After all, the Scriptures do say, "be ready always to give an answer (defense) to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you..." (1 Pet 3:15). And to "Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes" (Prov 26:5).
The Scriptures say that we should "Prove all things (and) hold fast that which is good" (1 Thes 5:21). And that we should "not bear false witness" (Ex 20:12). The following is an answer for our beliefs and a defense of the way that some call heresy:
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Dear Mr...
Thank you for your web site and the information exposing some of the non-biblical heresies (false doctrines and traditions of men - Mat 15:1-3,7-9) taught by many organizations claiming to be Christian.
As a lay member of the United Church of God and a graduate of Ambassador College, founded by Herbert W. Armstrong, and a former teacher in science and agriculture at the colleges, your article, "Beware of the United Church of God" caught my attention and interest.
Before attending and teaching at Ambassador College, I was a non-religious agnostic and had practiced and taught veterinary medicine, and had worked in top-secret biological warfare research in the military in the 1960's. This later experience caused me great concern about the dangerous and amoral condition of our world and what I was doing to add to the problems rather than solving them. Despite what I saw as the hypocrisy of many religious people and organizations, I decided that I couldn't discount religion and the Bible just because of the people, so I began studying the Bible and looking into various churches and religions. I was surprised when a Baptist minister admitted to me that he didn't really know whether God really existed or not, and that ministers of other churches could not answer my very basic questions concerning the meaning and biblical proofs of their doctrines.
The following thoughts and comments are my own and may or may not necessarily represent the official policies of the United Church of God.
I must give you credit that much of what you wrote about the beliefs of the United Church of God is somewhat correct, but there are some major exceptions, which I'm sure that you would want to correct, for surely you would not want to be in the position of a false witness (Ex. 20:16; John 8:43-47; Rev 21:7-8).
You stated that Mr Armstrong, and imply therefore UCG,
"denied many of the doctrines of the New Testament faith and founded a heretical cult." And that, "He rejected and reinterpreted many of the Bible´s teachings, including eternal Hell, the Trinity, the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and justification by grace alone without works. He held to the heresies of baptismal regeneration and soul sleep. He taught that the Sabbath and some of the Old Testament feasts are binding upon New Testament Christians. Armstrong also promoted a three tier tithing system which required twenty percent of the member´s earnings annually and an additional ten percent every third year. He boldly claimed that all existing churches, except his, are apostate."
Having been a member of this organization, that you call a heretical cult, for over 42 years, perhaps I can clarify some of your misconceptions and statements about what I believe and Mr. Armstrong and UCG teach.
You say that he rejected and reinterpreted many of the Bible's teachings. Certainly you know, as he and Jesus also taught, that
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Mat 4:4; Deut 8:3).
We believe that both Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God (2 Tim 3:15-17; 2 Pet 1:12-21), and that Christ did not do away with or change any OT laws, except as is clearly stated, such as circumcision, the sacrifices and the OT priesthood (Mat 5:17-20; Lk 24:44-45; Deut 8:3; 4:1-2; Rom 2:25-29; 4:5-12; Heb 7:11-19; 10:1-17; Rev 22:18-19), but He did condemn the traditions of the elders taught by the Pharisees (Mat 15:1-3,7-9).
Also we believe that the Holy Scriptures do not allow for any private interpretation (2 Pet 1:20-21). Whenever Mr. Armstrong was proven wrong, he humbly changed. It is interesting that Jesus and His disciples were also accused by the religious leaders of their day of being a heretical cult teaching heresies. The apostle Paul said in his own defense:
"But this I confess to you, that according to the way which they call heresy ("hairesis," heresy, a party or disunion, a sect or cult), so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets" - Acts 24:14).
We also believe, as Paul, "all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets," which some call heresy.
We believe that we can understand the Scriptures correctly when we keep Gods law as David wrote,
"A good understanding have all those who do His commandments" (Psa 111:10; see also Psa 119:97-100),and with the help of the Holy Spirit, which God gives to those who keep His law (Acts 5:32). Jesus Said,
"the Holy Spirit...will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (John 14:26). And that "the Spirit of truth...will guide you into all truth..." (John 16:13 - see also Eph 3:5).
