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Why does the Israel of God
consider themselves to be "BIBLE
CHRISTIANS"?
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Why does the Israel
of God worship on
Saturday instead of
Sunday
like most Christians
today?
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Why does the Israel of God
keep the
Feasts
of the Lord, as
described in Leviticus 23,
instead of the traditional
holidays like Christmas,
Easter, etc.?
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Does the Israel of God
believe that saints, when
they die, go to Heaven to be
with the Lord? Is there
anyone in Heaven now?
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Does the Israel of God
believe in the "TRINITY"?
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Why do you call yourselves
"The Israel of God"?
The definition of the word "Christian"
means "...followers of Jesus
Christ and His doctrine...".
Christ kept His Father's
commandments and we, as
Christians, are to walk as he
walked and teach others to keep
God's laws.
In
the book of
1 John
(1 John 2: 3-6), it
states: "..And hereby we do know
that we know him, if we keep his
commandments. He that saith, I
know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the
truth is not in him. But whoso
keepeth his word, in him is the
love of God perfected: hereby
know we that we are in him. He
that saith he abideth in him
ought himself also to walk, even
as he walked."
Also, in the book of
John
14: 21, Jesus states:
"He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me: and he that loveth me
shall be loved of my Father, and
I will love him, and will
manifest myself to him."
Again, in the book of
Matthew
(Matthew 5:19), Jesus
says: "Whosoever therefore shall
break one of these least
commandments, and shall teach
men so, he shall be called the
least in the kingdom of heaven:
but whosoever shall do and teach
them, the same shall be called
great in the kingdom of heaven."
In
the book of Romans, Paul states:
"For as many as have sinned
without the law shall also
perish without law: and as many
as have sinned in the law shall
be judged by the Law; (For not
the hearers of the law are just
before God, but the doers of
the LAW shall be justified).
--
Romans 2:12-13
Granted, no one will ever be
perfect like Jesus Christ, but,
it is our responsibility to God
to strive towards that
perfection that he exhibited!
In the keeping of the Royal Law
(Ten Commandments), it shows the
Lord that we are trying to do
His will and not sin, because
the biblical definition of sin
is the transgression of the law.
(according to
1 John 3:4
-- "Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the law: for
sin is the transgression of the
law.")
All in
all, Bible Christians have the
faith in Jesus Christ and keep
the commandments of God (Revelation
14:12)
The seventh day of the week is
the day that the Lord God of
Israel rested from all of His
works. If you look on any
calendar, you will see that
Saturday is the seventh day
of the week. The
Sabbath day starts on Friday at
sundown, and ends on Saturday at
sundown. It was, and still is,
to be the day of rest (the word
"SABBATH" means "to rest") for
God's people to worship Him and
rest from their servile work.
In
Genesis (Genesis
2:1-3)
it states: "Thus the heavens and
the earth were finished, and all
the host of them. And on the
seventh day God ended his work
which he had made; and he rested
on the seventh day from all his
work which he had made. And God
blessed the seventh day, and
sanctified it: because that in
it he had rested from all his
work which God created and
made."
In the book of
Exodus
31: 12-17: "And the
Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
speak thou also unto the
children of Israel, saying,
Verily my Sabbaths ye shall
keep: for it is a sign between
me and you throughout your
generations; that ye may know
that I am the Lord that doth
sanctify you. Ye shall keep the
Sabbath therefore; for it is
HOLY unto you: EVERYONE that
defileth it shall surely be put
to death: for whosoever doeth
any work therein, that soul
shall be cut off from among his
people. Six days may work be
done; but in the seventh is the
Sabbath of rest, HOLY TO THE
LORD: whosoever doeth any work
in the Sabbath day, he shall
surely be put to death.
Wherefore the children of Israel
shall keep the Sabbath, to
observe the Sabbath throughout
their generations, for a
perpetual covenant. It is a sign
between Me and the children of
Israel for ever: for in six days
the LORD made heaven and earth,
and on the seventh day He
rested, and was refreshed."
In
the book of
Acts
18: 14, it states:
"After these things Paul
departed from Athens and came to
Corinth;..... And he reasoned in
the synagogue every Sabbath, and
persuaded the Jews and the
Greeks."
