On Saturday, May 15, 2004, Edwin Pope will be giving the sermon, titled, “Is ‘The Truth’ Important?”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

The Bible contains many statements about growth. Jacob prophesied that Joseph’s descendants, Ephraim and Manasseh, would “grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth” (Genesis 48:16). And indeed, they became the most powerful nation and group of nations in modern history. On a spiritual plane, God’s kingdom is compared with a “mustard seed” which, “when it is grown,” is greater than the herbs “and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and rest in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32). John the Baptist “grew and became strong in the spirit” (Luke 1:80). Even Christ, the God of the Old Testament, when He became a human being, “grew and became strong in the spirit, filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40), and He “increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52).

The early New Testament Church started very small, but it, too, grew (Acts 2:41). We read that in time, the word of God “grew and multiplied” (Acts 12:24; compare Acts 19:20).

God told His disciples that they must GROW spiritually. 2 Peter 3:18 commands us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:2 encourages us to “desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” Paul said about the church of the Thessalonians that “your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other” (2 Thessalonians 1:3). Ephesians 2:21 tells us that God’s Church, “the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple of the Lord.” And so, we read in Ephesians 4:11-15 that Christ Himself “gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may GROW UP in all things into Him who is the head — Christ…”

As Christians, we must never stop growing. We are to grow toward our ultimate perfection, as God is perfect. As we read in Philippians 3:15-16, in the Authorized Version: “Let us therefore, as many as be [or: to the extent that they are] perfect [the New King James Bible says: mature], be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.” We are not to forsake what we have already accomplished in our lives. There must never come a point in time, however, when we say, “We will grow no further.” With that attitude, we will not only stop growing in God’s Way of Life, but we will, in fact, go backwards and return to whatever we left behind.

Sadly, some, if not many, have done so, and many will still do so, before Christ returns. Paul spoke about Demas, one of his co-workers (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24), that he “has forsaken me, having loved this present world and has departed for Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10). Rather than overcoming evil with good, he returned to the evil of this world. Christ prophesied for our time: “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will GROW cold” (Matthew 24:10-12). The Greek word for “love” is “agape,” describing the love of God. Rather than growing in God’s love, which would lead to their ultimate perfection (1 John 4:12, 17-18), they stop using it, and so they reverse in their lives the process of godly growth — so much so, that they return to, and begin to live again in accordance with the customs of Satan’s world of hate and betrayal (compare 2 Peter 2:20-22). We are clearly told that in these last days, the work of “evil men and imposters will GROW worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).

We must not stagnate, but grow. However, we must grow in a right and godly way! If we cease growing in God’s wisdom and knowledge, we will grow in the wisdom of this world, which is inspired by Satan’s evil schemes and devices. In the parable of the wheat and the tares, both God’s disciples and Satan’s followers “grow together until the harvest” (Matthew 13:30). Grow we will — but the question is, in what way?

How do YOU grow?

EDITORIAL NOTE:

The most recent developments involving the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners, as well as the terrible murders and “executions” of American civilians and soldiers in Iraq, are shocking and appalling without description. Many newspapers, magazines and newscasts present in graphic detail the horrible crimes committed. Although the reason for the world’s condemnation of these atrocities might not be fully comprehended without the total and full knowledge of the specifics, we felt that it could not be the task of God’s church, to pass on those terrible atrocities, although we would be delinquent in our duty, if we were to fail to show how these events have deepened anti-Americanism in the world, in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. In regard to the specifics, let it suffice to quote the principle, as set forth in Ephesians 5:11-12: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose [reprove] them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.”

TORTURE IN IRAQ WIDE-SPREAD?

Reuters reported on May 7, 2004, that “The Red Cross discovered ‘serious violations’ of the rights of Iraqi prisoners, with abuse so widespread it may be considered to have been tolerated by the U.S.-led coalition, the Wall Street Journal said on Friday. In a confidential 24-page document, which was seen by the financial newspaper, the International Committee of the Red Cross said treatment in some cases was ‘tantamount to torture,’ particularly when interrogators were seeking information or confessions.”

Reuters continued: “The use of ill-treatment ‘went beyond exceptional cases and might be considered a practice tolerated’ by coalition forces, the newspaper quoted the ICRC as saying. That differs sharply from the view of senior officials in the administration of President Bush that military higher-ups had not condoned abuse, the newspaper said… Three former military policemen at the prison told Reuters on Thursday that abuse was commonplace.”

WAS TORTURE PART OF STRATEGY?

On Saturday, May 8, 2004, the British newspaper, “The Guardian,” claimed that “the sexual humiliation of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison [the same prison formerly used by Saddam Hussein to torture prisoners] was not an invention of maverick guards, but part of a system of ill-treatment and degradation used by special forces soldiers that is now being disseminated among ordinary troops and contractors who do not know what they are doing, according to British military sources. The techniques devised in the system, called R2I – resistance to interrogation – match the crude exploitation and abuse of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib jail in Baghdad.

“One former British special forces officer… said British and US military intelligence soldiers were trained in these techniques, which were taught at the joint services interrogation centre in Ashford, Kent, now transferred to the former US base at Chicksands. [A method used in the Iraqi prison] is one of the methods taught on both sides of the Atlantic under the slogan ‘prolong the shock of capture’, he said… ‘[The] whole experience is horrible. Two of my colleagues couldn’t cope with the training at the time. One walked out saying “I’ve had enough”, and the other had a breakdown. It’s exceedingly disturbing.'”

The Austrian “News Networld” Webpage claimed on May 8, 2004, that, according to a written report by Major General Antonio Taguba, issued to the US Military Investigation Committee, the terrible acts which were described in detail were part of a strategy by the U.S. Secret Service and perhaps the CIA, to intimidate prisoners to make them more cooperative. Taguba’s report speaks of “the Secret Service and other U.S. agencies.” News Networld claims that the term “other U.S. agencies,” identifies, in a military context, the CIA. Subsequently, Taguba testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, stating that the atrocities were NOT committed “pursuant to a policy.” He pointed out that it “involved only a hand full” of perpetrators, although he also testified that “there were others, but we could not track them down.” He stated that there were no “classified terrorists” in the prisons under investigation.

Major General Antonio M. Taguba’s entire lengthy report was posted on the website of MSNBC. Taguba’s report included the following conclusion: “Several US Army Soldiers have committed egregious acts and grave breaches of international law at AbuGharib/BCCF and Camp Bucca, Iraq. Furthermore, key senior leaders in both the 800th MP Brigade and the 205th MI Brigade failed to comply with established regulations, policies, and command directives in preventing detainee abuses [at those prisons] during the period August 2003 to February 2004.”

NO REVENGE?

AFP reported on May 12, 2004 that “The White House rejected any link between the abuse of Iraqi detainees by US soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison and the ‘brutal, barbaric’ [video-taped murder] of [a] US citizen by terrorists.” U.S. governmental spokesman Scott McClellan “rejected their [terrorists’] claim that they were avenging the mistreatment at the facility near Baghdad.” He continued to say, according to the article: “There simply is no justification for the deliberate and brutal killing of an innocent civilian… The brutal barbaric action of these terrorists shows their true nature.”

AFP added: “Reaction in Baghdad to the slaying was mixed. ‘As Muslims we can’t accept it, but we don’t blame them. It was a natural reaction to the human rights violations we have seen at Abu Ghraib. What the Americans are doing now is terrible,’ said a 45-year-old woman dentist. ‘Since the men came here to do something good for Iraq, it was shameful. Whoever comes to serve this country will be treated kindly by Iraqis, but I blame the Americans for being behind such activities,’ said restaurant worker Falah Faisal, 30.”

THE EFFECT OF WAR!

On May 7, 2004, ABC News published an insightful article, discussing the horrible effects of war. The facts presented in this article should be persuasive, all by themselves, to convince a true Christian that he must not be a participant in war, nor in the preparation of war. The article stated:

“The specifics of the incidents at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq remain to be sorted out. But the answer seems apparent for experts in the psychology of war and other mental health professionals contacted by ABC NEWS — such behavior is not uncommon in a time of military conflict and the potential to abuse others may lie in all of us. ‘In war, things do happen, often from emotion of the moment, exhaustion, frustration — a buddy killed, a unit hurt,’ maintains Samuel Watson, a former infantry officer in the Vietnam War who is now associate professor of public health at University of Pittsburgh… And Dr. Carlyle Chan, professor of psychiatry at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, says prisoner abuse is probably more prevalent than we would like to believe, given the trauma soldiers can experience.”
The article continued to ask: “What drives soldiers to abuse others in time of war? The key, believe these experts, is ‘the MILITARY CULTURE’ the soldiers and guards were immersed in.

“In war, ‘the enemy is not represented as a similar human being to oneself, but rather as a brute who is savage and single-minded in destructive intentions,’ says Rona M. Fields, director for cognitive sciences at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. This depersonalization, explains Evans, is a psychological defense against the horrible events soldiers witness during war. But once the enemy is seen as LESS THAN HUMAN, it can be easy to treat them accordingly.

“Another motivation for U.S. soldiers to mistreat Iraqi prisoners may have been simple RETALIATION, suggests Dr. Paul Ragan, a Navy psychiatrist during Desert Storm and now associate professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. ‘The emotional center of the brain, or the limbic system, wants to strike back…'”

ABC News asked this question: “But what if the leadership itself is commanding soldiers to behave in abusive ways? Would normal individuals be willing to follow morally abhorrent orders?”