You wrote that, "The United Church of God denies the Trinity and rejects the doctrine that Jesus Christ is God. They call him Lord and 'the divine Son,' but not God. The Holy Spirit is not a Person but is “the power of God and the spirit of life eternal."
I do not know where you may have gotten the impression that we reject the divinity of Jesus Christ, since none of Mr. Armstrong's or UCG's teachings even infer that false idea. I would suggest that you read UCG's booklet "Jesus Christ - The Real Story," which you can view or download from www.ucg.org Literature Library under Booklets.
Mr. Armstrong always emphasized that everyone should prove all things for themselves from their own Bible and believe the truth (Acts 17:10-13; 1 Thes. 5:21). As a scientist, I have always been a skeptic, so have done my own studies, including on Who is Jesus Christ, which I have written up and put on my own web site at www.cgca.net/serf-publishing/christwho2.htm. If you find errors in these articles concerning the divinity of Jesus Christ, we would appreciate your comments and any Scriptural proofs, for we know it is human to error, but God's Word is truth (see Rom. 3:4; John 17:17).
However it is correct that Mr. Armstrong and UCG deny many of the doctrines taught by most Catholic and Protestant faiths, "traditional Christianity," today. It is also true that we do not believe in the non-biblical Catholic doctrine of the Trinity.
I am very surprised that since you have exposed many false Catholic doctrines on your website, some of which originated from the ancient Mysteries of Babylon religious apostasy started by Nimrod (also called Baal, Osiris, Tammuz, etc. by the various nations after the confusion of languages at Babel - Gen 10:8-10; 11:1-9; Eze 8:14; Rev 17:5; 18:2-10) and his wife Ashtoreth (Astarte, Isis, Ishtar, Semiremis, queen of heaven, etc. - Judg 2:13; 10:6; 1 Kg 11:33; Jer 44:17-19) and their successors, that you have not searched out and also rejected this false Catholic doctrine of the Trinity, which the Catholic Church admits, in the Catholic Encyclopedia (under articles on the Trinity), cannot be understood and does not come from the Scriptures, but originated from Greek philosophers in the church, over a period of several hundred years, attempting to explain how Jesus could be God with God the Father and still there be only one God.
In my personal studies on Who is Jesus Christ, I find that the Holy Scriptures clearly explain the truth about God, the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, as is explained in the above articles. No wonder Jesus said that many religious leaders,
"...do err not knowing the Scriptures" (Mat. 22:29), and therefore they, "...know neither Me nor My Father" (John 8:19; see also 1 John 2:18-23), and that "the Spirit of truth, [which ("ho," meaning who, which, what, that)] the world cannot receive, because it neither sees [it ("autos," self, same, it, that, he, she, etc. - even inanimate objects are assigned gender in Greek)] nor knows [it]; but you know [it], for [it] dwells with you and shall be in you" (John 14:17).
Sadly, after Mr Armstrong died, Mr. Tkach led an apostasy of many (there were also others before him who had led some out - see 1 John 2:18-19), inspired by a wrong spirit (1 John 4:1) from the deceiver of this world (Rev 12:9; Gen. 3:1-7; 2 Cor. 11:3,13-15), back to the heresies (false doctrines) of an apostate Christianity. Some of the heresies, including some which you have exposed, began to creep into the church in the time of the original apostles (2 Thes. 2:1-12; 1 Tim 4:1-5; 2 Tim 4:9-16; 2 Pet 2:1-3,12-22; 3 John 9-11; Jude 3-4).
The Scriptures reveal that God would allow these deceptions to test and prove His people to see who would be faithful and believe and follow Jesus Christ and the Father (Deut 13:3; Mat 13:24-30; 1 Pet 4:12-19; Rev 2:2). Jesus had said, "Many are called, but few chosen" (Mat 20:16:22:14 - this calling is for the firstfruits, as revealed in keeping the Feast of Pentecost, harvest of the firstfruits), and He and the apostles admonished the Church ("Ekklesia," called out ones, congregation, those called out to become the firstfruits of salvation - Rom 8:23; 1 Cor 15:20-23; Jam 1:18; Rev 14:4) to prove and hold fast the truth (1 Thes. 5:21; Mat 7:13-23) and warned them concerning the apostasy ("apostasia," meaning to forsake, stand away, defection or falling away from the truth - 2 Thes 2:3), which continues to this day. The Bible gives many warnings of false teachers, false prophets, false christs and false brethren (see the study paper - "Take Heed...Be Not Deceived" at www.cgca.net/serf-publishing/takeheed.htm).
