- Why does the Israel of God consider themselves to
be "BIBLE
CHRISTIANS"?
- Why does the Israel of God worship on
Saturday instead of
Sunday like most Christians today?
- 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.?
- 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?
- Does the Israel of God believe in the "TRINITY"?
- 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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