Thus saith the LORD of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, shall even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying: We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.
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Showing posts with label False Doctrines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label False Doctrines. Show all posts
One of the strangest statements on Mr. Baxter's website concerns the Rapture. In response to a question about the timing of the Rapture, he says, "Unfortunately, rapture timing debates between brothers in Christ often become divisive, and for this reason, Endtime has chosen to avoid the issue for now." This non-answer is truly astonishing! Here is a person with an opinion on everything in the prophetic scriptures, yet he chose to "avoid" one of the most important issues!
"What I want to do is to teach the Jews the prophecies of the Bible, so that they're not operating blindfolded," says Mr. Baxter Bear in mind, the Jewish Scriptures were written in Hebrew, not in seventeenth century King James English. What has made Christian believers so vulnerable to Bible tampering is that almost none of them can read or understand the Hebrew Bible in its original language. Virtually no Christian child in the world is taught the Hebrew language as part of a formal Christian education. As he and countless other Christians earnestly study the Authorized Version of the Bible, there is a blinding yet prevailing assumption that what you are reading is Heaven-breathed. Tragically, virtually every Christian in the world reads the translation of men rather than the Word of God. On the other hand, every Jewish child in the world who is enrolled in a Jewish school is taught to read and write Hebrew long before he or she even heard the name of Luther. Unbeknownst to Mr. Baxter and parishioners worldwide, the King James Version and numerous other Christian Bible translations were meticulously shaped and painstakingly retrofitted in order to produce a message that would sustain and advance Church theology and exegesis. This aggressive rewriting of biblical texts has had a devastating impact on Christians throughout the world who unhesitatingly embrace these corrupt translations. As a result, Christians earnestly wonder why the Jews, who are the bearers and protectors of the divine oracles of God, have not willingly accepted Jesus as their messiah. [1]
Mr. Baxter' approach to prophetic interpretation makes it clear why the plain sense meaning rule is so important. That rule states: "If the plain sense makes sense, don't look for any other sense, or you will end up with nonsense."
Replacement Heresy There are many forms of Replacement Theology. We wont go into much detail here. In essence however, any teaching or movement (including the Two House/Armstrong Church of God spin-off sects) that claims to have replaced Israel as the Elect falls into this category. Some Nicene Christian denominations claim to have replaced the Jews directly (the Catholic Church, Jehovah's Witness etc) while others are more subtle, claiming that only those who "accept Jesus" according to their understandings are "true Jews" or "spiritual Israel." If you take nothing else from lessons, understand that HaShem is ONE and that Judaism has not and will never be replaced by anyone. To claim the Jews have been replaced is to call HaShem a liar because He said: "For I am Adonai, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed" -- Malachi 3:6 and "God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him-- Genesis 17:19.
Is the Rapture a Biblical Doctrine?
By John of AllFaith To make sure we are on the same page with what the Rapture is supposed to be, please begin by watching this 2 minute video by a Rapture beliving ministry:
The Rapture doctrine means one thing and one thing only. It does not refer to people going to Heaven after they die, to people having visions or traveling in visionary states etc. The Rapture theory refers to the belief in the nearly instantaneous translocation of every single "Born Again Christian" on earth to Heaven as shown in this video. It refers to the nearly instantaneous disappearance of millions (if not billions) of human beings around the globe without a trace. It speaks of the "taking away" of every child on earth, of jets falling from the skies as Christian pilots are "taken" (arguably a good reason not to hire Christians hehe); it foretells the worst multi-car pile-ups in history as every vehicle being driven by a Christian is suddenly abandoned and careens out of control, of husbands and wives, parents and their children being separated as the Christians are "taken" in a twinkling of an eye from all over the globe. This is what we mean by the term Rapture. The Doctrine of the Rapture of the Church is the popular Nicean Christian belief that at some point in the future HaShem will extract all true "Christians" from the earth, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" leaving everyone else here to suffer under the reign of the coming Antichrist (Rex Mundi). This idea gained popular support through the teachings of Dr. Clarence Larkin (Dispensational Truths), Rev. Charles Scofield (The Scofield Bible), a plethora of Second and Third Great Awakening Evangelists (see my study The Great Awakenings for more on these religious developments), and more recently from the unbiblical works of fiction by Tim Lahey known as The Left Behind Series in which the Antichrist is depicted as a Transylvanian Dracula-type Liberal do-gooder gone bad! Likewise, Family Radio of Harold Camping has used this teaching to mislead millions. We need to understand the truth of this! Is this a biblical doctrine? There is voluminous evidence in the Bible that the Kingdom of God will reign on this earth!
"But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the House of the Eternal shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people [physical human beings will still be alive on the earth during that day!] shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Eternal, and to the House of the God of Jacob and He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Eternal from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Eternal of Hosts has spoken it" (Micah 4:1-4).
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God [meaning, 'God-breathed'], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16)
Major footnote: When Paul wrote his letter to Timothy there was No "New Testament". Paul is talking about the Tanach (what christians call the old testament)
The divinely-revealed Word of God is the ultimate source to which we must go to discover the real truth about the reward of the saved, about what happens at death; about the promise of "heaven," or the threat of "hell."
Wouldn't it seem logical to you that if heaven is the reward of the saved; that if hell is the reward of sinners; that if the saints are raptured away to heaven—there would at least be one scripture somewhere in the Bible plainly saying so?
Jesus was a Jew. I know, shocking to some, he would most definitely been versed in the thirteen principles of faith, one of which is the belief in the resurection of the dead.
"The Christian idea of rapture is another such idea, which has little or nothing to do with Jewish tradition, which has always believed in the notion of the resurrection of the dead.”
Belief in the eventual resurrection of the dead is so fundamental to Jewish thought that it is one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith. These 13 basic Jewish beliefs were compiled in the 12th century by the one of the greatest codifiers of Jewish law, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (also known as Maimonides or Rambam).
I believe with perfect faith that there will be a resurrection of the dead at the time when it shall please the Creator, Blessed be His name, and His mention shall be exalted for ever and ever.
"Thy dead shall live, my dead bodies shall arise–awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust–for Thy dew is as the dew of light, and the earth shall bring to life the shades.” Isaiah 26:19
A study in Judaism you will find that it is part of their belief that a man fails his wife if he does not provide her with jewelry and cosmetics to make herself look attractive for her husband.
Opinion from a Christian on Jewelry and the UPC:
If you are an apostolic woman reading this article, and you feel that God has led you to not wear jewelry, then I want you to know that I am not ridiculing you at all. You have my respect. My problem is not with you, it is with a religious system that creates
man-made rules and regulations and then demands that people follow them.
The UPC, along with many other holiness groups, teaches against wearing jewelry. I know that when I was in the movement I took the teaching for granted. I think that many others did as well. If new converts asked questions then the general answer went something like this: “It’s an inward change of the heart that is reflected by an outward change of appearance; as Christians we are called to be separate from the world.” Alternatively, the new convert might be given a well-meaning lesson on respecting pastoral authority even if we do not “see it for ourselves.” If the person questioning is not a new convert then they are often judged as being “cold on God” or “lukewarm.” I am ashamed to admit that I was often guilty of judging people that way.
When I was part of the apostolic Pentecostal movement I happily went along with the doctrine of no jewelry without really questioning it. I had this vague idea that there was biblical support for it. There must be, right? Otherwise, why would we be teaching it? It was not until I began to question many of the doctrines of the UPC that I studied the no-jewelry doctrine for myself. When I did, I was surprised to find out that there is literally no biblical support for the doctrine. In fact, the Bible has more good to say about jewelry than it does bad!
In this article I will share some Scriptures and make some comments. I think that the Scriptures will speak for themselves, but hopefully you will find my comments beneficial. As always, I encourage you to study Scripture and formulate your own opinions.
What Do Holiness Organizations Say About Jewelry?
First, let’s look at what the UPC and a couple of other apostolic holiness organizations have to say about jewelry. The doctrinal section of the UPC’s Web site says:
[The Christian woman] has dedicated herself to the cause of Christianity. This manner of dedication avoids expensive, extravagant clothing and superfluous, ornamental jewelry, permitting only the functional use of a wristwatch and a wedding band to designate her wedlock1.
Their conclusion comes from these two passages: 1 Tim. 2:8-10 and 1 Pet. 3:1-5. I will come back to those Scriptures in a moment.
The Articles of Faith of the ALJC—an organization that allows its member churches more autonomy on how much jewelry they allow—also cites 1 Pet. 3:1-5 as “instruction to wives about their behavior and appearance.”2 They conclude that “Holiness is not only an inward presence of God but it is also reflected in the outward life of the Christian in his conduct in this world.” On the surface this is a very generic statement, and one that every Christian would agree with. In practice, though, the “outward life” is translated into a dress code.
The Articles of Faith of the WPF says:
The glory of the female believer is manifested, among other ways, through the emanation of the divine glory in her appearance (I Peter 3:3,4). All artifice is viewed as obstruction to her authentic beauty and is to be avoided (I Timothy 2:9,10). Jewelry, (I Timothy 2:9), make-up, (II Kings 9:3) dyes, and any other artificiality, as well as immodest apparel, are viewed as attempts to artificially induce beauty (Isaiah 3:16-24 RSV, I Peter 3:1-5) and replace the lost glow of God’s glory as seen in the face of the believer as well as in the heavens. All this is Scripturally associated with Jezebel, who is both an Old Testament (I Kings 18:4, 19:1-2, II Kings 9:7,30), as well as New Testament, example of seduction and artificiality (Revelation 2:20,22). Thus, “cosmetics,” derived from “cosmos” (arrangement, as in the universe) are attempts to “make-up” the sparkle and glow, which is normative in the presence of the living God as well as within the believer (Philippians 2:15)3.
It is clear that out of the three views the WPF’s is both the most restrictive and the one with the most Scripture citations. I could write an entire article responding just to the things that the WPF said in the above quotation (and I probably will). For now I would just like to point out two things. First, Jezebel was never condemned for her artificiality; she was condemned for trying to kill the prophets of God (Rev. 2:20). It is Western society that has associated Jezebel with extreme make-up and jewelry; that idea is not found in the Bible. Second, Phil. 2:14-15 is talking about not grumbling and disputing. The reason Paul says not to grumble and dispute is because we “appear as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). To say that I think it is a logical stretch to teach that cosmetics are wrong because they make us sparkle and glow would be an understatement. (Come to think of it, I’ve never seen any cosmetics that make someone glow; I think it would be pretty cool.)
If we exclude the WPF’s connection between cosmetics and artificial glowing then it becomes apparent that there are only two passages that are used to support the no-jewelry (or limited jewelry) rule: 1 Tim. 2:8-10 and 1 Pet. 3:1-5. I will deal with those two passages in a moment, but first let’s look at some Scriptures that the holiness groups probably never showed you.
Some Scriptures Your Pastor Never Showed You:
Ezekiel 16:8-15, NASB Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine, declares the Lord God. Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck. I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your earsand a beautiful crown on your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you, declares the Lord God. But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing.4
Song of Solomon 1:10-11, NASB “Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, Your neck with strings of beads. We will make for you ornaments of gold With beads of silver.”
Pro 1:8-9 NASB Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.
Son 7:1 NASB "How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! The curves of your hips are like jewels, The work of the hands of an artist.
Isa 61:10 NASB I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isa 49:18 NASB "Lift up your eyes and look around; All of them gather together, they come to you.As I live," declares the LORD, "You will surely put on all of them as jewels and bind them on as a bride.
Now, when I read these Scriptures I asked myself a question: If jewelry is so sinful, then how come God repeatedly used it as an analogy of beauty? If it’s such a sin to wear jewelry then why would God promise to clothe people with "garments of salvation…as a bride adorns herself with jewels"? If jewelry’s a sin then isn’t God making some really, really bad analogies?