Mr. Armstrong recognized the apostasy in mainstream Christianity today and also said to his congregation that "many of you don't get it." He understood and taught that there is only One True Church of God, which is a spiritual body of believers who are led by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:6-9,14-17; 1 Cor 12:12-14,27; Eph 4:3-16), and not just an organization of men. The Feast of Pentecost reveals what is the One True Religion and One True Church of God (see "Mystery of Pentecost..." at www.cgca.net/serf-publishing/mysteryofpentecost1.htm). As part of the Body of Christ (the True Church), we understand, as Jesus revealed to the Pharisees, He also had
"other sheep...which are not of this fold ("aule," a yard, court, hall, palace)," He said, "them also I must also bring (lead), and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold ("poimne," flock of sheep) and one Shepherd (Jesus Christ)" (John 10:16).
Mr Armstrong did boldly claim that any church that did not follow and obey Jesus Christ was apostate. The Scriptures warn of fallen churches that they should repent, and of false ministers and a false religious system called in Revelation 17:5,
"Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the abominations of the earth" (Mat 7:13-23; 24:4-5,11-13,24; 2 Cor 11:13-15; 2 Thes 2:3-14; Rev 2:5; 3:2-3,16-20).
As you stated, we also do not accept the Catholic Trinitarian concept of the personage of the Holy Spirit. Again the Scriptures are clear that the Holy Spirit is the power and essence of God and of Jesus Christ and the Spirit of eternal life, though it is sometimes personified, as a figure of speech, in Scripture. Jesus said,
"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth..." (John 4:24). "...the Spirit is life..." (Rom 8:10-11; John 4:14; 7:38-39), "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me..." (Acts 1:8). "God anointed Jesus...with the Holy Spirit, and ("kai," and, also, even, or indeed...) power..." (Acts 10:38).
Paul wrote, "...he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life" (Gal 6:8).
Peter said, God gives the Holy Spirit "to those who obey Him" (Acts 5:32), symbolized in the laying on of hands of the ministry (Acts 8:18; 19:6; 1 Tim 4:14; Heb 6:2).
The apostle Paul said the works Jesus Christ accomplished through him were
"by the power of the Spirit of God," which he also called "the Spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind" (Rom 15:13-19; 2 Tim 1:7 - see also: Gen 1:2; 41:38; Ex 31:3; Num 24:2-4; Deut 34:9; 1 Sam 10:6-11; 19:20; Job 33:4; Psa 51:11; Isa 11:2 42:1; 44:3; 59:21; Eze 11:19-20,24; 18:31; 36:27; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28-29; Mic 3:8; Hag 2:5; Zech 4:6; Mat 3:16; 12:18,28; Lk 1:22,35 4:14,18; 11:13; John 1:32-33; 3:5-8,34 4:23-24; 6:63; 7:37-38; 14:15-17,26; 16:13; Acts 2:1-4,17-18,38; 5:32; Rom 7:6; 8:1-17,23,26-27; 15:19; 1 Cor 2:4-5,10-14; 12:3-13; 2 Cor 3:17-18; Gal 3:2-3,5,14; 4:6,29; 5:16-18,22-25; 6:8; Eph 1:13,17; 2:18-22; 3:5,16; 4:3-4; 5:18; 6:17-18; Phil 1:19; 2:1; 3:3; 1 Thes 5:19; 2 Thes 2:13; 1 Tim 4:1; 2 Tim 1:6-7,14; Heb 2:4; 9:14; Jam 2:26; 1 Pet 1:2,22; 3:18; 4:6; 1 John 3:24; 4:2-3,6,13; 5:6; Rev 1:10; 2:1,7; 3:20-22; 11:11; 17:3; 21:10; 22:17).
Most do not understand and
"[do] not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to [them]...because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor 2:14 - see also John 14:17).And also because uninspired translators and teachers (not having the Holy Spirit) have misinterpreted and mistranslated some of the original Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, changing tenses, adding or leaving out words, etc. either in ignorance or to promote their erroneous ideas, opinions, beliefs or agendas causing the religious confusion (Babel/Babylon) we see today even in Christianity. Paul reveals that we can understand
"His (God's) invisible attributes...even His eternal power and Godhead ("Theiotes," divinity, Godhead), by the things that are made" (Rom 1:20).I enjoy studying science because True science reveals the power and glory of God. David was inspired to write, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork" (Psa 19:1).
You also stated that we believe that,
"Salvation is a process that requires faith in Christ, repentance, water baptism, the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit, and living a life of obedience." and that "Death is not a journey to heaven or hell but is merely a sleep that ends in the resurrection. “God´s faithful servants’ will be raised “to spirit life’ as “spirit beings’ (a denial of the bodily resurrection of the saved) at the beginning of the Millennium, but following the Millennium there will be a resurrection “of the vast majority of all people who have ever lived,’ and they will have an opportunity to be converted and gain eternal life. The United Church of God does not believe in hell as a place of eternal suffering."
This is mostly correct. That salvation is a process should be obvious when we read all of the scriptures on the subject (see "The Mystery of Salvation" at www.cgca.net/serf-publishing/whatissalvation.htm). It is a process that begins with redemption from the penalty of death because of sin (Rom 3:23-24; 6:23). But the world is confused because most still believe Satan's lie to Eve, that is, "You shall not surely die," contradicting what God had said (Gen 3:4; 2:17 - see also Eze 18:4,20, etc.).
The process is complete when we have become perfected in God's holy righteous character and changed, born again ("anothen," from above, again, anew) as spirit born sons or children of God (John 3:3-8; 1 Cor 15:51-54; John 3:1-3). Jesus said,
"Become (future tense) you therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (Mat 5:48).
The apostle Paul wrote,
"let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment" (Heb 6:1-2).These are the foundations for understanding the process of salvation from beginning to completion. And the seven annual feasts ("moed," meaning appointed times - see Lev 23), Sabbath Holy Days, which God commands His people to keep, reveal God's plan of salvation for all mankind.
Jesus also said,
"If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" (Mat 19:17-21). "He who believes ("pisteuo," to believe, to have faith) and is baptized shall be (is not already) saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned" (Mk 16:16). "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Mk 13:13). "...whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:15-16).
The apostle Paul wrote,
"...having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved (future tense) by His life" (Rom 5:9-10)- this is through a process of us overcoming our carnal nature and sin and the temptations of the wicked one (Jam 1:12-18; 1 Pet 3:13-18; 1 John 2:14-17) to build holy righteous character) with the help of the living Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in us to enable us to keep the righteousness of His law - see Rom 7:12-25; 8:4; 1 John 5:4-5; Rev 21:7).
that is if we seek His help in time of need (Heb 4:14-16) and accept His correction and overcome sin and endure to the end (see Heb 12:1-17; Mat 10:22; Rev 21:7). When asked, "What must I do to be saved?", Paul and Silas said,Paul also wrote, "For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame... For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom 10:11,13; Isa 28:16; 54:4-5; Joel 2:32),
"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved..." (Acts 16:31). Paul wrote, "I declare to you the gospel...in which you stand, by which also you [are being] saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you... For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming" (1 Cor 15:1-2, 22-23).Salvation of the firstfruits will not be complete until Christ's second coming.
Salvation of the firstfruits, those who were "called, chosen and faithful" (Rev 14:4; 17:14) in this life and die in Christ, will be completed in the first resurrection, called "the resurrection to life" (John 5:24,29 - eternal life), "at the last trumpet", at the return of Jesus Christ (Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thes 4:13-16; Rev 20:6), as revealed in keeping the feasts of Pentecost and Trumpets. They shall be changed at that time from mortal to immortal from a natural body, made of the dust of the ground (Gen 2:7) to a spiritual body (1 Cor 15:44-54; 1 John 3:1-3). God's faithful servants will be raised to spirit life and,
"Over such the second death has no power" (because they will no longer be mortal - Rev 20:6).
"Even as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this a judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation" (Heb 9:27-28).
Judgment begins on the house ("oikos," house, household, family) of God (1 Pet 4:17), but this lifetime, is not the only time for salvation, as erroneously taught by traditional Christianity. Jesus said that
"God did not send His Son into the world to condemn (judge) the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17; 12:47).Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1 Tim 1:15-16; Heb 9:11-15,24-28; 10:12-18), all who are unrepentant in this present life and age and those who died unrepentant ("the rest of the dead" - Rev 20:5) will have a final opportunity for salvation in "the judgment" (Mat 10:15; 12:41-42) after Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth in the age to come (Mat 6:10; 16:27-28; 19:27-29; Heb 6:5; Rev 5:10).
Those alive when Christ returns will then live under the Kingdom of God, when Satan will be bound for the 1,000 years unable to tempt them, as revealed by the Day of Atonement (Rev 20:1-3; Lev 16). Following the Millennium there will be a second resurrection (a bodily resurrection of the unsaved to physical life - see Eze 37:3-14) of "the rest of the dead," the vast majority of all people who have ever lived, and they will have an opportunity to be converted and gain eternal life. This is called "the resurrection to judgment" ("krisis," to judge, a time for making decision or judgment-for or against), by Jesus Christ and His apostles (Mat 10:15; 12:36-37,41-42; John 5:24-29; 11:24; 2 Tim 4:1; Jude 14-15), which is the final day (time) of salvation and judgment (Rev 20:4-6,11-13). This is revealed in keeping the last four feasts - Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles and Last Great Day (see the booklet, "God's Holy Days" at www.ucg.org).
It is true that we do not believe in the Catholic and Protestant doctrine of hell as a place of eternal suffering.
"God is Love" (1 John 4:8,16).But those who will not repent of evil in the time of final judgment will die and be destroyed in the second death by the lake of fire (Heb 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 1 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 20:13-15; 21:8). This is eternal judgment, not eternal torment and suffering (Heb 6:2).
He is merciful, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgressions and sin..." (Ex 34:6-7; Psa 136; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2).
The apostle Peter reveals that, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise...but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet 3:9).
God says, "Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die...? For I have no pleasure in the death of the one who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn and live" (Eze 18:30-32).
We also do not accept the false pagan doctrine that when good people die their soul goes to heaven. Jesus said,
"No one has ascended to heaven, except He who came down from heaven, that is the Son of Man who is of heaven" (John 3:13).
And Peter also makes it clear, stating that, "of the patriarch David (a man after God's own heart - Acts 13:22), that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day... For David did not ascend into heaven" (Acts 2:29,34 - see also Acts 13:36; Heb 11:13,39-40).
Why have Protestants not rejected these false Catholic doctrines of heaven and hell and of eternal suffering? Do you believe that the above Scriptures are heresy?
In the Old Testament the word "soul" is translated from the Hebrew word "nephesh" and is translated as creature, soul, life, body, person, mind, heart, beast, dead body, etc. God says,
"Behold, all souls are Mine... The soul who sins shall die" (Eze 18:4,20).
In the New Testament, "body" is translated from the Greek word "soma" and "soul" is translated from "psuche," (a partial equivalent of "nephesh" - see Gen 2:7 and 1 Cor 15:45), which is also translated as life (life of the body), heart, and mind. Jesus said,
"...fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell ("geenna" or "gehinnam," a place in the valley in Hinnom where garbage including dead bodies were burned, a type of the lake of fire - Rev 20:14-15).Jesus gave His life ("psuche", soul - Mk 10:45; John 10:15,17; 1 John 3:16) for us. In a vision John
"saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held" (Rev 6:9).
"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea...and every living soul died in the sea" (Rev 16:3).
Jesus did say that "Lazarus sleeps ("koimao," meaning to slumber, sleep or be dead)" when he was actually dead, "However, Jesus spoke of his death" (John 11:11-14,39). In the OT it was written about David, as with many kings,
"So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David" (1 Kgs 2:10).Paul also used that term,
"Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" (1 Cor 15:51).Death is here likened to being asleep until the time of the resurrection, a much more comforting way to think of death.
And, "I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise ("anistemi," to stand again, to raise again, a resurrection - from which resurrection, "anatasis" comes) first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with Him in a cloud to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thes 4:13-18).
The Scriptures clearly reveal that the soul can die (Eze 18:4,20)! There is, however, another component in man revealed in the Scriptures. Paul wrote,
"And the God of peace sanctify you completely; even your whole spirit ("pneuma"), soul ("psuche") and body ("soma") be preserved ("tereo," meaning to keep, reserve, watch, observe) blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thes 5:23).The spirit of the man sets him apart from the animals, but this spirit is not the Holy Spirit, which we must receive from God through Jesus Christ by turning to Him in faith and repentance (see 1 Cor 2:9-14). At death man returns to the dust (Gen 3:19) and this spirit of the man returns to God who gave it (Eccl 3:21; 12:6-7; Job 34:14-15; Ps 31:5; Lk 23:46; Acts 7:59) and is kept by God as a record and memory of our identity until the resurrections. There is no more consciousness after death,
There is a "spirit ("pneuma") of the man, which is in him" (1 Cor 2:11; Job 32:8; Zech 12:1).
"the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing...their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished..." (Eccl 9:5-6).The spirit of a man does not have consciousness of itself, but must have a body, physical or spiritual to dwell in. It could be likened to a computer disk or CD which may contain an operating program and store information, but it can only be accessed and used with a working computer.
"His spirit ("ruach," breath, life, spirit) departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish" (Psa 146:4).
The dead are put into the grave (Hebrew "qeburah" and "gabar," meaning burying place, grave, sepulcher, also "sheol," grave, pit, hell, and in the Greek "mnemeion," grave, sepulcher, tomb, and "hades," meaning grave, pit, unseen). The original meaning of hell was to cover, conceal, a place of concealment - potatoes were stored in hell. But because of Satan's lies (Gen 3:5) Sheol, Hades, and hell are sometimes misinterpreted as a nether world in which the dead continue to exist (live?) in the realm of the devil and demons in which the damned suffer everlasting punishment. David prophesied concerning Christ,
"You (God) will not leave my soul in hell ("sheol," "hades," the grave), nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption" (Psa 16:10; Acts 2:27,31; 13:35-36 - but David fell asleep, was buried and saw corruption).
Solomon wrote, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or devise or knowledge or wisdom in the grave ("sheol") where you are going" (Eccl 9:10).
Hell is also used, wrongly, in the translation of two other Greek words, "gehenna" ("geenna," meaning valley of Hinnom - and a place where garbage, including bodies, were dumped over a cliff and burned), and "tartaroo," which is a place where the fallen angels are restrained. Jesus said,
"That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment...but whoever shall say 'You fool ("moros," meaning stupid, morally worthless), shall be in danger of hell ("geenna") fire" (Mat 10:22 - a type of the lake of fire - Rev 20:14-15).Peter referred to the hell of "tartaroo,"
James also referred to the hell of "geenna." "The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity... it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire (will be burned up) in hell ("geenna" - Jam 3:6).
"For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell ("tartaroo") and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world but saved Noah...and turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes...and saved righteous Lot... then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment for chastising..."(1 Pet 2:4-7,9).
Concerning baptism, the Scriptures clearly reveal that it represents cleansing or removal of sin by repentance made possible through Christ and His sacrifice and is pictured as the death and burial of the old sinful self. John the Baptist said,
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit [or] fire (those who are unrepentant will burn up with unquenchable fire - not a baptism to be desired)" (Mat 3:11-12 - see 2 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 20:14-15).
The apostle Paul explained,
"Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into His death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (Rom 6:3-5).
After Paul (Saul) was blinded by Christ, he repented, was baptized and received the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:3-18). He then began to teach everywhere and to the Gentiles, declaring,
"that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befittng repentance" (Acts 26:15-20).Repentance, faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master, and baptism are the first steps to salvation, revealed also by the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread (see 1 Cor 10:1-4, and "Passover...The Beginning of Salvation" at www.cgca.net/serf-publishing/christianpassover.htm).
The apostle Peter was inspired to speak to the multitudes on Pentecost,
"Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38 - God gives the Holy Spirit, which is necessary for salvation, to those who obey Him - Acts 5:32).Clearly, salvation can only come through faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ,
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Regeneration comes through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
"For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior (Jesus Christ) toward man appeared, not by (our) works (toil) in righteousness (see Rom 10:1-13) which we have done, but according to His mercy He will save us through the washing ("loutron," to wash, bath, fig. baptism), regeneration ("paliggenesia," new birth or rebirth, renovation, regeneration, renewed nature), and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our savior, that becoming justified ("dekaioo," just, innocent, righteous) by His grace (favor) we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life... I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works" (Tit 3:3-8).