Also,
Acts 13: 38-44
states: "Be it known unto you
therefore, men and brethren,
that through this man is
preached unto you the
forgiveness of sins: And by him
all that believe are justified
from all things, from which ye
could not be justified by the
law of Moses. Beware therefore,
lest that come upon you, which
is spoken of in the prophets;
Behold, ye despisers, and
wonder, and perish: for I work a
work in your days, a work which
ye shall in no wise believe,
though a man declare it unto
you. And when the Jews were
gone out of the synagogue, the
Gentiles besought that these
words might be preached to them
the next Sabbath. Now when the
congregation was broken up, many
of the Jews and religious
proselytes followed Paul and
Barnabas: who, speaking to them,
persuaded them to continue in
the grace of God. And the next
Sabbath day came almost the
whole city together to hear the
word of God."
Sunday is NOT the seventh day of
the week and therefore, should
not be considered the true
Sabbath of the Lord.
In
the book of
Leviticus 23: 1-4, it
states: "And the Lord spake unto
Moses saying Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto
them, Concerning the FEAST OF
THE LORD which ye shall proclaim
to be holy convocations EVEN
THESE ARE MY FEASTS. Six
days shall work be done: but the
seventh day is the Sabbath of
rest an holy convocation; ye
shall do no work therein: it is
the Sabbath of the Lord in all
your dwellings. THESE ARE THE
FEASTS OF THE LORD, even holy
convocation; ye shall proclaim
in their seasons." All of the
feasts are explained in detail
in Leviticus 23.
In
the New Testament, they
continued to be observed (even
after the resurrection of
Jesus). In
Acts
20:16, it states:
"For Paul had determined to sail
by Ephesus, because he would not
spend the time in Asia: for he
hasted, if it were possible for
him, to be at Jerusalem the day
of Pentecost." Paul was going
back to keep one of the feasts
of the Lord. He also
exhorts us, in
1
Corinthians 5: 7-8,
also to have the sincerity and
truth of mind to continue in the
commandments of the Lord:
"...Purge out therefore
the old leaven, that ye may be a
new lump, as ye are unleavened.
For even Christ our passover is
sacrificed for us: Therefore
let us keep the feast, not
with old leaven, neither with
the leaven of malice and
wickedness; but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth."
All traditional holidays,
such as Christmas, Easter, New
Years. etc. are not biblical and
therefore should not be
celebrated by the true
Christian.
Jesus stated in
John
3:13: "No man has
ascended up to heaven but him
that came down from Heaven, even
the Son of Man which is in
heaven." The only one that has
ascended to heaven after their
death and resurrection has been
Jesus. There is no other that
has rose from the grave and gone
into Heaven to be with the
Father. In 1 Corinthian 15:
20-23, it states,
"...But
now is Christ risen from the
dead, and become the firstfruits
of them that slept. For since
by man came death, by man came
also the resurrection of the
dead. For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ shall all be
made alive. But every man in
his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they
that are Christ's at his coming."
All who
have died in Christ will be
resurrected simultaneously
... upon His Second Coming. When
Jesus comes back to establish
His kingdom, the Lord will call
his saints to be with Him. In
the book of
1
Thessalonians 4: 16-17,
it states: "For the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall
rise first: Then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord."
In
order for the Lord to do this,
those that have died previously
have to STILL be dead.
This will begin Jesus' thousand
year reign of peace. However,
there are still people that are
dead. Only those found worthy
to be raised in the first
resurrection were raised when
Jesus returns.
Revelation 20: 4-11
describes this in detail. When
will the rest of the dead be
raised? They will be raised to
the White Throne Judgment.
In
the book of
Revelation 20: 12-13,
it states: "And I saw the dead,
small and great, stand before
God: and the books were opened:
and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and
the dead were judged out of
those things which were written
in the books, according to their
works. And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it; and death
and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them: and they
were judged every man according
to their works."
Currently, The saints are
waiting for the Coming of the
Lord so they can be "clothed
upon" with their white robes of
righteousness. In this carnal
body, man has to work, suffer
pain, tiredness, sadness, etc.
Until the coming of the Lord, we
will continue in our present
state.
In
2
Corinthians 5: 1-10,
it states, "...For we know that
if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we
have a building of God, an house
not made with hands, eternal in
the heavens. For in this we
groan, earnestly desiring to be
clothed upon with our house
which is from heaven: If so be
that being clothed we shall not
be found naked.