The history of man has proven that the answer, tragically, is affirmative. Nazis, working at and supervising concentration camps, defended their brutal tortures and murders with these words: “I only followed orders.” And so, ABC News continued, in quoting another expert: “Ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and without any particular hostility on their part, can become agents in a terrible destructive process… Even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear, and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality.”

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH GETS INVOLVED…

Reuters reported on May 12 that “The scandal of prisoner abuses by U.S. soldiers in Iraq has dealt a bigger blow to the United States than the Sept. 11 attacks, the Vatican foreign minister told an Italian newspaper.”

The article continued: “In an interview published Wednesday in the Rome daily La Repubblica, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo described the abuses as ‘a tragic episode in the relationship with Islam’ and said the scandal would fuel hatred for the West and for Christianity. ‘The torture? A more serious blow to the United States than Sept. 11. Except that the blow was not inflicted by terrorists but by Americans against themselves,’ Lajolo was quoted as saying in La Repubblica.”

Reuters added: “The Vatican paper, L’Osservatore Romano, has also run some harsh comments in the past days. On Monday, it criticized what it called a Pentagon cover-up… President Bush is scheduled to hold talks with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican on June 4.”

Der Spiegel Online commented:

“In Germany, criticism continued as well. Gernot Eller, second in command of the Social Democratic Party… claimed that the torture in Iraq is no longer an internal American problem…. He said that the whole Western world has become inadvertently accused… He continued that the USA does not have the right to ask questions of other societies, but does have to answer for itself.”

US FACES LASTING DAMAGE ABROAD

The Washington Post published an article on May 7, 2004, pointing out the terrible damage abroad caused by the atrocities in Iraq. It stated:

“The United States faces the prospect of a severe and enduring backlash not just in the Middle East but also among strategic allies… The White House is so gloomy about the repercussions that senior adviser Karl Rove suggested this week that the consequences of the graphic photographs documenting the U.S. abuse of Iraqi detainees are so enormous that it will take DECADES for the United States to recover, according to a Bush adviser.”

The article continued:

“‘It’s a blinding glimpse of the obvious to say we’re in a hole,’ conceded Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage. He said the backlash in Europe is even greater than in the 22-nation Arab world. ‘For many of our European friends, what they saw on those horrible pictures is tantamount to torture, and there are very strong views about that,’ he said yesterday on CNN’s ‘Paula Zahn Now’ show. ‘In the Arab world, there is general dismay and disgust, but in some places we were not real popular to start with. So I think I’m actually seeing a EUROPEAN REACTION quite strong — quite a bit stronger.’

“In public and private communications, European officials have become critical or DISDAINFUL of the United States.”

“EUROPE AND AMERICA DRIFTING APART”

This was the headline of an article published by The San Diego Union Tribune on May 5, 2004 — even before the news hit regarding the most recent atrocities in Iraq. When describing the acceptance of ten new European countries by the EU on May 1, 2004, the newspaper pointed out: “The U.S. media paid scant attention; it was no big deal. IN EUROPE, IT WAS A GARGANTUAN DEAL.” It continued: “Opposition to the United States also distracts from Europe’s own problems. There’s a growing collision between generous welfare benefits and poor economic growth… The 10 countries received membership on grudging terms: economic aid and farm subsidies were limited; immigration rights were curtailed. The truth is that Europe is too weak to lead and too proud to follow.”

This may be true right now, but Europe understands this situation much better than most Americans do. Europeans realize that they are too weak to lead at this point — but they are determined to overcome that weakness. European leaders of the past, including Charlemagne, Otto the Great, Charles V. of Hapsburg, Napoleon I and III, Wilhelm IV., Mussolini and Hitler, have had a strong conviction that “God,” or a “higher power,” or “destiny,” had selected and ordained them to fulfill a certain predetermined role. Today, this persuasion may not exist in many European leaders. This, however, will change.

“Modern” Europe descended from ancient Rome. After the Roman Empire fell, it went through several “historical revivals.” In the Middle Ages, the “Holy Roman Empire” was born under Charlemagne. Later, it was called the “Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation,” under Otto the Great. In more recent times, Mussolini claimed that he had resurrected the ancient Roman Empire.

On April 30, 2004, Die Welt published an interview with French historian Jacques Le Goff. He stated that the word “Europa” or “Europe” was originally adapted from Greece. It comprised the peoples of the Roman Empire and the so-called “barbarians.” The Moors called the Europeans “Franks.” Goff claimed that Turkey does not belong, historically, to Europe, but to the Orient. He stated that in the Middle Ages, European emperors traveled to Rome to be crowned there. Europeans traveled without passports, and the upper class used a common language — that of Latin. It did not make any difference in which European city one studied. Goff suggested that today’s European concept of “open borders” goes back to the Middle Ages. He concluded: “I am filled with joy that the descendants of the Carolingian Empire [under Charlemagne], Germany and France, are playing today a major role in Europe.”

An article by the San Diego Union Tribune, dated May 1, 2004, is quite remarkable in this context. It reminded the readership of the “historic roots of Europe,” stating: “East and West Europe have been divorced from each other for most of history. UNDER THE ROMANS, CHARLEMAGNE, THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, NAPOLEON AND HITLER PARTS OF IT WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER BY FORCE OF ARMS OR RELIGION. NEVER BEFORE, THOUGH, HAVE EAST AND WEST JOINED TOGETHER LEGALLY AND DEMOCRATICALLY AS THEY NOW HAVE DONE.”

The article made this interesting remark: “What the new 25-nation EU will become IS NOT CERTAIN.”

However, the Bible describes in VERY CERTAIN terms what the future holds for Europe — and the United States of America. The article of the Union Tribune claimed: “Whatever new problems it poses, today’s expansion should be welcomed by Americans…. It has been the policy of every U.S. government for a half century to support European unity.” And indeed, this policy may make sense from a human standpoint. However, America’s and Europe’s future will not be, as many might expect. For a thorough and insightful look into the destinies of these two power blocs, please read our free booklets: “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

PASSPORT PROBLEMS BETWEEN US AND EU

Reuters reported on May 12, 2004, that “the European Union expects to start issuing new biometric passports with digital photographs and fingerprints by the end of 2005 and hopes the United States will continue to allow visa-free travel as a result, a top EU official said on Wednesday. Under current U.S. legislation, visa-free travel for 27 U.S. allies — including many European Union states — is in jeopardy. It requires all new passports from these ‘visa waiver’ countries to contain a biometric identifier, like a fingerprint or a face-scan, from Oct. 26, a deadline most of the states say they cannot meet.”

The article continued: “Both European and U.S. officials are eager for Congress to extend the deadline. Unless this happens, the United States risks a huge shortfall in traveler spending and a consular nightmare when millions of visitors suddenly require visas. Some 15.1 million people came into the United States under the visa waiver program last year, and their spending accounted for about two-thirds of spending by overseas visitors. The Department of Homeland Security has asked Congress to give visa waiver countries two more years to start issuing biometric passports… The Oct. 26 deadline only applies to passports issued after that date. Citizens of visa waiver countries who hold valid passports issued before Oct. 26 will be grandfathered, allowing them visa-free travel until their passports expire.”

In the context of Matthew 17, Peter, James and John accompany Jesus to a high mountain, and then, in verse 9, Jesus says, “‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.'” In this vision they witness Jesus being transfigured and appearing in His glorified state. Along with Jesus, Moses and Elijah also appear. In the parallel account of Mark 9, these disciples wonder at the instruction from Jesus when He spoke of His resurrection: “So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant” (verse 10).

Their curiosity led to the question we find recorded in Matthew 17:10: “And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?'” The scribes, along with the rest of the religious leadership of that time, did not understand how the Messiah would first appear. Not understanding the scriptures, they were only looking for the establishment of Israel’s kingdom and the destruction of their enemies. Following the resurrection of Jesus, even His disciples asked: “‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel'” (Acts 1:6)?

Not unlike some people today, the scribes of Jesus’ day narrowly focused on the prophecy found in Malachi 4. The last two verses of this chapter state: “‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD, And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse'” (verses 5 and 6).

This sweeping prophecy will culminate in the establishing of the Kingdom of God on the earth. However, God has been preparing for this event through His carefully prepared plan–a great master plan that was established even before the creation itself (Compare 1 Corinthians 2:7 and Titus 1:2).

Continuing in Matthew 17, Jesus explained, “‘but I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He spoke of John the Baptist” (verses 12-13).

John the Baptist was uniquely commissioned in this Elijah-like role: “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying…” (Luke 1:67); Then, in verse 76, John’s father makes this statement: “‘And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways.'”

During his short ministry, John the Baptist drew the attention of the Jews and they sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to question him. John 1:19 records their question: “…’Who are you?'” John answered that he was not the Christ, nor Elijah nor the Prophet. What he emphasized is recorded verse 23: “He said: ‘I am The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.'”

Is what John said in contradiction with what Jesus said of him, that “Elijah has come already?” Not at all. John knew who he was and the work he was to do. He knew that he was not the Messiah nor the Prophet. He also knew that he was not Elijah. Perhaps what he did not understand was that his work was an Elijah-like commission–in the manner that Malachi chapter 4 speaks of. However, Jesus Christ did know this and revealed it to His disciples as recorded in Matthew 17. Also note what an angel of God testified to Zacharias concerning John the Baptist: “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17). The angel did not say that John would be Elijah, but that he would have that kind of role to fulfill.

Even John did not know who the Messiah was until he baptized Jesus: “‘I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God'” (John 1:33-34). What John did know and do was to fulfill the work that God gave to him. Jesus said of John: “‘Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist'” (Matthew 11:11).

John the Baptist preached repentance from sins, and he and his disciples baptized many. However, Jesus’ disciples baptized more than John (see John 4:1-2). Indeed, John’s work prepared the way for what Jesus accomplished. Yet the greater work was done by Jesus in ways far beyond preaching and baptizing.

Clearly, the Bible speaks of a future time when some will come “in the spirit and power of Elijah.” The most direct prophecy of that event is found in Malachi 4. Note the time setting depicted in verse 5: “‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.'” The specific work to be done then will be much the same as what John the Baptist did. “‘And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse [utter destruction]'” (Malachi 4:6). The way in which this will be done is for both fathers and children to turn to the law of God (see verse 4).

We also find this description of what Jesus Christ did as Peter preached at Jerusalem: “‘To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities’ ” (Acts 3:26). In verse 24 of this same chapter in Acts, Peter says: “‘Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.'” Peter had already shown that Moses had, as well, spoken of God raising up a Prophet like him (verse 22).

Acts 3:21 speaks of Jesus Christ in this way: “‘whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.'” This was not an exclusive message from either Elijah or John the Baptist. Rather, the message of restoration of all things points to the establishment of God’s Kingdom on this earth. This is the same message that Jesus commissioned the Church to proclaim: “‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come'”(Matthew 24:14). What will end is the corrupt rule of Satan’s government. What will be restored is God’s government.

Since the time of John the Baptist, the Church of God has been carrying out an Elijah-like role in teaching the way of life that God instructs all to follow. Beyond that first generation of the Church, only in recent times has the work of the Church arisen to such a level that it impacted people all over the earth. That occurred during the lifetime of Herbert W. Armstrong as God empowered him to preach the gospel powerfully through the mass media of print, radio and television. Indeed, many heard that message and–like what happened in the time of John the Baptist–they repented and turned their hearts to obeying God.

Not unlike the first generation of the Church of God, the Worldwide Church of God (founded by Mr. Armstrong) has been overthrown through deceptive teachings from false ministers. As a consequence, we now find the people of God straying from the truth that they once believed. However, some have remained faithful to their calling to carry on the work of the Church.

Scripture shows that at the time of the end, there must yet arise a powerful witness of warning to both the modern nations of Israel and Judah, as well as to the entire world (This will be before the work of the two witnesses!). That work will have dramatic impact in the coming years. Note what Jesus said in this regard: “‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake'” (Matthew 24:9). Jesus gave this answer as a direct response to His disciples. He was speaking prophetically about His future disciples! Much like John the Baptist was called upon to do, the Church of God will face the task of proclaiming the intervention of One Who will bring peace–this time forcibly! The Elijah message at the beginning centered on this thought: “‘If the LORD is God, follow Him'” (1 Kings 18:21). That is what Malachi prophesied, it is what John the Baptist proclaimed, it is what Jesus taught and commissioned His followers to teach–it is the message that will carry on being proclaimed into the Kingdom of God!

Revelation 11 shows that two prophets will arise just before Christ returns. They will be imbued with power from God, much like Moses and Aaron, to work powerful signs before the whole world. It is interesting to note that in the vision seen by Peter, James and John, it was Moses and Elijah who appeared (Compare Matthew 17). They are dead and buried, but the two witnesses of God are different individuals–they will prophesy during the time when modern Israel and Judah will be punished, and many of them who escape death will become captives scattered and sold all over the world. These two people will contend with the great false religious leader then alive as well as the government leaders of the revived Roman Empire. Not only will they proclaim God’s soon coming punishment of the earth, but they will have power from God to bring about awesome miracles to withstand Satan’s evil influence and to wake up any who might repent. Verse 7 indicates that they will “finish their testimony.” Exactly what that testimony is can be understood from the prophecies found in Zechariah 4. In verse 14, the two olive trees mentioned earlier in the chapter are identified as “‘These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.'” In verse 7, we find the message that will be proclaimed: “‘And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!””

That “capstone” is Jesus Christ. He is the stone that the builders rejected (Compare Luke 20:17; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6-8) Jesus Christ is the One Who will restore the earth (Compare Isaiah 49:8). That restoration will involve this physical world which will have come to the brink of extinction. That restoration will also be the establishment of God’s Kingdom and the teaching of God’s ways in order that mankind may truly become the sons and daughters of God and inherent eternal life and peace forever more (Compare Romans 8:18-22).

Elijah will be with Jesus Christ and the others who attain the first resurrection. Elijah, like all the faithful men and women living in past generations, is in the grave–he is dead. But Jesus Christ has already led the way for us. He has been resurrected and He is alive and at the right hand of God. He has promised to return to this earth. Then and only then will we see the restoration of all things as the great master plan of God continues to its completion. Finally, as Revelation chapters 21 and 22 show, the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, will dwell in the midst of their family. “‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away'” (Revelation 21:4).

Our booklet on Healing has reached the final review stage.

A new booklet on Jesus Christ is being written.

On Saturday, May 8, 2004, Dave Harris will be giving the sermon, titled, “Worship God!”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Whom is God trying to save? Is it just the Christians and not the Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists? Is it the people of the United States and not those of Iraq? Is it the intelligent?

Many will be happy to know that God wants everyone to be saved, ultimately. God wants everyone to be in the Kingdom of God. That’s what His whole plan of salvation is about. On the other hand, we understand that today, God has only called very few to salvation, while the rest of the world will be called by God at a later time — after Christ’s return (compare John 6:44; 1 John 5:19; Romans 11:7, 25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:22-24). For those whom God has called in this day and age, God has set this wonderful plan in motion and it is God working in us and with us:

“For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13); and “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). There is nothing that would make Him more joyous than to see everyone there.

God has already started making a place for you (John 14:2)! He is not waiting until we get there; He has put the plans in motion already because He is expecting you. God wants to give you the keys to the Kingdom! So much emphasis has been put on us WANTING to be there, but we need to realize that God WANTS us to be there even more.

GOD HAS GIVEN us quite a bit to accomplish this: His Son, His Holy Spirit and His Word, our talents, His ministry, the fellowship with brethren of like mind, etc. He even lets us know when we are off the narrow path. God wants us to succeed and He has given us the means by which we can do this if we avail ourselves of these tools and build righteous character as the result.

God is planning on us being successful …are we?

“Why is President Bush So Popular in the U.S.?”

This is a question which is puzzling to most Europeans. Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 29, 2004, that President Bush seems to gain popularity in the U.S. “in spite of the debacle in Iraq.” The magazine speculated that part of the reason might be Mr. Bush’s uncompromising stance on things, “regardless of whether he is right or wrong.” In addition, it was pointed out that another reason, which might be somewhat related, is his “missionary zeal of a crusader.” He was quoted as saying that it is “the holy duty of the President” to defend the nation; and that he is only a “messenger who prays for strength to do the Work of the Lord.” The magazine concluded: “These words are no coincidence. How can one criticize the messenger of the Lord?”

The New York Times added the following comments in its article, published April 15:

“Compare Kennedy with Mr. Bush, who conceded no errors and warned that any Vietnam analogy with Iraq — in this acid flashback moment when 89 U.S. troops have been killed in two weeks and when McNarummy is forcing up to 20,000 troops to stay in Iraq — ‘sends the wrong message to our troops and sends the wrong message to the enemy.’

“He reiterated that his mission is dictated from above: ‘Freedom is the Almighty’s gift to every man and woman in this world.’

“Given the Saudi religious authority’s fatwa against our troops, and given that our marines are surrounding a cleric in the holy city of Najaf, we really don’t want to make Muslims think we’re fighting a holy war. That would only further inflame the Arab world and endanger our overstretched military…”

We have pointed out for quite a while that most recent events involving the United States of America, Great Britain, the Middle East, and continental Europe, are no coincidence, but in furtherance of God’s plan to bring about the end of our present civilization. To learn more about the historic importance of current events, please read our free booklets: “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Europe Ahead of the U.S.

As Der Spiegel Online reported on April 27, 2004, Europe has now acquired the sad reputation of being a bigger exporter of weapons than the U.S. While the U.S. has exported and sold weapons in 2003 in the amount of $4.4 billion (which constitutes 23.5 percent of the world’s weapons exports), the EU exported weapons in the amount of $4.7 billion (or 25 percent of the world’s weapons exports). More than 80 percent of the European exports originated in France, Germany and Great Britain.

With 37 percent of the world’s weapons exports, Russia has become the world’s biggest exporter of weapons, having become as powerful and influential as during Communist times, before the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Has Noah’s Ark Been Found?

On April 27, World Net Daily reported that “a team of scientists, archaeologists and forensic experts plan to climb Turkey’s Mt. Ararat this summer in quest of evidence that will prove they have discovered Noah’s Ark. Satellite photos taken last year at the height of a record-warm summer, give Daniel P. McGivern confidence he has discovered the biblical icon. ‘These new photos unequivocally show a man made object,’ McGivern told reporters at the National Press Club in Washington… The U.S. Air Force took the first photographs of the Mt. Ararat site in 1949, Space.com said. The images allegedly revealed what seemed to be a structure covered by ice, but were held for years in a confidential file labeled ‘Ararat Anomaly.’ The government released several of the images in 1997, but experts say they are inconclusive. McGivern’s expedition follows an attempt in 2002 by Porcher Taylor, a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. Taylor used satellite imagery of the area, but photos taken in 2003 by DigitalGlobe’s Quick Bird satellite provide a unique view because last summer was Europe’s hottest since 1500.”

The paper pointed out, too, that “there are many who believe Noah’s Ark has already been found on a site several kilometers from Mt. Ararat, and say it’s faithful to the Bible account which states in Genesis 8:4 the ark rested ‘upon the MOUNTAINS of Ararat,’ not mountain. The Turkish government has proclaimed it to be Noah’s Ark, and a visitor’s center is open there.”

The New Europe

As the Drudge Report pointed out on April 30, 2004, mass celebrations all over Europe took place to welcome 10 new European nations to the “European House.” It stated: “Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians celebrated their former communist country’s entry into the European Union with midnight parties in the streets of Budapest as the EU welcomed 10 new states on Saturday.

“Fireworks lit up the sky above Heroes’ Square in the Hungarian capital as the national anthem was played, followed by Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, which is the EU’s anthem.

“‘Hungary has returned to Europe and the values which Hungary has held dear for more than 1,000 years,’ Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy said as a gigantic eight-meter (25-foot) hourglass was turned over to begin marking the nation’s time in the EU.

“Hungarians had kicked off celebrations with the tolling of a flower-shaped bell at noon Friday and then took to the streets for evening parties.

“‘We are finally triumphing over our misfortunes,’ Medgyessy said at the bell ceremony. ‘Our integration (into the EU) can be a historic turning point.’

“‘We were the gates of Europe already but now we will be that from the inside,’ he said.”

AFP added the following comments: “Europe stood proudly reunited almost six decades after it was split in two by the Cold War, as 10 nations in eastern Europe and the Mediterranean took their places in the European Union. The once-communist states of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia officially joined the EU family at the stroke of midnight Central European summer time… Mediterranean islands Cyprus and Malta joined them as well, rounding out what is indisputably the world’s BIGGEST single economic bloc, and a fledgling political force, with a total population of 455 million. ‘For Europe, today [May 1, 2004] marks the closure of one chapter and the opening of another new and exciting chapter in its long history,’ said Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, whose nation holds the rotating EU presidency.”

The paper continued: “Poland, by far the biggest of the 10 newcomers, marked its EU entry with the hoisting of the blue, yellow-starred EU flag at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Warsaw. ‘Welcome to a united Europe,’ President Aleksander Kwasniewski said. ‘Dreams are becoming a reality.’ [Der Spiegel Online added that Kwasniewiski also said: “We can be proud that we are changing Europe.”] In Prague, on a stage bedecked with EU flags, Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla called EU accession ‘the end of a long and difficult journey’ that began with the Prague Spring rebellion against Soviet domination in 1968… Germany hailed the moment by turning Brandenburg Gate — scene of jubilant scenes in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down — into one large beer garden.”

Associated Press stated on April 30: “Hundreds of thousands of people across the ‘new Europe’ celebrated with street festivals in a jubilant countdown Friday to the European Union’s historic enlargement… when the EU becomes a potential economic and political POWERHOUSE of 25 nations and 450 million citizens.” The article quoted Hans Gert Poettering, a German politician who leads the conservative faction in the European Parliament, as saying that the enlargement is the “EU’s greatest political success,” and that “it means that for the first time in European history peace can be ensured for the long term.'”

Sadly, in spite of such enthusiastic and euphoric comments, the Bible predicts quite a different development of the European power bloc. We also read that when they say, “Peace, peace,” there will be no peace (compare Jeremiah 8:11).

On May 1, 2004, Associated Press reported: “Former Czech President Vaclav Havel, the playwright who led the Velvet Revolution that ended communist rule in 1989, urged his countrymen to become ‘self-confident citizens of Europe.’ Czechs awoke Saturday [May 1, 2004] as members of a bloc ‘that is not a result of wars, that is not based on the violent domination of some over others, but which was born, evolves, strengthens and expands out of the free will of European nations,’ Havel said in Prague.” The article continued: “‘It creates an expanded market of 450 million consumers which will increase prosperity, trade, investment and jobs throughout the enlarged Europe,’ British Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote in an article published Friday in The Times newspaper of London. Blair pointed out that Britain’s trade with the eight new members from eastern Europe has doubled in the past decade as they shook off the remnants of communism and opened up their economies.”

According to AP, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder stated that “greater trade across the enlarged Europe” will make Germans “not poorer, but richer.” BILD Online added, on April 30, that Schroeder said that Germany’s export to new Europe is already bigger than its export to the United States.

Zenit reported on April 29 about a pilgrimage of Catholic bishops of the European continent to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the “spiritual capital of Europe.” They pointed out that “the profound roots of a united Europe stem from the Franco-German reconciliation.” In addressing the European unification, they stated: “We Christians are convinced that God is the Lord of history and has manifested his lordship by sending His son, who died on the cross to gather those who are scattered. Precisely at Easter, when we pray for the community, we are following the plan of God, who desires reconciliation.”

According to Die Welt, of April 17, 2004, the “Catholic bishops of Poland told the Polish people to contribute with a Christian spirit to the building of Europe.”

Europe will ultimately be united under the spiritual and religious leadership of the Catholic Church, as many Biblical passages clearly reveal.

Europe’s Babel Tower

euobserver.com reported on April 28, 2004, about the European problems to communicate with each other. The article pointed out that “a union of 25 member states [operates] in 20 official languages… In comparison, the UN has just six official languages.”

The article continued that there are “simply not enough people who are proficient in [for example] both Lithuanian and Spanish… The cost of the EU’s translation service is set to rise to around 800 million euro a year… In principle, the three working — as opposed to the 20 official — languages of the EU are French, German and English… English is the most spoken foreign language in the new member states, followed by Russian and German… Europe is set to keep its BABEL TOWER for the foreseeable future. From 1 May, the Germanic (German, English, Danish, Dutch, Swedish), Romance (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese)and Greek languages will be joined by the Slavic (Polish, Slovak, Czech, Slovenian) and Baltic (Latvian, Lithuanian) tongues. The Finns will at last get some Uralic company and no longer be the only one speaking a non Indio-European language — they will be joined by the Estonians and the Hungarians while the Maltese will sit in linguistic isolation… But that is not the end of it. In a few years, Bulgarian, Croatian and Romanian could be added to the list of official languages.”

The Fruits of War

As if the US and Britain weren’t causing themselves enough grief already, pictures of soldiers treating captured Iraqi prisoners in such a detestable manner have been broadcast all over the world. Memories are long in that part of the world, and it may well contribute to what will happen in the near future in the coming captivity of modern Israel: ” ‘And the LORD will take you back to Egypt in ships, by the way of which I said to you, ‘You shall never see it again.’ And there you shall be offered for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you’ ” (Deuteronomy 28:68).

On the BBC a military official said of the British soldiers who did these things that they “were not worthy of the Queen’s dress.” A similar protestation has arisen from President George Bush by his indication that this isn’t the way Americans conduct themselves. However, this is certainly a true and accurate reflection of the fruits of war. Sadly, it is also a commentary on human nature run amuck and a further reason why this world is rushing headlong into the vortex of worldwide turmoil.

AIDS — an Ongoing Curse!

Bild Online published on April 16 some disturbing statistics on Aids. It titled its article: “People die of AIDS as never before!” It pointed out: “In 2003, three million people died of AIDS… 40 million are infected with the HIV virus, including 25 million children and teens. In 2003 alone, more than 14,000 people were infected with the HIV virus on a daily basis.”

The paper stressed, too, that not only homosexuals or drug users are infected, but that every fifth infected person is heterosexual. It added: “Nearly every second newly infected person is between 15 and 24 years of age. 3 million die yearly of AIDS — that means, 8,400 human beings die each day.”

Evolution and the Truth!

Following protests from Italian students and the Catholic conference of bishops, the Italian government announced that Evolution would no longer be taught in Italian schools to pupils, aged of 13 or younger, according to Der Spiegel Online of April 19. This decision caused a flood of protests from “renowned scientists and Nobel prize recipients,” stating that this prohibition “damaged the scientific culture.” As Der Spiegel Online reported on May 2, 2004, this protest prompted the Italian government to reinstate the teaching of Evolution to school children younger than 13.

The original protests by the students of the governmental party AGAINST Evolution were voiced in February, when a week-long anti-Evolution seminar was conducted, titled, “Evolution — a fairy tale for schools.” Pietro Cerullo, representative of the governmental party, had declared: “Darwin’s theory is important for the left. It developed when positivism existed in Europe, the forerunner of Marxism.”

The concept of Evolution is indeed false and unbiblical. The pressure and influence from scientists and other Nobel prize recipients cannot change the fact that the theory of Evolution is unproved and improvable — that it is, in fact, highly unscientific and IN OPPOSITION to established scientific facts. Please read our free booklet, “Evolution — a Fairy Tale for Adults.”

A careful review of the Scriptures reveals that God forgives us our sins, when we repent. In the same way, God requires of us to forgive a sinner his or her sins or trespasses AGAINST US, when he or she repents. Many times, however, we may not know whether or not a person has repented of his or her sins against us. The Bible instructs us as how to deal with such a situation:

We should always have a forgiving attitude and a willingness to immediately forgive upon repentance, as this can be the start of any reconciliation process. We must never develop and harbor grudges against another person (Leviticus 19:18). We must hate the sin, but we must never hate the sinner. If we begin to hate the sinner, and develop resentment against the sinner, then we may find ourselves in a position where we might not be able to forgive the sinner, when he or she does repent and/or when his or her repentance comes to our attention. Further, harboring grudges against someone is not spiritually or physically healthy for ourselves. It can deprive us of the inner peace and joy of God which we are supposed to have (compare John 14:27; 15:11; 16:24; Colossians 3:15). God is always willing and ready to forgive, and so must we. It has been correctly said that we must do everything we can to establish peace (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 3:11); and to help a person to repent, realizing at the same time that repentance is a gift from God (Romans 2:4). When we forgive, we must also forget, as God does (Jeremiah 31:34). Many may have a problem with eradicating from their memories the bad things, which somebody might have done to them. Without God’s help, it is clearly impossible to totally forget. However, with God’s help, all things are possible; and when we truly forgive someone his or her sins against us, we must make every effort to totally forget, and we must pray to God that He gives us that ability.

Some have felt that we must actually forgive a sinner his or her sins committed against us, even though he or she clearly and unambiguously REFUSES to repent. They have turned to a few Scriptures that may speak of forgiveness, without specifically mentioning repentance. To follow one of the most important principles of Bible study, we need to look at the clear and unambiguous Scriptures first, before addressing the more “difficult” ones. Further, we must take all the Scriptures together, understanding that they COMPLEMENT each other. For instance, when several Scriptures require repentance before forgiveness, and a few may not specifically mention repentance when addressing forgiveness, then it is incorrect to assume that there exists a duty to forgive sin, although the sinner clearly refuses to repent. Rather, by reading all the Scriptures, it is clear that there cannot be forgiveness without a willingness and a desire to repent of sin. We are not talking here about “offensive” or “rude” conduct that does not constitute sin – – we are addressing here a rebellious and proud refusal to repent of SIN.

God tells us that we must forgive others, AS God has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32).This is actually requiring of us to develop and have the same kind of mindset that God has. We are to become as God is — that is, perfect (Matthew 5:48; Genesis 17:1). For example, we are being told that we are to love one another AS Christ loved us (John 15:12) — and Christ loved us with the same love with which the Father loved Him (John 15:9). Actually, it is Christ’s love in us that enables us to love others in the same way (John 15:10). We are to develop and have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5) and God the Father. When Christ said that we have to love each other AS He loved us, this is to be understood quite literally, of course. Although God does not forgive a sinner without his repentance, He still loves him. In fact, we read that God loved the WORLD (when they were all unrepentant sinners) so much that He gave His only-begotten Son so that everyone who BELIEVES in Him (having come to repentance and having accepted the Sacrifice of Christ for payment of his or her sins) does not have to perish, but can have everlasting life (John 3:16). Although God does not forgive SIN without repentance, He still LOVES the sinner. God may “overlook” sinful conduct (not forgiving it), as we read in Acts 17:30, and so can we (compare Proverbs 19:11: “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.”)

We are to love the sinner — even our enemy. We must forgive others their sins against us, AS God has forgiven us our sins which are (ultimately) against Him — as He is the Lawgiver who tells us what sin is (James 4:12). We understand, that God does not forgive us if we are not willing to repent of our sins and show instead through our conduct that we want to continue sinning against God. John would not baptize people who had not shown in their lives “fruits worthy of repentance” (Luke 3:7-9). Christ came to call sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13). He also said that we will perish, if we don’t repent (Luke 13:3, 5). He said that Nineveh was spared, because they repented (Matthew 12:41). Paul said that he might have to mourn for many “in the church” who did not repent of their sins (2 Corinthians 12:21). Of course, Christ’s message to the seven churches in the book of Revelation is filled with the admonition to repent, and He shows the consequences if they don’t. We know that those who refuse to repent and overcome their sins will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:7-8; compare, too, Jeremiah 18:23).

When Christ addressed our duty to forgive our fellow man, He included the concept of prior repentance. Luke 17:3-4 tells us: “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins AGAINST YOU, rebuke him; and IF HE REPENTS, forgive him. And if he sins AGAINST YOU seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, I REPENT, you shall forgive him.”

On the other hand, God is ALWAYS READY and WILLING to forgive (Psalm 86:5), and so must we. When someone sins against us, or we know that someone thinks that we have sinned against him or her, we are to talk to the person in an attempt to reconcile. We are NOT instructed in God’s Word that we must WAIT until the person, who has sinned against us, comes to us and asks us to forgive him or her. God gives us the freedom — and many times the responsibility and obligation — to go to our brother in an attempt to reconcile with our brother. We read in Matthew 5:23-24: “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother HAS SOMETHING AGAINST YOU, leave your gift there before the altar, AND GO YOUR WAY. First be RECONCILED with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

IF our brother, who has sinned against us, is motivated by love and if he follows the lead of the Holy Spirit, he WILL respond to our attempt to reconcile with him. We read, in Matthew 18:15, that if he “hears” us, we have gained a brother. That is, he needs to hear – to repent of the sin that he committed against us. And if we find out that we have sinned against our brother, we need to confess and repent of that as well (compare James 5:16 and our Q&A on “Confession” in Update #92). But, if he REFUSES to hear us, then what? Are we commanded to forgive him, regardless? That’s not what Christ says. He tells us, “But if he will NOT hear you, take with you one or two more… and if he REFUSES to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:16-17).

In other words, let him be to you as an “unclean person,” disfellowshipped from the community of the body of Christ. Then what?

Upon his repentance, we are to “restore” such a person (Galatians 6:1). We might have to make a “distinction,” as to how to go about doing it (Jude 20-23). Upon repentance, Paul asked of the Corinthians to restore the sinning brother back into the fold (2 Corinthians 2:5-8). It has to include the concept of repentance, however, as otherwise there would be no point in disfellowshipping the person in the first place.

In Luke 15:11-32, we read the moving parable of the “lost son.” When the lost son returned to his father’s house, the father saw him coming (verse 20). He was WAITING for his return. He ran to him and kissed him tenderly (as the original has it), showing him that he was willing to take him back (same verse). The fact that he saw the son RETURNING was already sufficient for him to grant him forgiveness. He SAW that the son was showing fruits worthy of repentance – he was returning. This is of course a parable, showing that God the Father is WAITING for our repentance (compare 2 Peter 3:9), and that He is READY to forgive, when we repent and want His forgiveness. God can look at our hearts. The son had said, before he had ever reached the father, that he had sinned (Luke 15:18-19). And, when he reached his father, he said the same again (verse 21).

Having a forgiving attitude requires sometimes GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. Only God can look into the heart of a person (although God has given His ministers a certain degree of discernment to ascertain whether someone is repentant or not, compare John 20:22-23. In addition, Christ tells all of His disciples to carefully analyze the conduct of false ministers, compare Matthew 7:15-20). When a person seems to express or show repentance, that must be sufficient for us to willingly grant forgiveness. A person, who sins against us and comes to us seven times “in a day” and says, ” I’m sorry,” needs to be forgiven every time (compare Luke 17:4). Christ even said that we must forgive him “up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22), that is, there is no limit whatsoever. On the other hand, a person who continues in wrongdoing and who shows no sign of regret whatsoever, and does not ask for forgiveness, and proudly claims that he has nothing to repent of, does fall into a different category.

However, if in doubt, we are to show mercy. We might have a hard time believing that a person who asks us seven times within a day to forgive him has truly repented. Still, Christ said, if he comes to you seven times within a day and says, “I repent,” you must forgive him (Luke 17:3-4).

Also, we sometimes may not know whether a person has repented, if he or she lives far away from us. We are admonished to be tender hearted (Ephesians 4:32) and merciful (Luke 6:36). If a person initiates contact with us, even if it is by sending a card, or calling on the phone, or if he or she responds to us, when we try to initiate contact, we should act mercifully and compassionately, with the goal of restoring the relationship. We need to always give the benefit of the doubt! After all, if we are unwilling to forgive others their trespasses, God will not forgive us our trespasses either (Matthew 6:14-15). The father of the “lost son” was willing to give his son the benefit of the doubt – he saw him coming back, and while still afar off, he ran to him. As we read in Leviticus 19:18, we are not to hold grudges or anger against a person, and we are not to refuse to communicate with him or her, because we don’t know yet FOR SURE whether the person has repented. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2:5: “Don’t be too severe.” After the punishment had been inflicted (compare verse 6), he admonished the brethren: “… you ought rather to forgive and comfort him” (verse 7).

We need to become perfect, as God in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48). Even though God does not forgive “the bad” without their repentance, He still “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). If we have that same kind of a godly attitude, we will be “sons of our Father in heaven” (same verse), striving towards perfection (verse 48). That is why we are to love our enemies, and to do good to those who hurt and hate us (verse 44). We are to pray to God FOR them (same verse) — so that God would perhaps grant them repentance and a change of heart (compare 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Acts 8:20-24).

A “character description” of the converted Christian can be found in Colossians 3:12-15. It discusses forgiveness in the context of a much bigger picture: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even AS Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love [which covers all sins, compare Proverbs 10:12], which is the bond of perfection. And let the PEACE OF GOD rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

On Saturday, May 1, 2004, Norbert Link will be giving the sermon, titled, “Your Will Be Done!”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

In the beginning, the Eternal God created the heavens and the earth as the abode of Lucifer and the one third of God’s angels placed under Lucifer’s authority. God gave them rulership of those areas of the universe assigned to Lucifer and, thus, also under Lucifer’s jurisdiction. Lucifer chose to rebel against God and His Ways and attempted, along with the angels assigned to him, to overthrow the throne of God and to take control of the entire universe. Lucifer and His angels failed in this attempt and were cast back down to the earth where they are to this day (Ezekiel 28). This is more fully explained in our booklet, “The Theory of Evolution — A Fairy Tale For Adults?“

Commencing with verse 2 of Genesis 1, we find a record of the re-creation, or the re-establishment of the earth, which was made null and void in the cataclysmic battle between the angels who followed Lucifer and the angels of God. God recreated the earth in six days.

The joy of this re-creation came toward the end of the sixth day when God created man in the very image of God, according to the likeness of God the Father and of the One Who became Jesus Christ. In fact, it was by the very hands of this Being, Who became Jesus Christ, that all things in the heavens and on the earth were made. (John 1:1-4)

On the seventh day He ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day. He then blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it, He rested from all His work, which He had created and made (Genesis 2:1-3).

Yes, God established the seventh day as a day of rest and He tells us in His Word that He blessed the seventh day and that it is a day holy to Him. We are told to remember the seventh day and to observe it with the understanding that in so doing we recall all that was done during that first week when God re-created the earth and all that is in it. God also established other Holy Days, which you and I are commanded to keep. (For a complete analysis of these Days, their intent and purpose, write for our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”)

God has a purpose for each and every one of these special days noted in Scripture which He has established as holy to Him. Each day He has established reflects things He has done or events of the future and His Plan relative to those special days for the future.

But man has perverted all of Gods Holy Days and has failed in the right observance of those days. He has forgotten the purpose for which God originally established each holy day and why these days are so significant in God’s overall plan and purpose for mankind.

On numerous occasions God told His chosen people, Israel, not to enquire of the peoples in lands where He would lead them as to how those peoples worshipped their gods, saying, “… even so will I do to my God.” He specifically told them not to do that, because these peoples had done abominable things in the worship of their gods. Yet, today, most who call themselves Christians have forgotten the days God established for their good, but rather, have turned, have enquired of those pagan practices and have incorporated those practices into a system of worship whereby they try to please the One True God.

It is interesting that this year of 2004, May 1 falls on God’s Sabbath. And while the religions of the world, even so-called “Christian Religions,” for the most part will not be observing this Sabbath as commanded in God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, but will rather attempt to worship the One True God on the first day of the week, the so-called “Lord’s Day,” in direct opposition to God’s command. And on this particular weekly Sabbath, many will observe a pagan day which the world refers to as “May Day.”

This day, “May Day,” is a special day of the pagans, a spring festival, established centuries ago, in celebration each year of the coming summer months. The day was set aside to appease and to please the pagan gods according to the customs of these pagan religions.

Many modern day pagans believe this festival was held and observed to the pagan god, “Belenus,” or “Bel,” a fire/sun god, most likely as a celebration of his mating with “Danu,” the primal earth mother. The indication is that the festival name means “Bel’s Fire.”

Some have associated this ritual to the “Baal” of Biblical times while others relate it to “Beltaine,” the worship of whom the Gauls brought to Britain during the Roman occupation. Others say there is no connection.

Notable traditions of this day’s celebrations were the “Maypole,” imported to England from Italy during the reign of Charles I or Elizabeth I. It is said that the pole itself probably represented the “tree of life” or “world tree.” The custom was to attach ribbons to the tree and weaving them together by dancers, thus, the Maypole dance. Perhaps you observed this ritual in your own experience as a youth without knowledge of its true meaning.

While God established His festivals, days holy to Him, all described in His Written Word, interestingly, within paganism, there are two types of festivals: 1) Esbats, which mark the changes in the moon; and 2) Sabbats, which recognize the changes in the sun. Of course, we all understand, these days have been inspired by the god of this world, Satan, the devil.

Esbats, traditionally, are times in which magic, divination, the development of psychic skills and such are practiced. Falling within this category is “Samhain.” This is pronounced “sow-een,” and is the pagan New Year’s Eve. It means “summer’s end,” and falls on the 31st of October. This day, today, is widely known as Halloween. The reason is that the “Christian Church” adopted the day in an effort to convert people to their religion. We also understand this day is recognized as the day of the dead, supposedly in honor of friends and relatives who have “passed away.” On this day these dead are invited back to spend an evening with those observing this day. Samhain is known by the names Halloween, Hallow mass, and All Saint’s Eve. (For additional insight into the origin of Halloween, see our Q&A in Update #114, dated October 24, 2003.)

Just opposite from this day of “Samhain” is the Sabbat festival of “Beltain.” “Beltain,” also known as “Beltane” or “May Day,” falls exactly six months from “Samhain,” on the 31st day of April, or as we reckon it, “May 1.” It is also opposite in its meaning, a day celebrating “life and love” with sexual undertones, rather than “death.” It is celebrated, if possible, with a large bonfire or candles, for the purpose of encouraging fertility. The May Pole, a phallic symbol, is the center piece of this festival and traditionally was danced around by maidens to draw a lover — not by children, as is currently practiced by modern religions.

It is certainly significant, especially to God, what days we observe and how we observe them. God tells us in His Word that He is not happy when we veer away from His Teachings, and in particular, in relation to His Holy Days.

What a difference a Day makes!

THE CRUELTY OF WAR

On April 26, 2004, Bild Online published an exceptionally well-written, moving, disturbing and thought-provoking article pertaining to the terrors and problems of war. We are giving you excerpts from the article, in an English translation, as we feel that the terrible truth manifested in the article should make everybody realize the unspeakable tragedy of war — ANY war fought by humans in this world. War always leads to pain and suffering — and many times, those who suffer the most are innocent victims or “casualties” — exactly those very persons for whom, allegedly, the particular war had been fought in the first place.

The article was titled: “The other side of the war — The suffering of innocent children in Iraq.”

It was pointed out:

“Little Wiam Mohammed (4), of the Iraqi town of Fallujah, looks fearfully into the camera of the reporter. Her brown eyes are filled with tears. She is in pain. During a fight with US soldiers, her shoulder was injured. The wounds of her arm will heal — those of her soul may never heal.

“This is the sad story of the little Iraqi girl: Since April 5, the Americans had surrounded Fallujah. The situation has become critical. That is why Wiam’s parents decided to flee with their seven children to Baghdad. During their ‘flight,’ their car was shot at by American soldiers. Gofran (9), the oldest sister of Wiam, explains: ‘Bullets shattered against the car. The windows crashed. My mother and father were dead immediately. My younger brother was hit several times in the head. His face was totally distorted.’ Gofran’s sisters Saja (11) and Armal (5) also died during the shooting.

“Gofran continues: ‘I yelled for my mother, for my father — but I did not get an answer. I wept, then it was noticed that I was injured.’ The little girl sustained injuries at her right eye and her knee.

“The tragedy of Fallujah has destroyed a family. Gofran is now all alone with her sisters Doha (10), Khitam (5) and Wiam (4).

“The suffering of the children is the other, bitter side of the war. When U.S. President George W. Bush declared that major combat had ended, as of May 1, 2003… , hope erupted. Hope that finally peace would enter a country that had been demoralized by ex-dictator Saddam Hussein. But, one year later, neither fear nor brutality have disappeared.

“Occurrences, such as the one involving Wiam, happen nearly on a daily basis. Families are being destroyed, childhood and youth are being taken away from the children.

“Such as in the case of Hagar: The 14-year old girl from Baghdad lies in the hospital with extremely severe burns. Almost all of her face, her arms and her legs are burned. Natives wanted to attack American soldiers with shells. They missed and hit instead a farmer’s market.

“The bitter summary of the Iraq-war is this: Almost 700 soldiers of the allies and more than 10,000 civilians have been killed. Many families have lost their loved ones. Children weep for their parents, brothers and sisters. They grow up without any goal in life. Any hope that suffering, pain and fear would disappear, does still not exist one year after the official end of the Iraq war…”

ISRAEL “A GREAT POISON”?

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s top envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, called Israel “the great poison” in the Middle East, when he criticized Israel’s policy and U.S. support of it, according to Associated Press of April 24, 2004. He said that the establishment of an interim government in Iraq is being made more difficult by Israeli policy toward the Palestinians, claiming that the problems are linked. Brahimi’s daughter, Rym Brahimi, is engaged to Jordanian King Abdullah II’s half brother, Prince Ali. She announced that she will resign her job as CNN correspondent.

TONY BLAIR IN TROUBLE?

As Reuters reported on April 26, “a roll-call of former British diplomats blasted Tony Blair on Monday and said it was time for the prime minister to start influencing America’s ‘doomed’ policy in the Middle East or stop backing it.” The article continued: “In an unprecedented letter signed by 52 former ambassadors, high commissioners and governors — the top ranks of British diplomacy — Blair was urged to sway U.S. policy in the region as ‘matter of the highest urgency’… The protest letter comes as Blair faces DEEP DISCONTENT among voters for backing a U.S.-led war that MOST BRITONS HAD OPPOSED and for endorsing a Washington-driven policy that has put LONDON ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH ALLIES IN EUROPE.”

In a related article, AFP reported on April 24, 2004, that “Blair is facing a huge challenge in persuading Britons to back the proposed European Union constitution in a referendum, polls suggested…. Just 25 percent of voters said they believed Britain should sign up to the constitution. Meanwhile, 55 percent were against the move, and 19 percent were undecided.”

On April 25, 2004, AFP reported that “German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has said the European Union must find a way of ensuring a first-ever constitution can go into force EVEN IF COUNTRIES LIKE BRITAIN REJECT IT IN NATIONAL REFERENDUMS.”

ATTACK ON U.S. POLICIES BY GERMAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT

Germany’s candidate for President, Horst Koehler, has publicly condemned the United States because of its Iraq policy, according to Der Spiegel Online, dated April 24, 2004. He claimed that the U.S. has committed “serious mistakes,” has acted in an “arrogant” way, and has had no plan for Iraq after the war. He charged that the United States have become proud because of their power.

Koehler is the candidate for President of the German opposition parties, the CDU and the FDP.

ABORTION — AN ONGOING CURSE!

The true facts regarding aborted babies are gruesome and painful. In an article, dated April 24, reporting about the U.S. government’s defense of its partial-birth abortion ban against the industry’s lawsuit, Worldmag.com stated:

“Dr. Anand took the stand in the morning and testified for hours that unborn children can feel pain even more vividly than adults or even infants. He said that by 20 weeks fetuses have developed all the nerve and brain functions to feel pain, but none of the coping mechanisms that help infants and adults to deal with the sensation. According to Dr. Anand’s research, handling the fetus in the womb, delivering the child up to its head, slicing open its skull and sucking out the brains would all produce ‘prolonged and excruciating pain to the fetus.’ The evidence of fetal pain is not new. Dr. Anand studied expressions of pain in unborn and neonatal children as early as the 1980s…” The article explained that “the courtroom remains virtually journalist free,” due to “the gruesome nature of what goes on inside those clinics.”

In its Commentary, World Net Daily wrote on April 24, 2004 about several disturbing facts, related to abortion, including a “suspected link between abortion and breast cancer… [and a] new Internet abortion business in which the pro-choice crowd is teaching underage girls how to use powerful and dangerous drugs to induce abortions on themselves. In the past, these drugs have proven to be potentially fatal, even with medical supervisions. Now, the abortion industry is showing 13-year-olds how to get them without a prescription.”

In his strongly worded Commentary, Mark Crutcher stated in his conclusion: “The list goes on and on, but the point is that one would have to be either horribly stupid or hopelessly naive to believe that America’s abortion profiteers care about the welfare of their customers.”

To be perfectly clear, abortion — any kind of abortion — is a sin in God’s eyes. There are spiritual reasons for this, which are fully explained in our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”

THE NEW EUROPE

Der Spiegel Online published this week a series of articles on the “new Europe.” Its cover portrays a woman riding a beast. The woman gathers ten stars, holding one in her hand. The magazine is attempting to portray the mythological story of Europe or Europa, daughter of a Phoenician king, who was kidnapped by the Greek god Zeus, appearing to her in the form of a bull. Zeus carried her, in his bull-like form, to the island of Crete. The entire continent received its name from Europe, who was later worshipped in Crete. The ten stars are supposed to portray the ten new nations joining Europe on May 1, 2004.

The parallels with the prophecy written down in Revelation 17, describing modern and future Europe, are quite remarkable. There, we are told that John saw, in vision, a woman riding a beast. She had in her hand a golden cup. Ten kings gave their power to the beast on which the woman sat. The Bible says that when this happens, Europe will rule for only a very short time — apparently for three and a half years. (Our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Europe and the Bull,” goes into this issue in more detail.)

The Bible predicts that Europe will become an extremely influential power bloc, in competition with and finally hostile toward the United States, and that it will ultimately be ruled by ten core nations or groups of nations, which, in turn, will give their power to a charismatic leader. In light of these predictions, the following excerpts from several articles should be interesting:

independent.co.uk explained on April 19, 2004:

“According to the [European] draft constitution, the presidency of Europe would no longer be rotated among the member states. Instead, the president would be elected by the heads of states of member countries for a term of two and a half years. Supporters feel this would create a central, agenda-setting figure, but smaller countries complain that presidency would be dominated by Europe’s major powers… The eventual aim is to have a common foreign policy… The draft also incorporates a Charter of Fundamental Rights for EU citizens, covering everything from the right to life to the right to strike.”

The Washington Times stated on April 20, 2004:

“The European Union is about to foist a draft constitution on all its New European members and Great Britain that will virtually ensure that, from now on, the French and Germans will be able, among other things, to enforce a single foreign and defense policy. Inevitably, the party line will more closely resemble THEIR ANTI-AMERICAN PREDILECTIONS than the trans-Atlantic reflexes of our traditional and new-found friends there… If the EU Constitution becomes binding on all member nations — including those of New Europe…, we are unlikely ever again to see the sort of independent, let alone reliable, support for America that has been among the finest moments in Great Britain’s storied history… The negative implications for the United States are not hard to discern… Georgetown Law Professor John Echeverria told the Times, ‘This [second-guessing American decisions by international tribunals] is the biggest threat to United States judicial independence that no one has heard of and even fewer people understand.’…

“After all, even without a constitution, the European Union has been hurting U.S. interests… BAD AS THINGS MAY BE AT THE MOMENT, THOUGH, THE VITAL INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES WILL BE EVEN WORSE SERVED BY A CONSTITUTION THAT AUTHORIZES THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE TO SEE TO IT THAT NEW EUROPE, GREAT BRITAIN AND ALL OTHER MEMBER STATES WILL ‘ACTIVELY AND UNRESERVEDLY SUPPORT THE UNION’S COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY IN A SPIRIT OF LOYALTY AND MUTUAL SOLIDARITY… [AND] ENSURE THAT THEIR NATIONAL POLICIES CONFORM TO THE POSITIONS OF THE UNION.”

As Focus Online pointed out in a series of articles, the new member states joining the European Union on May 1, 2004, will NOT immediately become full fledged members of the EU — a distinction between “new” and “old” Europe still remains. For instance, the new member states will, for the time being, keep their national currencies. They are supposed to introduce the Euro in the future, but they can only do so if they fulfill first certain economic requirements. European travelers traveling into the new member states will still have to go through passport controls. Customs will still apply for certain goods and services. Citizens of the new member states will still have to obtain work permits if they want to work in “old” Europe.

We need to properly understand what exactly was given to the Jews — what is meant with the word “oracles.” In Romans 3:2, we are told that the “oracles of God” were committed to the “circumcision.” At the same time, we are told that “their unbelief” did not make “the faithfulness of God” without effect (verse 3). The Greek word for “oracles” is “logion.” It is also used in Acts 7:38; Hebrews 5:12; and 1 Peter 4:11. In all these passages, the oracles or “sayings” must originate from God. If something is being said or written which is contrary to God’s Word, it does not constitute any longer the “oracles of God.”

The “Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,” by W. E. Vine, points out: “”Logion, a diminutive of logos, a word, narrative, statement, denotes a Divine response or utterance, an oracle; it is used of (a) the contents of the Mosaic Law, Acts 7:38; (b) all the written utterances of God through the O.T. writers, Rom. 3:2; (c) the substance of Christian doctrine, Heb. 5:12; (d) the utterance of God through Christian teachers, 1 Pet. 4:11.”

When referring to the oracles that God committed to the Jews or the “circumcision,” the Nelson Study Bible states: “The oracles of God refer to the entire Old Testament, the laws and the covenants that had been given by God Himself to the nation of Israel. This phrase [in Romans 3:2] reaffirms the belief of the apostles of the inspiration of the Old Testament. The Bible is God’s Word for us.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary agrees and adds: “The oracles of God are the Old Testament in general, not just the promises alone as some commentaries suggest. The Septuagint uses this term for ‘the words of God’ in the law (Num. 24:4,16) or in the Psalms (107:11), and this seems to be the meaning in the New Testament… Possession of the Scriptures would be of no advantage if they were never heard, but Paul assumes they are heard every Sabbath.”

As our booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days,” points out on pages 2-3, “These ‘oracles of God’ included the Old Testament Scriptures, as well as the knowledge of the week and of the Sacred Calendar. The Jews preserved the knowledge of which day the seventh day of the week is…”

The preservation of the Old Testament by the Jews (as well as the knowledge of the Sabbath and the Hebrew Calendar) is not the same, however, as Jewish practice.

The Jewish scribes were meticulous in writing down and making copies of these Words of Truth given to them, thus passing these Words on down so that we have them today. We are told in 1 Corinthians 10:11 that “…all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”

It was an advantage to the Jews in that God gave them His Words, along with the responsibility of preservation of His Words, which they were meticulous in preserving.