Works of the law (rituals, sacrifices, or even commandment keeping) cannot justify or save us from the guilt of sin (Gal 2:16-18; 3: Heb 10:1-4). Only God's mercy and grace (favor, pardon, forgiveness), given to us only through Christ's sacrifice by which God paid the penalty for our sin, can reconcile and justify us after we repent, believe and begin to obey (Rom 3:24-26; 5:6-11; Gal 3:13-14). But good works, fruits of the Spirit ("Faith working through love" - Gal 5:6,22-25; see Rom 13:8-10) are necessary proofs of one's repentance, faith and righteousness (see James 2:14-26).
What fault or heresies, if any, do you find in these Scriptural beliefs?
We also believe that, as you stated,
"The Sabbath is obligatory. The seven Jewish feasts described in Leviticus 23 must be observed. These are the Passover (and) Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks or Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Tabernacles," (and also the Last Great Day).
These Jewish (as you call them) feasts are, according to the Word of God in the Bible,
"The feasts ("moed," appointed times, feasts, seasons) of the Lord" (Lev 23:2-4),not just Jewish feasts, and include the weekly Sabbath and the 7 annual Holy Days or feasts. The weekly Sabbath and 7 annual Holy Days reveal God's plan of salvation for all mankind. They are times for holy convocations ("miqra," meetings, assemblies) for teaching the Word of God (see Ex 13:3-10; Deut 16:1-17; 31:9-13; Neh 8:1-18; 2 Tim 4:1-5; Heb 10:19-25). The world and most of traditional "Christianity" is ignorant of God's plan because they have ignored His Sabbath Holy Days which reveal the gospel (good news) of His purpose and plan of salvation for all mankind. Men have substituted non-biblical, pagan holidays and festivals such as, Sunday worship, Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc. in their place. Show me any Scriptures which sanctify any of these pagan holidays? Even the Catholics acknowledge that the Scriptures do not sanction changing the Sabbath to Sunday, but that it was done solely by the authority of the Pope. Truly, Satan has deceived this whole world, including most of traditional Christianity (Rev 12:9 - see also 2 Cor 11:3,13-15).
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
"Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for these are a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you" (Ex 31:13).
Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) is also Lord of the Sabbath" (Mk 2:27-28).
Jesus is the Word ("Logos," meaning Word, Spokesman), who was with God and who was God through whom all things were made (John 1:1-3,14-18). He was the Word (Spokesman) of God to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament (1 Cor 10:4). God ("Elohim,") is a collective plural noun like family, team, or nation, meaning the Almighty Ones, who are the Lord ("YHVH," or "Jehovah", Lord, meaning Eternal, Everlasting) God Family (Eph 3:14-15). He (Jesus) is the "Alpha and Omega" (Rev 1:8,11), which in the OT is the "Aleph-Tav," who with God ("Elohim") created the heavens and the earth,
"In a beginning God, [Aleph-Tav (left out by translators)] created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1; see Col. 1:16-18).It was also He who blessed and sanctified the seventh day as the Sabbath,
"And God, [Aleph-Tav] blessed the seventh day, and [He, Aleph-Tav] sanctified it; because in it He had rested ("shabath," meaning to rest, keep Sabbath) from all His work which God created and made ("asah," to do, prepare, appoint, make... Gen 2:3).Jesus is therefore Lord of the Sabbath as He said in Mark 2:28. Clearly, He has not changed the Sabbath to Friday, Sunday or any other day as many, having been deceived, assume. As the Scriptures say, the Sabbath is a sign of who God is and who God's people are (Ex 31:13,17).
Many false teachers have said that Jesus came to do away with or change the Old Testament laws, and especially the Sabbath, but what did Jesus Himself say?
"Do not think that I came to destroy ("kataluo," to loose, unbind, dissolve, demolish, destroy, overthrow, or throw down) the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away (they haven't yet), one jot (smallest letter of the Greek alphabet of the Greek New Testament) or one tittle (smallest mark of the Hebrew alphabet) will by no means pass from the law till all be fulfilled (He guaranteed the accuracy of the Hebrew and Greek testaments, but not the translations of uninspired men). Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of heaven (if he repents); but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven" (Mat. 5:17-20).
Jesus did not arbitrarily change His mind and do away with His Law, the laws of God, which He gave to Israel on Mount Sinai (Ex 20; 1 Cor 10:1-4).
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb 13:8).And as Paul wrote,
"...the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good... for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold ("piprasko," to sell as into slavery) under sin" (Rom 7:12,14).
We believe, just as Jesus stated,
"If you want to enter into (eternal) life, keep the commandments" (Mat 19:17).
The apostle James wrote, "For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet offends in one point, he is guilty of all... So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty" (Jam 2:10-12).
And the apostle John wrote, "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him..." (1 John 2:3-5).
The commandments of God, the Law, are summed up in the one word, love ("agape"), and in the "golden rule" (see Mat 7:12; Rom 13:8-10 and 1 Cor 13:4-8).
Yes, we also do believe, as you state, "The unclean animals of the Old Testament are still unclean and cannot be eaten." Paul wrote to Timothy,
"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy...forbidding to marry, abstaining from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every created thing of God, that is good and not rejected (by Scripture), should be partaken with thanksgiving, because it is sanctified (set apart) by the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim 4:1-5).The Word of God does not sanctify unclean animals to be eaten (see Lev 11 and Deut 14).
God gave laws of sanitation and health (Lev 12; 13; 14; 15) and reveals which creatures He created were fit for human consumption and which were not - those He called unclean (see Gen 7:2; 8:20; Lev 11; Deut 14; Acts 10:14). For one thing, unclean animals are scavengers and are most likely to harbor diseases. Though many, even in medical science, reject the wisdom of the Bible, I believe, as Peter did, that our Creator knows more than we do about His creation and what is good for us. Peter did not assume from his vision in Acts 10, that God had made unclean animals clean to eat when he heard a voice say,
"Rise, Peter; kill and eat." He said, "Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth."He wondered what this vision meant. Then after the third time the voice from heaven said, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." Then three men came from Caesarea, and the Spirit said to Peter to go with them, doubting nothing, to the see Cornelius, a Gentile. Gentiles were considered common or unclean to the Jews and it was unlawful for Jews to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But then Peter understood the meaning of the vision and said to them,
"God has shown to me that I should not call any man common or unclean... (not that unclean animals were now clean to eat). In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him... While Peter was still speaking...the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word... And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:10-48).
Yes, we do still believe that the Old Testament principle of tithing is still in force, as it applies to the New Testament Church. Tithing is how God has ordained to finance His Church to carry out its commission to preach and publish the gospel (good news) of the coming Kingdom of God and salvation and feed His sheep, teaching His laws of blessings and prosperity (Mat 24:14; 28:19-20; Mk 13:10; 16:15; John 21:15-17; Acts 1:8). The first tithe is used to finance the work of the ministry.
"And all the tithe of the land...is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord" (Lev 27:30).
It is for "the priests who minister in the house of the Lord... and we will not neglect the house of our God" Neh 10:35-39 - see Mal 3:8-12; 1 Cor 9:7-14; Heb 7:1-10,12).
A second tithe is kept by members to enable them to attend God's Feasts ("moed," appointed times),
"And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide...that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always" (Deut 14:22-27).The third tithe, kept in the third and sixth year of a seven year cycle is to help provide for
"the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates so they may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do" (Deut 14:28-29; 26:12-15).
I believe that your statement that, "They (UCG) attempt to proselytize those who already profess Christ by pushing their heretical doctrines," is incorrect. The mission of UCG is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world as a witness, and to feed His sheep and prepare them for greater works of service to God, their families, their communities and their fellow man. Jesus said,
"This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations..." (Mat 24:14).It is God who draws those He is calling to His Church. The Church's responsibility is to preach the gospel as a witness. It does not proselytize to seek members from other groups or faiths - that is God the Father's responsibility. If you find any doctrines not consistent with the Holy Scriptures, please point them out with the Scriptural proofs so that they can be corrected.
And He commanded His disciples: "Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them...teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..." (Mat 28:19-20).
But He also said, "No one can come to Me (Jesus) unless the Father...draws him... unless it has been granted to him by My Father" (John 6:44,65).
Copyright: June 2006 by Serf Publishing, Inc.