To put it another way, if jewelry is bad, then was God really saying, “I’m going to give my bride a bunch of jewels, and they’ll make her look really beautiful, but she’d better not wear them because they’re bad!” Or, “Wow, my bride rocks, the curve of her hips are like jewels! Too bad she can’t wear jewels because it’s a sin.”
Isn’t it a stretch to think that God would make these analogies if jewelry is bad?
Does the Bible Ever Say That Wearing Jewelry Is A Sin?
This is a really important question. You see, everything that is a sin in the New Testament was also a sin in the Old Testament Law (I.E. Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy). Let me say that again: Everything that is a sin in the New Testament was also a sin in the Old Testament Law.
Now, the converse is not true. Everything that was a sin in the Old Testament Law wasnot necessarily a sin in the New Testament. The reason is because the Mosaic Law was broken into three parts: Moral, Ceremonial, and Penal. The moral law was (for the most part) what we call the 10 Commandments, as well as commands against fornication, homosexuality, drunkenness, and so on; the ceremonial law involved the sacrifices, the foods that a person could eat, whether or not you could dig your donkey out of a ditch on the Sabbath, and things like that; the penal law gave the penalties for breaking the moral or ceremonial law.5
When Jesus came on the scene He fulfilled the ceremonial law and the penal law. He did not fulfill the moral law.6 Instead, He "put [His] laws upon [our] heart[s]" (Heb. 10:16 NASB).
I said all of that to say this: You cannot find a sin in the New Testament that was not also a sin in the Old Testament Law. The reason is simple–the Law defines sin! Paul put it this way: "I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "You shall not covet" (Rom. 7:7 NASB).
Now let’s get back to my original question: Does the Bible ever say that wearing jewelry is a sin? The answer is apparently “No.” The Bible never says that jewelry is a sin. For that matter, it has more good to say about jewelry than it does bad!
So What Does The Bible Say?
As I showed at the start of this article, the no jewelry (or limited jewelry) doctrine is defended by two Scripture passages: 1 Tim. 2:8-10 and 1 Pet. 3:1-5. Before we look at those passages, though, please allow me to make one brief point. If I thought that the Bible even hinted that jewelry is a sin then I would be one of the doctrine’s strongest defenders. When I was in the apostolic movement I never had any desire to wear jewelry; I never cared one way or the other. So please do not think that this article is about me wanting to wear jewelry, or me “rebelling,” or anything like that. Because it’s not.
1Pe 3:1-5 NASB In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not bemerelyexternal–braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; butlet it bethe hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands.
Now, when presented with a passage such as this, we have two options. The first option is to assume that the author is presenting a principle, and that the examples that he uses to illustrate the principles are just that: examples. The second option is to assume that the author is laying down a set of rules, and that he expects people to take him literally. The one thing that is not an option is to take part of the passage literally and part of it figuratively—yet that is exactly what the UPC and other holiness organizations frequently do.
For example, if Peter expects us to take him literally then we need to do just that. If he is speaking literally, and he is laying down rules, then here is what we can glean:
Peter is speaking only to wives. The things that he is saying do not apply to single women.
Wives cannot braid their hair.
Wives cannot wear gold jewelry (other kinds are presumably allowed).
Wives must not wear dresses.
That is option one.
Option two is that Peter is using fancy hair styles, gold jewelry, and fancy clothes as examples because they help him make his point. If option two is correct then we can glean these principles:
Peter is speaking specifically to wives—especially those who have unsaved husbands—but the principle can apply to us all.
His principle is that we should not focus on our outer appearance—on our lavish hairdos, fancy clothes, and expensive jewelry—but we should instead focus on cultivating “chaste and respectful behavior.”
I will let you decide which of those two options is correct. All that I will say is that one of them has to be correct. I want to stress again that it is illogical and absurd to read this passage and pull one word out—jewelry—and teach that it is wrong while maintaining that braided hair and dresses are alright.
1Ti 2:8-10 NASB Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.
We are once again presented with two options. Is Paul using braided hair, gold, pearls and costly garments as examples in order to make a broader point, or is he laying down a set of rules?
If he is laying down a set of rules then this is what we can glean:
Men always have to lift their hands when they pray. Furthermore, they cannot lift their hands if there is any wrath or dissension in their heart.
Women must dress modestly and discreetly.
Women must not braid their hair.
Women must not wear gold or pearls.
Women must not wear costly garments.
Women must wear good works (what store do you buy those in?).
There are a couple of problems with the first option. One might reasonably wonder how a woman can wear good works. On the other hand, if Paul is making a broader point, and he is just using braided hair, gold, pearls and costly garments as an example, then this is what we can glean:
Men need to cultivate a holy attitude. When they pray they should examine their hearts and make sure that they are not harboring any wrath or dissension.
Women need to do the same thing. They need to make sure that they are focusing on the inside and not the outside. They need to dress modestly and discreetly. If they are poor then they need to not worry about not having gold and pearls and servants to give them fancy hairdos, and they should be content that they can dress modestly. If they are rich then they should not focus on their gold and pearls and fancy hairdos—they might even want to consider getting rid of some of that and helping folks out who are in need. That’s good works, and that’s what a godly woman should be worried about.
Now you might disagree with my broader interpretation of what Paul is saying to women, and that’s fine if you do. But my original point remains the same. Either Paul is speaking literally or he is making a broader point using examples that were common for his day. It’s one or the other, it can’t be both at the same time. It makes no sense to say, “Paul said don’t wear gold or pearls but it’s OK if we braid our hair!” That makes no sense at all.
Conclusion
Do you see how ridiculous this gets? The UPC and associated organizations allow women to braid their hair, but they don’t allow them to wear most jewelry. They allow women to wear “costly dresses,” even though Peter said they shouldn’t wear dresses at all (if we take him literally). Most of them allow women to wear gold wedding bands, almost all of them allow gold watches, and every single one allows gold-rimmed glasses, but they won’t let them wear a silver necklace (even though neither Peter or Paul said anything about silver).
