| (Copyright) by Richard Frates (Easley, South Carolina) |
|---|
| Would Jesus Christ Eat Pork, or Shellfish and consider Sunday holy? No! Why do You? Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:16-17 used Old Testament promises, and warnings recorded in, Isaiah 52:11, to teach new testament believers: “We are the temple of the living God. As God has said I will live with them and walk among them, I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and be Separate, Touch, no unclean thing and I will receive you”. The following scriptures confirm what should be obvious to those called by God. And that is: In the Beginning of the Gospel: Gentile believers, were following the Jewish believers in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 “You became imitators – of us and of the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 2:14 “For you brothers became imitators – of God’s Churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus.” Gentile believers and converts to Judaism observed God’s holy days and the Sabbath; none of them observed Sunday, Christmas, or Easter. In Acts 13:14-48, Jews and Gentiles are both Keeping the Saturday Sabbath. Paul preached the gospel to Gentiles and Jews on that Sabbath day; verse 46-48 but when the Jews rejected the gospel, Paul said, “we now turn to the Gentiles, this is what the Lord has commanded.” “When the Gentiles, heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord”. The loss of Gentile converts, who believed the apostles, made the Jews angry. Gentiles and Jews eating and worshiping together: They were all eating together, food that God sanctified for all those he calls. Galatians 2:11-12. “When Peter came from Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself.” Acts 20:7 also confirms that Jew and Gentiles were eating together “on the first day of the week we came together to break bread.” Dishonest pastors use this scripture to justify disobeying God’s Word. Genesis 2:3 “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy”. The same verse explained why that fellowship meal was on Sunday. Paul “intended to leave the next day.” Paul witnessed Gentile obedience. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 “We instructed you how to live, in order to, please God, as in fact you are living.” God Does not change: Malachi 3:6. Believing Jews and Gentiles are one in God’s eyes. Exodus 12:49 “The same law applies to the native-born and the alien living among you.” Walk as Christ walked. 1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 2:16 “We have the mind of Christ”. Would Jesus Christ have a “mind” to: eat pork, shellfish, catfish, be a vegetarian; or to consider the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh day? No, Christ lived as he instructed his followers. When Jesus said, “man shall live by every word of God”. That Teaches the faithful: How to interpret the New Testament. But instead, church leaders put their own interpretation in scripture. Believers today are called by God, John 6:44; as Israel was called By God. Galatians 3:26 “You are the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ.” Deuteronomy 14:1-4 applies to believers today; “You are the children of the Lord your God. You are a people holy to the Lord your God. Out of all the people on the face of the earth the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession. Do not eat any detestable things”. Deuteronomy 14:3-19 records what believers with “the mind of Christ” should eat. Who is speaking to Moses in Leviticus 11:1 “The Lord said to Moses” “of all the animals on the land, these are the ones you may eat?” It was Jesus Christ, for Jesus said, “No one has seen the Father or heard his voice.” Do most professing Christians today have the “mind of Christ”? No. They observe and teach false doctrine! Matthew 15:9 “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Church leaders falsely teach, 1 Timothy 4:4 “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” They deliberately ignore verse 5, “For it is – Sanctified – by the word of God – and prayer.” Where is, it Sanctified or set apart, by God’s word? Leviticus 11:1-24 and Deuteronomy 14:3-18. Gentile believers who followed the Apostles by eating foods ordained by God and keeping God’s Sabbath and holy days; were persecuted by relatives and others for doing so. That is why Paul wrote in Colossians 2:16 “Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or, with regard to a religious festival, new moon celebration or Sabbath Day”. What Paul warned is happening today. My own family mocks me for refusing to eat pork or shellfish and observe Christmas. The “Shadow of things to come” Colossians 2:17: Speaks of the Seventh day Sabbath that God made holy as a Shadow of the thousand-year millennium and the holy days a Shadow of God’s plan. Christs promise of Salvation” will begin in the Thousand year – Sabbath Millennial “Kingdom of God”. That will be on this earth, not heaven. Isaiah 11:6-9 “They will neither harm nor destroy on my holy mountain.” “The earth will be full of the knowledge of God.” Isaiah 66:2 Describes believers who obey God “This is the one I esteem: He who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” Deceitful preachers use Colossians 2:20-23 as applying to verse 16-17 to ridicule Christians who believe Leviticus and Deuteronomy and keep the Sabbath Day holy. Verse 20-23 is Not speaking of God’s Commands. But is speaking of – NIV “Human commands and teachings” – “harsh treatment of the body.” And superstitions of men. False Doctrine Devotees use Galatians 4:9-10 to rebuke those who believe God. Verse 9 “How is it that you are turning back to those Weak and miserable principles? Paul would never call Gods word “miserable principles”. Paul is rebuking them for turning back to Astrology described in verse 10 “You are observing special days, months and years.” Some professing Christians follow Astrology today, I have been asked in church “what sign are you”? Deceivers also use Acts 10:9-15 as justification for eating what God judged unclean. Peter saw a vision of wild animals and creeping things of the earth and heard God say, “Rise Peter kill and eat” In the vision. Peter heard God say: NIV “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Peter explains the meaning of the vision in Acts 10:28. Peter said, “God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.” God was teaching Peter that: Salvation by faith included the Gentiles. Matthew 15:11-20 is also used to teach rebellion against God’s word. “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean.” Verse 20 “Eating with unwashed hands does not make a man unclean.” The subject is unwashed hands not unclean foods. In verse 19 Christ said that “false testimony” also makes a man unclean. Those who claim that this verse means, God changed his mind and contradicts himself are bearing false testimony against God; for “God does not change”. Christ saying, “man shall live by every word of God” Anchors the teaching of New Testament scriptures to God’s Word in the Old Testament. “Scripture cannot be broken” John 10:35. In Isaiah 65:3-4 God declares his disgust with Jews who practice Idolatry and eat unclean food. “A people who continually provoke me to my face” “Who eat the flesh of pigs and whose pots hold broth of unclean meat.” Did Jesus Christ change his mind and have the New Testament apostles say things that contradict his word in Isaiah? Or do you believe that God mistakenly inspired Isaiah to write this? God’s word declares: Proverbs 30:5-6 “Every word of God is flawless”. Christians are the “temple of God’s Holy Spirit”. Do not put in God’s temple food that you would Not share with Jesus Christ. Our minds are being Controlled!! Whose mind controls yours? The State, Devil-Media, your Church or Jesus Christ? Praise our Heavenly Father: Jesus Christ Crucified is Light that Shines Beyond the Grave! ——————————————————————————————————– See Richard Frates other articles at: Frates, Richard – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) ——————————————————————————————————– |
Views: 10
Sign up to Receive [The "New" Church of God Messenger] weekly newsletter: