request to take up a collection on another day of the week?

In order to truly understand the text in 1st Corinthians is to recall the action of the apostles and holy women on Friday before sundown. They brought spices and ointments to Jesus burial tomb. They suspended all action until the Sabbath "holy to Jehovah" had passed, and then took steps on Sunday morning to complete the embalming process.

Why didn't they complete the embalming process on the Sabbath? Because they knew well that the embalming of their Lord would violate Sabbath observance.

Making a god of their own image!

What have they done to my God? They have sliced him into three parts like a piece of pie!!!!  Don't they read Deuteronomy 6:4?  Rome has added to the word of Jehovah and Jehoshua. They have made my God a mystery instead of what the Bible says!

"The mystery of the Trinity is the central doctrine of the Catholic Faith. Upon it are based all the other teachings of the church..." Handbook for Today's Catholic, p. 11.

John 17:3 (ASV)
And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the ONLY true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ.

The Shema which is what Jesus taught about His Father:

Deuteronomy 6:4 (ASV)
Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is ONE Jehovah:

Mark 12:29-34 —And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is ONE Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is ONE God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

4. Galatians 3:20 — Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is ONE.

25. Ephesians 4:6 — ONE God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

1 Timothy 1:17 — Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the ONLY wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 2:5 — For there is ONE God, and ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

James 2:19 — Thou believest that there is ONE God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Romans 3:30 — Seeing it is ONE God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6 — As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but ONE. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but ONE God, the Father, of whom all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

What is Hell? An Old Testament perspective!

Counsels on Home Fellowship and Evangelism Part 1