Folks, I have a name for this sort of teaching: Hypocrisy. Apostolic Pentecostal organizations have no problem taking Scriptures figuratively when it fits their agenda. They have no problem saying that when Stephen saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God he was speaking figuratively. They have no problem saying that Paul was giving a cultural command when he commanded (on four separate occasions) for brothers to great each other with a holy kiss. They have no problem saying that women can talk in church even though Paul specifically commanded against it.
And you know what? I agree with the UPC’s interpretation of those passages. I do think that the command for brothers to kiss each other was entirely cultural. I do think that Paul’s command for women not to speak in church was a command for order in the church, and the reason that he specifically commanded women not to speak was because of the cultural norms of his day. I do agree with the Oneness Pentecostals and Trinitarians when they say that God the Father does not have a physical body. Frankly, I don’t know what Stephen saw, but the one thing that I do not think he saw was two Gods. Two Gods is both logically and Scripturally impossible, and the Trinitarians would agree with me on that.
Folks, God gave us a brain…let’s use it! At some point we have to step back and look at a Scripture passage and capture the meaning as well as the words! If one steps back and just reads the passage with an open mind then it becomes clear that Peter and Paul were saying the exact same thing: Both men and women should be focused on cultivating inward holiness and not outward beauty! We should dress modestly and discreetly and avoid gaudiness and extravagance so that people can see our good deeds and our good behavior.
JEWELRY Refuttation of the UPCI Teaching on Jewelry by Ricky Guthrie According to the UPCI the Bible frequently associates jewelry with a proud attitude, an immoral lifestyle, or pagan worship. They take this stand based on the story of Jacob and the story of the golden calf. This is one of the reasons they say the wearing of jewelry is sinful. In Genesis we find that Abraham sent his servant, Eliezer, to find his son Isaac a wife. Abraham sent him to some of his kinfolk. Eliezer met a young girl named Rebecca. When she told him whose family she was with, he gave her a gold nose ring and two gold bracelets. Later on we read where he gave her more jewelry, etc. We all know that Abraham was called the friend of God. It is obvious that he did not think the wearing of jewelry was sinful or he would not have sent Eliezer with jewelry for the young future bride of his son, Isaac. We also know that Rebecca was the mother of Jacob. The same Jacob the UPCI claims did away with the wearing of jewelry. Jacob left his home because he took his brother's birthright and went to his mother's brother's home. Here he married two sisters, Leah and Rachel. We have to understand that Laban did not worship Jehovah but worshipped household gods as we find in Genesis when Rachel stole her dad's household gods. It was in worship of these gods that the women wore certain types of jewelry. They wore amulets and charms also to ward off evil spirits. Jacob, who served Jehovah, knew in God's sight these article of jewelry were wicked so he had them buried. This in no way tells us that the wearing of jewelry is sinful. The wearing of jewelry worn to ward off demonic spirits or worn in worship to false gods is wrong. ・1 Peter 3:3, 5 – “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel...For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:” Above, Peter instructs women to adorn themselves as the holy women of the ‘old time’ did, right? How about Rebecca? She was unquestionably a holy woman of the old time. Was she not one of the most prominent female figures of the Old Testament? Of course. So then, let’s look at some passages about Rebecca: ・Genesis 24:47, 53 – “And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands….And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebecca: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. "(KJV) What? One of the women of old wore jewelry? Is the Bible contradicting itself? I hardly think so. So then Peter is not forbidding jewelry outright, he is forbidding excessive use of it and telling us not to let our outward appearance be what we are known by, but instead to be known by our meek and humble spirit. In the passage below, God himself is putting jewelry on His people and referring to Israel’s beauty as ‘perfect through my comeliness.’ In fact, this passage even seems to suggest that God was glorified to the heathen as a result of Israel’s beauty. ・Ezekiel 16:9-14 – “Then washed I thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.” (KJV) . Later on when Joseph, Jacob's son, was sold into slavery and became the second man in command in Egypt, we read where Pharaoh put a ring on his finger and a gold chain around his neck. We know that Joseph did not commit adultery with Potiphar's wife for it was considered sin. If Jacob his father considered the wearing of jewelry sin, why did Joseph accept these articles of jewelry from Pharaoh? The reason is clear as a bell. His father did not think the wearing of all jewelry as sinful. If Jacob had taken this stand, then he would have stood against his Grandfather and his own mother. We know his Grandfather gave his servant jewelry to give to Rebekah and she wore it. When God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, he told Moses to have the Israelites borrow jewelry from the Egyptians and for them to wear it. In his omniscience, God knew the Israelites would take this jewelry and wear it and later would take the jewelry and have Aaron melt it down and the golden calf would be formed and they would worship this calf as their god. Did this stop God from telling Moses to borrow the jewelry? NO! Even though, after they had committed this grave sin, God did tell them to remove their jewelry it was not permanent. We know that King Saul wore gold bracelets for this was told to us at the time of his death and again at the time when David composed his most famous song about Saul and Jonathan, he spoke of Saul who adorned the people with jewelry. The Song of Solomon tells us that King Solomon wore gold chains. Also Daniel was given a gold chain by the King of Babylon. We also read in the Book of Jeremiah where God said "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number." (Jeremiah 2:32.) Also in the Isaiah 61, God spoke of a bridegroom wearing his ornaments. The UPCI speaks of the time that God accused Israel of committing adultery against him in the same book of Isaiah as other proof that the wearing of jewelry is sin. Here in Isaiah 3 we read where God spoke of Israel as if she were a literal woman committing harlotry against him. He speaks of all the jewelry she was wearing and said he would take away all of it from Israel. God also spoke of head-bands, cloaks, undergarments, bonnets, scarves, mantles, hoods, and veils. All this he was going to take away from Israel. Yet when you read UPCI's stand on outward adornment and jewelry they say it is sin to wear jewelry but okay to wear headbands, undergarments, veils, scarves, etc. Doesn't make sense does it? When we turn over to Ezekiel the 16th chapter, when God again likened Israel to a real woman, he said he had clothed her in fine clothing and put rings on her fingers and rings in her ears and in her nose, and bracelets and gold chains and a gold crown. This was Jehovah who said he had adorned Israel this way, and even though later in the same chapter we read where this same Israel used this jewelry to attract other lovers, God still said he would adorn her with all this jewelry. If throughout the Old Testament we find that God told Israel to wear jewelry, why does UPCI teach something blatantly different? Both Peter and Paul wrote that women should not put so much emphasis on outward appearance, so they both mentioned the wearing of gold or pearls. If you read their writings in the original language, you come to the understanding that they were not forbidding jewelry from being worn but were saying things such as a meek and mild spirit etc. was better adornment. They both were speaking of moderation. If we took what Peter said in the light of how the UPCI interprets what he said in I Peter the third chapter, we would come to the conclusion that Peter was telling the women not to wear clothing. UPCI tends to have this attitude that if something has ever been used for evil then it becomes strictly evil. People have used jewelry for sexual purposes or for prideful purposes so they say it is a sin to wear it. If God felt that way about everything that has been used to sin with, he would have destroyed the world a long time ago. One good example of this is the act of sex. It is one of the greatest sins committed daily in life (adultery and rape etc.) but God has not forbidden the use of this act in marriage just because mankind has used the act to sin with. The wearing of jewelry is not sinful, neither for men nor for women. Also, for those who take a stand against this trend of men wearing earrings or women wearing nose rings, the people of Israel wore both. HOLINESS Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them: Ye shall be holy; for I the LORD your God am holy. IMITATION OF GOD (Imitatio Dei) This commandment is given to the entire community. God only commands something that we are capable of fulfilling. Failure comes in because we underestimate our abilities. You do not have to separate yourself from society and go meditate in a forest to become holy. These mitzvot are not for angels. They are mainly interpersonal commandments, such as honoring parents, feeding the poor, not slandering, and not hating in our heart. Being a contributing part of society is a personal obligation. Everyone should aspire to elevate himself, and at the same time aspires to elevate the community. That's why the command to be holy, kedoshim t'hiyu – is written in the plural. This commandment is given to the entire community. If your being holy enhances your connection to the community, then you are behaving correctly. But if it causes a separation between you and those around you, that is incorrect. Our actions should always be gauged by what will bring the biggest Kiddush Hashem, sanctification of God’s Holy Name. Performing altruistic acts without the expectation of reciprocity is one of the greatest godly-attributes. Most religions of the East and West are bogged down by the pre-occupation with what God is or isn’t. For certain, the more we attempt to paint a picture or imagine what He looks like, the more elusive will become the effort to find Him. Emphasizing deed over creed will prove more productive. The doctrine of the imitation of God is related to the biblical account of the creation of man in the image of God, which acknowledges a resemblance between man and his Creator. Yet man is to imitate God, not impersonate Him (see Gen. 3:5). The main biblical sources for the injunction to imitate God are found in the command to be holy as God is holy and to walk in God's way (Lev. 19:2; Deut. 10:12, 11:22, 26:17). Man is to be God-like in his actions, but he cannot aspire to be God. This distinguishes the biblical notion from the pagan attempts to achieve apotheosis or absorption in the deity. Man is to imitate God in loving the stranger (Deut. 10:18–19); in resting on the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10–11); and in other ethical actions. "Be like Him. Just as He is gracious and merciful, so be thou also gracious and merciful" What is meant is that man ought to walk after [imitate] the attributes of God. Just as the Lord clothes the naked, so you shall clothe the naked. Just as He visits the sick, so you shall visit the sick. Just as the Lord comforted the bereaved, so you shall also comfort the bereaved; just as He buried the dead, so you shall bury the dead" A person should not adhere to a standard of holiness that could have a negative effect on the community. source: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0009_0_09507.html
Conclusion:
If you are an apostolic woman reading this article, and you feel that God has led you to not wear jewelry, then I want you to know that I am not ridiculing you at all. You have my respect. My problem is not with you, it is with a religious system that creates man-made rules and regulations and then demands that people follow them. My problem is with a religious system that adds to the offense of the Cross. My problem is with any denomination, organization, or church that creates barriers between the lost and God.
You have heard my opinion of the subject, but if you would like to read “the other side of the story” then you can do so at these two links:
Studying the subject of jewelry can be hard since different words were used (ornaments, ornamentation, pearls, etc.). If you would like to do your own study into the subject then here are a couple of links that I hope will be helpful!
ISBE – This is a link to the ISBE (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) article on "Ornament."
Smith’s Bible Dictionary – A link to the "Ornaments, personal" article in Smith’s Bible Dictionary.
NASB word search – A link to the results of a search for the word "ornaments" in the NASB (New American Standard Bible).
update: One of the absolute best examples of twisting scripture to form doctrine. Read also Detriments of the Tithe Teaching: "The "churchs" tithe teaching can cause tithers to have an erroneous feeling of self-satisfaction, a feeling that they have "paid the bill" and placated God. "
6 Bible Versions to twist Torah- which hasn't changed in 4000 years.
Remember
what Ravi Sha'ul (Paul) said as you read this blog post:
2
Corinthians 7 Each should give according to what he has
decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion... not
grudgingly or under compulsion?
1. Jesus said, John 14:15 - "If you love me, keep my commandments.” (NKJV) And
it is clearly commanded all the way through scripture. Some people say tithing
is Old Testament law. No, it's not. It's an Old Testament principle” (sic)
“Some people say tithing is Old Testament law.No, it's not.“ (As if the Old Testament [Torah] is bad) “It's an Old Testament principle.”
People like Creflo Dollar, Leroy Thompson and Donovan Burkett use scripture to extort MONEY = Heresy
Deuteronomy 14:23 - "The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God in first
place in your life." (TLB) ????
Lets look at what Deuteronomy 14:23 says
Deu 14:22 "Every year you must take one tenth of everything your seed produces in the field,
Deu 14:23 and eat it in the presence of ADONAI your God. In the place where he chooses to have his name live you will eat the tenth of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep, so that you will learn to fear ADONAI your God always.
Deu 14:24 But if the distance is too great for you, so that you are unable to transport it, because the place where ADONAI chooses to put his name is too far away from you; then, when ADONAI your God prospers you,
Deu 14:25 you are to convert it into money, take the money with you, go to the place which ADONAI your God will choose,
Deu 14:26 and exchange the money for anything you want - cattle, sheep, wine, other intoxicating liquor, or anything you please - and you are to eat there in the presence of ADONAI your God, and enjoy yourselves, you and your household.
Deu 14:27 "But don't neglect the Levi staying with you, because he has no share or inheritance like yours.
Deu 14:28 At the end of every three years you are to take all the tenths of your produce from that year and store it in your towns.
Deu 14:29 Then the Levi, because he has no share or inheritance like yours, along with the foreigner, the orphan and the widow living in your towns, will come, eat and be satisfied - so that ADONAI your God will bless you in everything your hands produce.
I can say God is first place in my life, but there are two things you can look at
that will tell you what is really first place; the way I use my ____________ and
the way I use my ___________.
C. Tithing reminds me that everything was given to me by God.
Deuteronomy 8:18 - "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who
gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He
swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (NKJV)
This “Christian Development Course” from 'church' is an example of twisting scripture to make-up doctrine. Notice how many different versions of the bible FCoFt.WTx has to use to bend all these verses from the Torah.
(NIV NKJV TLB AMP MES GNB) 6 versions to twist Torah- which hasn't changed in nearly 4000 years.
"While we may think that only those who have been teaching this un-Biblical tithe should repent, it is just as important for those who have been tithing to clearly see that much of the fruit of their tithing has not produced good fruit; instead much of it has alienated the world from their Christianity. In other words, we must all repent—those who teach it and those who give it." Must Read:http://www.tentmaker.org/books/TheTitheisIllegal.html
From CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT COURSE First Church of Fort Worth
http://www.fcofw.org/cdc/Module%20201.Session%203.Student.pdf
Module 201 – Session 3-“Giving” page 1
Module 201 – Session 3 Giving
I. INTRODUCTION
A. The Bible is a book about __________.
1. The Bible talks more about giving than it does about heaven or hell.
2. Jesus talked more about giving than almost any other subject.
3. Over half of His parables have to do with _________.
4. There are more promises in the Bible related to giving than any other
subject.
I Corinthians 16:2 – “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay
something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections
when I come.” (NKJV)
I Corinthians 16:2 – “On the first [day] of each week, let each one of you
[personally] put aside something and save it up as he has prospered [in
proportion to what he is given], so that no collections will need to be taken
after I come.” (AMP)
II. WHY GOD __________ ME TO GIVE!
II Corinthians 8:7 – “But just as you excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge,
in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see that you also excel in this grace of
giving.” (NIV)
II Corinthians 8:7 – “Now as you abound and excel and are at the front in everything--in
faith, in expressing yourselves, in knowledge, in all zeal, and in your love for us--[see to
it that you come to the front now and] abound and excel in this gracious work [of
almsgiving] also.” (AMP)
A. Giving Draws Me ___________ To God.
1. Matthew 6:21- “…where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also.” (NKJV)
2. Wherever we put our money shows our ________________. The
question then becomes, where do you want your heart to be? Wherever
you want your heart to be, that's where you need to put your money.
B. Giving Is the Antidote To ___________________.
CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT COURSE
First Church of Fort Worth page 2
I Timothy 6:17-19 – “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be
haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all
things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give,
willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come,
that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (NKJV)
1. What is materialism? It's “_____.” What is the opposite of getting?
______________. The only way I can know if I'm having victory over
materialism is: am I willing to part with what I've got?
2. He says God gives us "richly all things to enjoy". God has blessed
you. But _______ ____________ comes from giving. We make a living
by what we get, but we make a _______ by what we give.
D. Giving ___________________ My Faith. .
Proverbs 3:5, 9 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own
understanding; Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all
your increase…” (NKJV)
1. Faith is like a muscle. God uses finances to test your faith. God says that
the way we prove our trust, the way we demonstrate our faith, is by
giving the first part of our income back to Him.
Luke 16:11 – “If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous
mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (KJV)
Luke 6:38 - "Give and it will be given to you. For with the same measure that
you use, it will be measured back to you.” (NKJV)
2. God says, "I dare you! Let's see how much you want me to bless your
life. You give a cup, you get a cup of blessing. You pull up a dump truck,
you get a dump truck's worth. The measure you use is the measure
you're going to get."
3. Know why a lot of people don't give? They just don't ____________!
E. Giving Is An Investment For _______________.
I Timothy 6:18-19 – “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to
give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to
come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (NKJV)
Matthew 6:19-20 – “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:” (KJV)
CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT COURSE
First Church of Fort Worth page 3
F. Giving ______________ Us In Return.
Proverbs 22:9 – “A generous man will himself be blessed…” (NIV)
Proverbs 11:25 – “The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also
be watered himself.” (NKJV)
Proverbs 19:17 – “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that
which he hath given will he pay him again.” (KJV)
G. Giving Makes Me ___________.
1. Jesus said, Acts 20:35 - "It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (NIV)
2. Carl Menniger, one of the top psychiatrists in the nation said, "Giving is a
criterion of mental _____________. Generous people are rarely mentally
ill." The healthier you are, the more unafraid you are to give away. The
more you hold things in and are afraid to give away, that's an indication
that there's fear in your life.
III. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT TITHING?
A. What is tithing? Tithe means a _________ part. It's a word that God uses
all through scripture. In the Bible, God tells us that we're to give the first
ten percent of all we earn back to God.
B. Giving _______ than ten percent is not tithing. Giving a tithe is giving ten
percent of my income and all my increases.
C. What's the difference between a tithe and an offering? Tithe is giving ten
percent of my income. An offering is anything I give in addition to my tithe.
IV. WHY SHOULD I TITHE?
A. God __________________ it.
Leviticus 27:30 – “A tenth of all you produce is the Lord’s and it is holy.” (GNB)
"'All the tenth given from the land, whether from planted seed or fruit from trees, belongs to ADONAI; it is holy to ADONAI."
Leviticus 27:30 – “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the
soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.” (NIV)
Malachi 3:10 – “Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the
storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says
the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour
you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” AMP
CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT COURSE
First Church of Fort Worth
Module 201 – Session 3- “Giving” page 4
God could have said give ninety percent. But He just said ten. Simply
because He says it, we ought to obey it. But He does give us other
reasons.
B. Tithing demonstrates that God has _________ _________ in my life.
Deuteronomy 14:23 - "The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God in first
place in your life." (TLB)****
I can say God is first place in my life, but there are two things you can look at
that will tell you what is really first place; the way I use my ____________ and
the way I use my ___________.
C. Tithing reminds me that everything was given to me by God.
Deuteronomy 8:18 - "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who
gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He
swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (NKJV)
D. Tithing expresses my _______________ to God for the blessings He's
bestowed upon me.
Psalms 116:12 – “What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?” (KJV) The answer?
Deut 16:17 – “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the
Lord thy God which he hath given thee.” KJV
Deuteronomy 16:17 – “No one is to show up in the Presence of God empty-handed,
each man must bring as much as he can manage, giving generously in response to
the blessings of God, your God.” (MES)
E. God says that refusing to tithe is _______________ from Him.
1. That's pretty strong but that's exactly what He says.
Mal 3:8-9 – “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.” KJV Malachi 3:8-9 – “Begin by being honest. Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day after day. You ask, “How have we robbed you?” “The tithe and the offering – that’s how! And now you’re under a curse – the whole lot of you – because you’re robbing me. Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don’t open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams.” [Sic](MES)
CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT COURSE
First Church of Fort Worth
Module 201 – Session 3- “Giving” page 5
2. When I spend my tithing money on anything besides my tithes, I'm
robbing God.
F. Tithing gives God a chance to prove He ________ and wants to ______ you.
Mal 3:10- “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in
mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it.” KJV
Malachi 3:10 – “Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample
provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don’t open up heaven itself to
you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams.” (MES)
1. This is one of the most amazing promises in the Bible. God actually
offers you a challenge and He says I dare you. Start tithing and watch
what happens. He not only makes a promise to bless you with more,
but He promises to protect what you already have.
Malachi 3:11 - "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will
not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for
you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts…” (NKJV)
2. God says, Test me. Prove me…Tithe. Of all the areas He could have
chosen as a test, why did He choose finances? Because we spend
most of our lives revolving around money. Making it, earning it,
saving it, giving it, sharing it, and spending it.
G. Tithing proves that I really ________ God. 1. Jesus said, John 14:15 - "If you love me, keep my commandments.”**(NKJV) And
it is clearly commanded all the way through scripture. Some people say tithing is Old Testament law. No, it's not. It's an Old Testament principle.***
2. In fact, tithing was established before the law was given. The law was
established with Moses. God established tithing from the very first. Abraham
gave tithes 400 years before Moses was born. It's not part of Jewish law; it is a
life principle before the Jewish nation even became Israel.
Jacob tithed. Genesis 28:22 – “And this stone, which I have set for a
pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will
surely give the tenth unto thee.” (KJV)
Abraham tithed. Hebrews 7:4 – “Now consider how great this man was,
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the
spoils.” (KJV)
V. _______________ SHOULD I TITHE?
CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT COURSE
First Church of Fort Worth
Module 201 – Session 3- “Giving” page 6
Malachi 3:10 - "Bring your whole tithe to My Storehouse ..."
I should tithe where I ____________. In the Old Testament, the place of
worship was called the Temple. In the New Testament it was called the
synagogue or the church.
VI. WHEN SHOULD I TITHE?
I Corinthians 16:2 – “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside,
storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” (NKJV)
A. What is the first day of every week? _____________. What do you do
on Sunday? You go to the place of worship. That's when you're to give.
You're to give at the place of worship.
VIII. HOW SHOULD I TITHE?
A. We're to give ________________. God is more interested in my attitude
than the amount. He doesn't look at the amount you give; He looks at
the amount you have left over, in proportion to what you gave.
II Corinthians 9:6-7 – “[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly
will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that
blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings.
Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart,
not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes
pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do
without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his
giving].” (AMP)
B. “As you purpose in your heart” does not mean if you don’t want to,
don’t give. It means the purpose in your heart should be to give
cheerfully, not grudgingly, willingly, not reluctantly.
C. Give ______________. "God loves a cheerful giver."
Bumper sticker:
"God loveth a cheerful giver but He also accepteth from a grouch."
The Greek word for "cheerful" is the word from which we get our word
"_______________". If you can't tithe cheerfully, what you need to
work on is your _______________.
D. Give _________________.
2 Cor 8:1-4 – “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction
CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT COURSE
First Church of Fort Worth
Module 201 – Session 3- “Giving” page 7
the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of
their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their
power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that
we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to
the saints.” KJV
II Corinthians 8:1-4 – “Now friends, I want to report on the surprising and
generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province.
Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to
the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy,
though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally
unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. I was there and saw it
for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could-far more than they
could afford!-pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor
Christians.” (MES)
E. They gave beyond their ability. This is the first financial principle of
giving a tithe. People ask, "What if I can't afford to tithe?" I say, "You
can't afford not to." If you want God's blessing on your finances, you
need to tithe.
F. Give ____________________.
II Corinthians 9:6 – “[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly
will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that
blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with
blessings.” (AMP)
II Corinthians 9:6 – “Remember: A Stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish
planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it
over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you
against sob stories and armtwisting. God loves it when the giver delights in
the giving.” (MES)
G. The key to giving …
II Corinthians 8:5 - "They first gave _________________ to the
Lord." (NKJV)
If God owns me, He's going to own my wallet. I need to first give
myself to the Lord.
**For six days you may perform melachah, but the seventh day is a complete Sabbath, holy to the L-RD ... it is an eternal sign that in six days, the L-RD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.-Exodus 31:15-17
Shabbat is the most important ritual observance in Judaism. It is the only ritual observance instituted in the Ten Commandments. It is also the most important special day, even more important than Yom Kippur. This is clear from the fact that more aliyot (opportunities for congregants to be called up to the Torah) are given on Shabbat than on any other day.
Shabbat is primarily a day of rest and spiritual enrichment. The word "Shabbat" comes from the root Shin-Beit-Tav, meaning to cease, to end, or to rest. SOURCE: http://www.jewfaq.org/shabbat.htm
*** “Some people say tithing is Old Testament law. No, it's not. It's an Old Testament principle.”??? Believers are responsible to measure church teachings in the light of the truth of the Bible. It is our duty to recognize error.
The
Levitical tithe was to meet a need, that of the Levitical priesthood
and to help the poor. The Levitical priesthood and all laws and
ceremonies pertaining to it ceased when the temple was destroyed in
70 CE. The B'rit Hadashah: (The New Covenant). the Books of the New
Testament does not teach tithing. The B'rit Hadashah (the New
Testament) offices or callings of pastor, etc., are not the same as
the Levitical priesthood, which was based on lineage and the Mosaic
ceremonial laws, and that the "church"
building is not the same as the Temple. Detriments
of the Tithe Teaching 1.
The "churchs"
tithe teaching can cause tithers to have an erroneous feeling of
self-satisfaction, a feeling that they have "paid the bill"
and placated God. This can become akin to a superstitious practice of
"pleasing of the gods" we see in pagan cultures. Are
tithers in some cases even attempting to buy their way into heaven?
Wouldn’t this be the same as buying spiritual favor by purchasing
indulgences? This practice was soundly condemned in Martin Luther's
"Ninety-Five Theses." 2.
Mal. 3:8 says, "’Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.’ But
you ask, "How do we rob you?" ‘In tithes and
offerings….’" This verse is used prior to the passing of the
offering plate in many "church"
services to coax the congregation to get out their wallets. But,
contrary to the meaning of the verse under the old covenant to which
it refers, today people ARE robbing God, not of tithes, but of proper
New Testament giving to the work of God and to the poor. Didn’t
Yeshua say that a cup of water given in His name is given unto Him?
When people "pay their bill" to the "church",
they aren’t as apt to give that cup of water, or $20 to a needy
person around them in Yeshua’ name. Therefore, they have robbed God
by neglecting opportunities to minister to Him in the form of the
poor. People write out tithe checks in a dogged, joyless manner as if
in bondage. They, too, are robbed. They are robbed of the joy of
giving to real needs they can see with their own eyes.
3.
Tithing can cause an undue financial burden on givers. Young families
with children often are living hand to mouth anyway. So are many
single parents, college students, and the elderly. They themselves
are actually the poor who need help occasionally, yet by sitting in
the "church",
they are told that they must give up ten percent to a "church"
that often is wealthy.
4.
This brings us to the next point. It is not uncommon today for the
incomes of "church"es
(some of whom teach tithing and some of whom don’t), especially
large ones in America, to have such enormous incomes that they have
investment portfolios. They hire experts to help them manage their
funds to make it grow. Why? So they can give to missions or the poor?
So they can build more buildings, gyms, bowling alleys, climbing
walls? So they can have huge paid staffs? Daycare centers? What WOULD
Yeshua do? Would He build any buildings at all? The kingdom of God
has nothing to do with buildings. The early "church"
grew by great leaps without buildings. "The kingdom of God is
not meat or drink." (Rom. 14:17) The kingdom of God is people.
SOURCE:
**** Deuteronomy 14:23 - "The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God in first place in your life." (TLB) ????
Lets look at what Deuteronomy 14:23 actually says:
Deu 14:22 "Every year you must take one tenth of everything your seed produces in the field,
Deu 14:23 and eat it in the presence of ADONAI your God. In the place where he chooses to have his name live you will eat the tenth of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep, so that you will learn to fear ADONAI your God always.
Deu 14:24 But if the distance is too great for you, so that you are unable to transport it, because the place where ADONAI chooses to put his name is too far away from you; then, when ADONAI your God prospers you,
Deu 14:25 you are to convert it into money, take the money with you, go to the place which ADONAI your God will choose,
Deu 14:26 and exchange the money for anything you want - cattle, sheep, wine, other intoxicating liquor, or anything you please - and you are to eat there in the presence of ADONAI your God, and enjoy yourselves, you and your household.
Deu 14:27 "But don't neglect the Levi staying with you, because he has no share or inheritance like yours.
Deu 14:28 At the end of every three years you are to take all the tenths of your produce from that year and store it in your towns.
Deu 14:29 Then the Levi, because he has no share or inheritance like yours, along with the foreigner, the orphan and the widow living in your towns, will come, eat and be satisfied - so that ADONAI your God will bless you in everything your hands produce.
The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God in first place in your life? Has Deuteronomy 14:23 said this? This is the opitome of Twisting scripture. e.g. Twistianity at the least, blasphemy at the worst. Run from men like this and the Creflo Dollars of the world. Who's robbing G-D? If your pastor is a fraud...
2 Corinthians 7 Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion...
not grudgingly or under compulsion?
http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_7757322
Sincere ... But Sincerely Wrong
2 Peter 2:1-3 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
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