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SABBATH BIBLE STUDY

9-29

(2018)

ReNEWed COVENANT Ministry

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Below is the head
of the
idol of janusSays a lot about Christian society,

 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways!

James 1:8

Compiled by JS LOWTHER
servant@renewedcovenantministry.com

rncministry@gmail.com

Non-Biblical Feasts? Pt.3

Rom_14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

In many ways the above portion of Romans particularly in conjunction with the prior context of the epistle, speaks to the same lesson Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 10, with the residing sentiment as found in Psa¬_24:1The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
And by saying this it can, if you are interested in reviewing the context, shows where Rom_13:1-2 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Fits into the subject matter as the LORD YHWH established all true power by his ordinance, and thus we can see the subject of judgment of eating or not eating, living or dying, and how all Christians are doing so, as well and in truth all men are doing so before the LORD regardless of what they do. However, we as Christ’s apostles are called to strengthen our weak brothers in the faith of YHWH and His Christ, and to break the mind from the bondage of weak and beggarly elements emanating from that which YHWH the LORD has not ordained.

We had spent some time these last 2 Sabbaths considering the Christian response to non-biblical holidays in light of the recent passing catholic ordained feasts of Christmas and new year, interestingly enough the day Christians call new year is much more associated with a pagan deity, that of ‘Janus’, than the now ignorantly painted holiday of Christ-mass is, as for 1500 years the celebration of Christ-mass has found a more dynamically embraced canonization than that of Christ-mass, in the past, the day we call new year, was more closely associated with Christmas as being part of the total festival which lasted for 12 days, of which the circumcision of Christ was also grouped into the pseudo-timing of the julian-gregorian reckoning…with a few other days calculated in to the feast to assure a sunday can be used in the celebration thereof. Those particular calculations are important when you are not using a sign based time keeping method, especially when you are controlling the masses, as was the papal church, to create a more seamless system of daily, weekly, monthly and yearly worship that would, to the common working class and noble type alike appeal as part of the ‘mystery hid for ages’ revealed in the christmass season.
The embrace, is perhaps in part due to the general acceptance throughout the European people of a mid-winter celebration, this in the Germanic regions was often celebrated by large warm bon fires to pass through with sacrifices of various things to various gods and goddesses depending on the tribe and kindred we would focus on. So common was this celebration of the mid-winter solstice many traditions and possible accounts show the missionaries of the papal church to have taken this time as an opportunity to unite Christ with this time of celebration in the story of his birth.
Why do you suppose the papal ordained missionaries used this approach? They took a biblical event – Christ’s birth, gave it a non-biblical celebration, tied that to a non-biblical time of worship, based on a pagan calendar system, packaged it up and overlapped it with a natural and intrinsic celebration the heathen they found already used, Why do you suppose the pope and RC church would ordain such a blatant lie?
The simple answer lay in the fact that Rome believed it had this right bestowed upon it by God, to speak law into existence for the benefit of ‘the church’, which in this interpretation is ‘Christ’, thus creating a circular power structure where Rome’s ‘Church’ is the ‘body of Christ’, and when the Head of that church, the vicar who is the pope, of that body makes a decree for the ‘spreading of the gospel’, an accurate message or not, representative of scripture or not ‘it’s the Gospel’, this is Papal evangelism. Now, this being said, I do not wish to not give credit where credit is due: YHWH used a remnant who found themselves involved in this body, YHWH through this lie and darkness caused truth and light to prevail for Israel, through blindness, a thing only YHWH through his Spirit Word can do with blatant lies, He causes truth to shine unto his saints who in their spirit may not know all the truth, but they seek it, wherefore it is said
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
And so, with all of the lies and all of the error YHWH has still given those he forekew and predestinated to have hope, hope unto salvation, and the spirit that no man can take or steal, is given by YHWH freely to those who are called according to his purpose. There has always been a remnant according to the election of Grace of those who have not bowed the knee nor kissed the idol of baal.
Consider beside this another great mystery of the spirit:
How do you think we are here today? We are studying this very subject from a book which was breathed by the spirit of God handed to us by men at varied stages of obedience to its words, but they didn’t let one grain of it fall to the ground that we might have its seeds of truth, those European men of Israel’s sons regardless of their faults and failure and their weakness in obeying even what they knew was the accurate message preached the Gospel. It is an anomaly to me, for instance how translator after translator of the holy scriptures pass on words they don’t follow! But that is the spirit of truth which does these things, and while that translator who ardently cares about the inerrancy of scripture and the preservation of every jot and title himself does not obey what he can cares about so much. I am not telling you all of these scribes will inherit eternal life, that is for YHWH to choose, but it would be in-accurate to say those men were not called according to His purpose.
The quotes following are from Philip Schaffer’s History of the Christian Church
Vol. 3, Ch. 07,
Chapter VII. Public Worship and Religious Customs and Ceremonies
§ 076
The abuse of the festivals soon fastened itself on the just use of them and the sensual excesses of the pagan feasts, in spite of the earnest warnings of several fathers, swept in like a wild flood upon the church. Gregory Nazianzen feels called upon, with reference particularly to the feast of Epiphany, to caution his people against public parade, splendor of dress, banquetings, and drinking revels, and says: “Such things we will leave to the Greeks, who worship their gods with the belly; but we, who adore the eternal Word, will find our only satisfaction in the word and the divine law, and in the contemplation of the holy object of our feast.” On the other hand, however, the Catholic church, especially after Pope Gregory I. (the “pater caerimoniarum”), with a good, but mistaken intention, favored the christianizing of heathen forms of cultus and popular festivals, and thereby contributed unconsciously to the paganizing of Christianity in the Middle Age. The calendar saints took the place of the ancient deities, and Rome became a second time a pantheon. Against this new heathenism, with its sweeping abuses, pure Christianity was obliged with all earnestness and emphasis to protest.
All of this I quote to read this section which Schaffer with his wisdom in Church history makes a Note, under the prior read section:
NOTE
The Reformation of the sixteenth century sought to restore the entire cultus, and with it the Catholic church year, to its primitive Biblical simplicity; but with different degrees of consistency. The Lutheran, the Anglican, and the German Reformed churches — the latter with the greater freedom — retained the chief festivals, Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, together with the system of pericopes, and in some cases also the days of Mary and the apostles (though these are passing more and more out of use); while the strictly Calvinistic churches, particularly the Presbyterians and Congregationalists, rejected all the yearly festivals as human institutions, but, on the other hand, introduced a proportionally stricter observance of the weekly day of rest instituted by God Himself. The Scotch General Assembly of August 6th, 1575, resolved: “That all days which heretofore have been kept holy, besides the Sabbath-days, such as Yule day [Christmas], saints’ days, and such others, may be abolished, and a civil penalty be appointed against the keepers thereof by ceremonies, banqueting, fasting, and such other vanities.” At first, the most of the Reformers, even Luther and Bucer, were for the abolition of all feast days, except Sunday; but the genius and long habits of the people were against such a radical reform. After the end of the sixteenth and beginning of the seventeenth century the strict observance of Sunday developed itself in Great Britain and North America; while the Protestantism of the continent of Europe is much looser in this respect, and not essentially different from Catholicism. It is remarkable, that the strictest observance of Sunday is found just in those countries where the yearly feasts have entirely lost place in the popular mind: Scotland and New England. In the United States, however, for some years past, the Christmas and Easter festivals have regained ground without interfering at all with the strict observance of the Lord’s day, and promise to become regular American institutions. Good Friday and Pentecost will follow.

I know a lot of people who hear these message far an neigh think I am too strict, and that somehow this subject is light and not of a serious concern to the church, at least, (some would say) not as serious as other issues we face in the 21st century, yet it is as important as ever there was an issue in the totality of the problem of deviating from the word of God, as Schaffer shows in this brief quote.
YHWH has warned you about this in His Law, and wither you agree or you do not the result of this ignorance or objection will be visited upon the children.
You, YOU, You can’t replace YHWH’s services with something you like, accept or dream up, You can’t do it. And you can’t use excuses like “well no one can keep the feasts perfectly”, YHWH didn’t set the system up for you to have an objection, tats like a woman saying, “I can’t love my husband perfectly, I might as well love him the way that makes me feel good and not try at all to perfect our relationship”, well we can’t keep the feasts perfect enough for the eternal-righteous perfect GOD of Creation…might as well keep a day he never thought of!” Redic-u-lous.
In our near past after our ancestors of Europe had valiantly attempted to remove the chains of conscience from the hand of papal magisterium and submit to the larger hand of God Almighty, we have as a people and even in that era stopped our reform in preference to contradictory doctrine such as was prior described, where rather than acknowledging our need to submit to the Word of God as the voice of Christ, we make divisions between NT and OT, even championing our self ordained worships and heart devised doctrines to support it in preference to GOD ordained words. This is the struggle Israel, do not let the innocents of the season or splendor of the adoration of Christ at ‘Christmas time’ stop you from seeing what the facts of scripture are, these practices will always allow for self to decide our worship in preference to YHWH’s Word, it is your natural stiff necked disposition…just look at your history book.

As we close us this series of study

The question concerning if we should keep non-biblical feasts resides in the authority of the word of God and to what level of obedience one or many will demand of adherence to the particular festival, and or the level of importance this non-ordained festival has in regards to the biblical command or example. When we had discussed this subject it is of impossibility to set the standard of right and wrong regarding a mater without comparing it to the word of God, which will, through a non-thorough exegetical examination reveal that:

1. These feasts of what is called ‘Christendom’ are not found by direct or indirect command in the canon of scripture.
2. Examples exist throughout the canon of scripture which condemn the use of non-ordained worship times, generally called feasts or festivals.
3. By asserting that a non-ordained feast or times are ordained by any other authority of scriptural decree, found in the positive admonition or command of YHWH GOD, sin is perpetrated against the authority of scripture.
4. Asserting and ascribing worship or service to a devil which is not GOD upon any day made by the creative genesis of YHWH, in example of scriptural happenings this includes Sabbaths and new moons (presumably the same as those called such by YHWH in his law, Hos_2:11, which contrary to many who do not read the context surrounding this verse which says ” I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her Sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.” Which are attributed to Baal and Baalim, that is other masters or husbands, not YHWH.)
5. This includes using another system of time keeping beside or before the organic law of Genesis 4th day of creation which acknowledges the lights of YHWH GOD’s creation willfully in regards to YHWH’s worship as the governing authority in all matters of time
6. And the primary law of keeping another day except for what is biblically called the 7th day or the Sabbath according to the 4th commandment, lest it be by Scriptural authority.
. the keeping of a festival by false pretenses, ex. that Christ was born on Christmas day, ex. that the month pagans call January is the first month of the year, Ex. that Easter as ‘the Christian Passover’ which is not observed by the rule of faith in the testimony of scripture (according to YHWH GOD’s own dictates).
As well and finally the teaching of men not to keep any commandment regarding the worship and service of YHWH contrary and counter posed against his law in direct violation of clear commands and admonitions of the Pentateuch as well as the clear teaching of Christ our Lord:Mat_5:19 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.
It is because of this verse of scripture and clear teaching from Christ that I will stand in opposition of everyone who teaches one word against the commands of the law of GOD. I will be your heretic for keeping and teaching as well as not opening my mouth at all against anything YHWH GOD has ever said. And in truth, I also believe this is the standard all speakers, teachers, preachers and evangelists should be held to. If ever one raises his head against YHWH’s Word, even if it is obsolete by time and place, that is non-observable by claus, we as the creature have no right to speak against the Creator who s blessed forever Amen.

It is not a light thing to replace the festivals of YHWH. It is one thing if a person does not know how to keep them, or thinks perhaps they are not required due to some studied opinion based in scripture, but to teach a replacement or mellow into a comfortable acceptance of non-biblical traditionalism. I am going to say this to those who are listening abroad and not here today with us, if you have been raised in a non-biblically realistic fashion, catholic protestant, whatever denominational back ground you have or don’t have. When you are asked to attend or celebrate a day or time the first thing you should do is get out a concordance or bible encyclopedia and look up the name ‘Christmas’, ‘Easter’ and so forth and prove it’s biblical nature or requirement, if you do not find it in scripture then you have the proof of it’s unbiblical nature an if it is a systematic worship of some religion then you as a Christian if you are disposed to go, your disposition must be to proclaim the Gospel, and that Gospel compels us to proclaim YHWH’s ownership of the Earth and World and everything in it including its inhabitants, by proclaiming the Lordship of YHWH is that YHWH works all things in fact according to his decree and council upon the earth and the world, and when that regards his worship by his people it is to be done his way if to you he is Lord; thus at the non-biblical celebration we are required to bear witness of this Truth in fact as light, as well as to brighten the darkness of falsehood if propagated.
This is how the Epistles instruct us to react as Christians, if we are convinced that YHWH’s Law is representative of his Lordship in our own life, as he commands our person.
This is how in the first message I had offered on Keeping a Godly Christmas, I had left you with the idea of considering the matter of Ball Peor, where Balak and Balaam set a trap for Israel by fornication, which lead to idolatry, though Midianites where an Abrahamic people (bore to Keturah), the Moabites being an Nephew people to Abraham, they were, one could say “all family”, while it is undoubted they were chosen as Israel was and given the Word and Law as an inheritance, these people none the less were family, family who were convinced that they needed to take Israel outside of YHWH’s protection by causing them to rise up and play and bow down before their god’s, who even shared titles with YHWH Moloch= King, or Baal= Master / Lord, and perhaps like the modern non-biblical religious worship of today they were in some sense even worshiping the same god as Israel, but by a different name.
And that happened after what was recorded in Exo_32:1, where we are told for an example, and our instruction as Christians that, Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Exo 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Exo 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to YHWH.
Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
This trespass caused a division in Israel upon the lines of image worship with self proclaimed feasts on one side and non-image worship with YHWH’s own proclaimed fests on the other side, and that line caused Israel to slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour…. according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. Exo_32:27-28
and the text could indicate that this fight was only among the tribe of Levi, the servant tribe, meaning this was an ecclesiastical power struggle, and that was the case regardless. And consider, Moses had only been gone for 40 days and this worship was worth dying for! And Paul places this as an example for the Christian church, the churches of Christ.
And in the second message I had as well condemned ‘new year celebration’ as a pagan now pseudo -christian worship, in some ways Janus day replacing Deu_16:1 in Christian worship is a higher sin against God’s Law than assigning a day of a pagan calendar to Christ’s birth, through it be a nefarious lie. Yet in both cases you Mr. or Miss Christian have the choice to be the light of truth according to the word of God or not, either by telling others you do not participate because the practice is un-biblical or by going and proclaiming it at the celebration itself, and depending on who you are dealing with and who you are will produce the needed disposition, however, we are never called to celebrate with them.
How important is this subject really?
This subject, like many other biblical realities to be practiced in one’s life is part and parcel to both the problems we find in our world and families, as well as the weakness of our proclamation of Christ’s rule as YHWH’s Word, and there by proclaiming all to the glory of YHWH the father.
When these things are left unchanged in families, they revert to the proverbial dog to the vomit for the next generation, and often when raised on vomit a taste is acquired for it by that generation.