For we that are in this
tabernacle do groan, being
burdened: not for that we would
be unclothed, but clothed upon,
that mortality might be
swallowed up of life. Now he
that hath wrought us for the
selfsame thing is God, who also
hath given unto us the earnest
of the Spirit. Therefore we
are always confident, knowing
that, whilst we are at home in
the body, we are absent from the
Lord: (For we walk by
faith, not by sight:)
We are confident, I say, and
willing rather to be absent from
the body, and to be present with
the Lord. Wherefore we labour,
that, whether present or absent,
we may be accepted of him.
For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the
things done in his body,
according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad."
In
conclusion, all that are born of
man that have died, are still in
their graves until the First
OR Second Resurrection.
"...Go
thy way, eat thy bread with joy,
and drink thy wine with a merry
heart; for God now accepteth thy
works. Let thy garments be
always white; and let thy head
lack no ointment. Live joyfully
with the wife whom thou lovest
all the days of the life of thy
vanity, which he hath given thee
under the sun, all the days of
thy vanity: for that is thy
portion in this life, and in thy
labour which thou takest under
the sun. Whatsoever thy hand
findeth to do, do it with thy
might; for there is no work,
nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom, in the grave, whither
thou goest." -
Ecclesiastes 9: 7-10
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There are currently only
two members in the Godhead, The
Father and His Son, Jesus
Christ. The Holy Spirit can be
manifested to man in many
forms. One form is an Angel
sent from God to bring to
remembrance what Jesus has told
us in His Holy Word (another
form of His Spirit). The Word
that the Angel brings to man is
the power, thoughts, and
spiritual extension of God. God
begets true Christians as His
sons and daughters through this
Spirit (God’s Word). It
strengthens a Christian
spiritually, converts his mind,
and serves as an earnest, or
beginning, of the transformation
to obtain eternal life.
The Word of God does not
mention a "Trinity" as being God
in three persons. Most
attribute the Holy Spirit as the
third part of a Trinity when it
is not biblical in origin.
The origin of the Trinity
was first discussed and included
into church doctrine by Roman
Emperor Constantine the Great at
the Council of Nicaea in 325
A.D. and 381 A.D. The Council
declared:
"...that in one God
there are three divine Persons -
The Father, The Son, and the
Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit).
This idea declares that the Son
is the same essence as the
Father, and that the three
persons are one God....A special
activity has been attributed to
each of the Persons. The Father
creates, the Son became human,
and the Spirit makes holy..."
- World Book
Encyclopedia, Inc. 1996, vol.
19, pg. 445
The Israel of God does not
believe in or support the
Trinity doctrine for these
reasons.
"...Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all longsuffering and
doctrine. For the time will
come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having
itching ears; And they shall
turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto
fables.." -
2 Timothy
4: 2-4
"...If we receive the
witness of men, the witness of
God is greater: for this is the
witness of God which he hath
testified of his Son. He that
believeth on the Son of God hath
the witness in himself: he that
believeth not God hath made him
a liar; because he believeth not
the record that God gave of his
Son. And this is the record,
that God hath given to us
eternal life, and this life is
in his Son." -
1 John
5: 9-11
God's chosen people were, and
still are, the children of
Israel. In order for us to be
saved, we must be adopted into
the commonwealth of Israel. We
must also strive to keep the
commandments of God.
In
Romans
11:11-27, it states:
"I say then, Have they
stumbled that they should fall?
God forbid: but rather through
their fall salvation is come
unto the Gentiles, for to
provoke them to jealousy. Now
if the fall of them be the
riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches
of the Gentiles; how much more
their fullness? For I speak to
you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am
the apostle of the Gentiles, I
magnify mine office: If by any
means I may provoke to emulation
them which are my flesh, and
might save some of them. For if
the casting away of them be the
reconciling of the world, what
shall the receiving of them be,
but life from the dead? For if
the firstfruit be holy, the lump
is also holy: and if the root be
holy, so are the branches. And
if some of the branches be
broken off, and thou, being a
wild olive tree, were graffed in
among them, and with them
partakest of the root and
fatness of the olive tree; Boast
not against the branches. But if
thou boast, thou bearest not the
root, but the root thee. Thou
wilt say then, The branches were
broken off, that I might be
graffed in. Well, because of
unbelief they were broken off,
and thou standest by faith. Be
not highminded, but fear: For if
God spared not the natural
branches, take heed lest he also
spare not thee. Behold
therefore the goodness and
severity of God: on them which
fell, severity; but toward thee,
goodness, if thou continue in
his goodness: otherwise thou
also shalt be cut off. And they
also, if they abide not still in
unbelief, shall be graffed in:
for God is able to graff them in
again. For if thou wert cut out
of the olive tree which is wild
by nature, and wert graffed
contrary to nature into a good
olive tree: how much more shall
these, which be the natural
branches, be graffed into their
own olive tree? For I would
not, brethren, that ye should be
ignorant of this mystery, lest
ye should be wise in your own
conceits; that blindness in part
is happened to Israel, until the
fullness of the Gentiles be come
in. And so all Israel
shall be saved: as it is
written, There shall come out of
Sion the Deliverer, and shall
turn away ungodliness from
Jacob: For this is my covenant
unto them, when I shall take
away their sins. "
Romans
3: 1-2 states:
"What advantage then hath the
Jew? or what profit is there of
circumcision? Much every way:
chiefly, because that unto them
were committed the oracles of
God."
Jeremiah 29: 8-22
states:
"For it shall come to pass in
that day, saith the LORD of
hosts, that I will break his
yoke from off thy neck, and will
burst thy bonds, and strangers
shall no more serve themselves
of him: But they shall serve
the LORD their God, and David
their king, whom I will raise up
unto them. Therefore fear thou
not, O my servant Jacob, saith
the LORD; neither be dismayed, O
Israel: for, lo, I will save
thee from afar, and thy seed
from the land of their
captivity; and Jacob shall
return, and shall be in rest,
and be quiet, and none shall
make him afraid. For I am with
thee, saith the LORD, to save
thee: though I make a full end
of all nations whither I have
scattered thee, yet will I not
make a full end of thee: but I
will correct thee in measure,
and will not leave thee
altogether unpunished. For thus
saith the LORD, Thy bruise is
incurable, and thy wound is
grievous. There is none to
plead thy cause, that thou
mayest be bound up: thou hast no
healing medicines. All thy
lovers have forgotten thee; they
seek thee not; for I have
wounded thee with the wound of
an enemy, with the chastisement
of a cruel one, for the
multitude of thine iniquity;
because thy sins were
increased. Why criest thou for
thine affliction? thy sorrow is
incurable for the multitude of
thine iniquity: because thy sins
were increased, I have done
these things unto thee.
Therefore all they that devour
thee shall be devoured; and all
thine adversaries, every one of
them, shall go into captivity;
and they that spoil thee shall
be a spoil, and all that prey
upon thee will I give for a
prey. For I will restore health
unto thee, and I will heal thee
of thy wounds, saith the LORD;
because they called thee an
Outcast, saying, This is Zion,
whom no man seeketh after. Thus
saith the LORD; Behold, I will
bring again the captivity of
Jacob's tents, and have mercy on
his dwellingplaces; and the city
shall be builded upon her own
heap, and the palace shall
remain after the manner thereof.
And out of them shall proceed
thanksgiving and the voice of
them that make merry: and I will
multiply them, and they shall
not be few; I will also glorify
them, and they shall not be
small. Their children also
shall be as aforetime, and their
congregation shall be
established before me, and I
will punish all that oppress
them. And their nobles shall be
of themselves, and their
governor shall proceed from the
midst of them; and I will cause
him to draw near, and he shall
approach unto me: for who is
this that engaged his heart to
approach unto me? saith the
LORD. And ye shall be my
people, and I will be your God."
Revelation 21: 22-26
states:
"And I saw no temple therein:
for the Lord God Almighty and
the Lamb are the temple of it.
And the city had no need of the
sun, neither of the moon, to
shine in it: for the glory of
God did lighten it, and the Lamb
is the light thereof. And the
nations of them which are saved
shall walk in the light of it:
and the kings of the earth do
bring their glory and honour
into it. And the gates of it
shall not be shut at all by day:
for there shall be no night
there. And they shall bring the
glory and honour of the nations
into it. " All
nations must become spiritual
Israel.
In
Acts 7:37-38, it
states:
"And as many as walk
according to this rule, peace be
on them, and mercy and upon
The Israel
of God."
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