Having the written Word of God, however, placed another grave responsibility on their shoulders. They were to observe these Words and to keep them. They were to walk in them! God would have given Judah and all of Israel the help they needed to be faithful in these things, but they would not. They considered the fact that God was there for them was all that was needed. Yet He continually told them they were to walk in His Ways.

Only a few did. Examples are Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel and David, as well as the Old Testament prophets, and of course, most of the apostles Christ worked with. So we see, since God had called them to His Way and gave them His Truth, they had this responsibility to follow in these Ways.

The Kings of Israel had the responsibility to personally write out the Sacred Words with the command that they were to walk in them so they would learn to fear God always. Israel as a whole never learned!

We see Christ’s words to His disciples concerning the teachers of Israel and Jewish leaders in His Day. Notice in Matthew 23:2: “The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.” Verse 3 continues: “Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not according to their works; for they say, and do not do.”

Christ said that the people needed to do what the religious leaders told them to do, as long as it was taken from God’s Word — it had to be in harmony with God’s Word. Christ was not saying that the people had to do everything the leaders said, because He explained on other occasions that the leaders did away with God’s Word, so that they could uphold their own traditions. Later, Peter and the other apostles refused to obey the religious leadership when they told them that they could not preach the gospel (Acts 5:29, 40-42). But even when the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the scribes spoke God’s Word, they would many times not do what they themselves taught. We are told in the Word of God, which was passed down through the Jews, what to do. Yet, we must not do as they do — for they say, and do not do!

Christianity is not the same as Judaism. The Jews do today many things that are not in conformity with Scripture. In fact, even at the time of Christ, the Jews were DIVIDED amongst themselves as to how to apply Scripture. While the Pharisees accepted both the written and the “oral” law — a collection of Jewish traditions — the Sadducees only accepted the written law, but they did not understand that correctly, either, as Christ had to point out to them on several occasions (compare James Hastings, “Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics,” under “Sadducees”). Many have taught for doctrine (which should be God’s doctrine) the doctrine of men. Matthew 15:9 records the statement of Jesus in this regard: “…’And in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’ ” Jesus also instructed His own disciples about the problems inherent within Judaism at that time. Note this quote in Matthew 16:12: “Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Paul also warned of the possible wrong influences from Judaism in Titus 1:14: “…not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.”

The key for Christians is found in what Jesus said and did: ” ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him'” (John 7:16-18).

We keep the Passover on the day that we do, as we follow Christ’s example Who made it very clear when to keep it. We explained in previous Updates (such as the Q&A in Update #137) that Jesus and the apostles kept the Passover on the evening when Christ was betrayed (which would be Abib 14). This was one day earlier than the Jews keep it today. The Jews actually keep the first day of unleavened bread (on Abib 15), also called the “night to be much observed,” AS the Passover, confusing the two occasions, by treating them as one and the same, and failing to see the distinctions.

In addition, the Bible commands us to keep the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days, followed by the eight or last great day. Most Jews today only keep the entire Feast of Tabernacles for four days.

We must take and accept our direction from God’s Holy Word, the Bible — not from human traditions. If there is a conflict between the two, we must follow God.

Three new StandingWatch programs were posted on our Website. Their titles are:

“Europe and the Bull”
“Changing the Bible?”
“Is the U.S. Draft Coming?”

On Saturday, April 24, 2004, Dave Harris will be giving the sermon, titled, “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

“Thank you!” Just two little words. But how often do we say them? Have we developed an attitude of gratitude — being grateful for all that we have and all that God and our fellow man may have given to us?

In more recent times, the Church critic has surfaced. He has always been there, of course, but today he seems to be more vocal. It seems to go with the territory both in the Church of God and the world at large. We live in a selfish and ungrateful society that does its own thing and feels that it has every right to do so, irrespective of the consequences, even when others are hurt. But we, as God’s people, should know better. My experience in the last decade is that there are those, claiming that they belong to “the church,” who are lurking out there just looking to pounce on anything that they may not quite agree 100% with. Instead of gently taking up a matter or issue with the person concerned, a critical and, in some cases, self-righteous approach is adopted. But we must remember that our approach shows our degree of conversion.

We have all heard sermonettes or sermons that may have meandered, gone on too long because of several repetitions of the same point, not been as structured as we would have liked, seemingly not been as carefully worked on as some others, or which have been presented in a somewhat boring way. But – the speaker may have taken many hours to prepare his message. Unfortunately, our first approach may be to severely criticize rather than to be grateful to the speaker for all the time and effort that such a message may have occasioned. The same may apply to an article or an editorial in the weekly Update. Rather than immediately voicing disagreement with a particular statement, perhaps even in a hostile way, we should carefully consider whether we might have misunderstood the statement, or whether we might have a wrong approach toward the issue — and then, after praying about it, we can gently take up the matter with the writer or the speaker. The same goes for other aspects of this worldwide work, be it our Websites, our Internet services, or other technical aspects. In sport, the spectator on the sidelines believes that he is always able to do better than the players themselves. The observer thinks that he can manage the local team better than the manager who is usually a professional and gets paid for doing the job.

There are many admonitions in the Bible to be appreciative, to dwell and meditate on the good, and to give thanks. In the various exhortations in 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 18 tells us: “in everything give thanks.” The words “thank you” to God are a must. He gives us everything we have. The words “thank you” to fellow man, where merited, uplift, edify and encourage. That should be the way that we conduct ourselves.

Should we be “yes” men or women? Of course not! But a “thank you” now and again is so very encouraging. We all receive these words of encouragement from time to time. And when others show their appreciation, we can say a quiet or spoken “thank you” for their thoughtfulness.

DISCUSSIONS REGARDING US DRAFT

On Wednesday, April 21, 2004, an interesting, sobering and frightening interview was aired on NBC’s Today’s Show. Washington Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican member of the Foreign Relations Committee, stated that the public is not being told that the United States will have to spend 50 – 75 billion dollars in Iraq next year, just to sustain American troops there. This figure does not even include any costs for reconstruction. He stated that he is not proposing a draft per se, but some kind of “MANDATORY SERVICE for all American citizens.” Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, Democratic member of the Foreign Relations Committee, agreed, stating that Hagel’s “basic premise” is correct, and that we must establish “a shared burden” for all Americans. It was also pointed out that “privately all Republicans agree” that the American people are not being told how much money it will cost to stay in Iraq, “because of the election year.” It was also stressed that the US government is facing a terrible dilemma, when confronted with the issue who is to replace the 135,000 American troops, presently stationed in Iraq.

THE BUSH/SHARON-DEAL — SUCCESS OR FAILURE?

As AFP reported on April 16, 2004, President Bush, “reversing decades of US foreign policy, said after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Wednesday that it was ‘unrealistic’ to expect Israel to pull out from all land captured in the 1967 war. And drawing more Arab outrage, Bush said Palestinian refugees should not be allowed to return to land lost to Israel in 1948, when the Jewish state was created.”

The world’s reaction about this American change in foreign policy was swift and fierce. Associated Press stated on April 16, 2004: “Eager not to be sidelined in the Middle East, the European Union said Friday it would try to SALVAGE the 2-year-old ‘road map’ peace plan and called for urgent talks this month with the United States, Russia and the United Nations. EU foreign ministers fear President Bush’s UNILATERAL EFFORTS to broker peace between the Israelis and Palestinians could backfire… They stressed the need to KEEP THE UNITED STATES COMMITTED TO THE ‘ROAD MAP’ drafted jointly by the European Union, Russia, United States and United Nations.”

Critical comments were also heard by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, in spite of last week’s “public show of unity” by President Bush and Tony Blair in Washington. Straw said that “Bush did not speak for the so-called ‘quartet’ of international mediators in the Middle East…. ‘He has to make his own judgments. We make our own.'”

Der Spiegel Online commented on April 16, 2004 that “Europe has been told once more by the Americans what an insignificant role they are playing in the Middle East.” It published a subsequent article, dated April 17, 2004, pointing out that former German Foreign Minister, Hans Dietrich Genscher, stressed the absolute need for Europe to play an important and DECISIVE ROLE in the Middle East Peace Process.”

Spiegel Online stated on April 16, 2004, that German papers complained that … “the Americans took the side of Israel, without any compelling reason, thereby disqualifying themselves as a neutral broker… Bush has killed the roadmap.” Der Spiegel Online responded, however, that “the United States were never neutral in the Middle East conflict, but they have always supported the power of Israel.” The magazine pointed out, too, that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder “indirectly criticized” President Bush’s announcements, and that Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer was supporting a renewed zeal for the road map. It stated: “It is, however, a mystery, why there is any hope that this peace plan could work. It is doubtful that anything could be accomplished this year.” Still, as Die Welt reported, Europe has taken the official position that there is “no alternative” to the road map.

On April 19, 2004, Der Spiegel Online published another article, titled, “Straight to the Heart.” It stated: “Now that the pact of Washington has been concluded, the political battle on the home front begins for Israeli Prime Minister Sharon. US President Bush is paying a high price for his support… Bush thoughtlessly made it clear that he has written off the Arafat team as negotiating partners… Palestinians of even the most disparate factions agree that Bush’s most recent statement is one of their heaviest defeats… On the international front, Bush’s declaration of solidarity with Sharon has also triggered annoyance at the UN and the EU, the co-sponsors of the Middle East peace process. The pact with Sharon is certainly a risky unilateral step for Washington… The Palestinians, already consumed with hatred for America, are unlikely to be particularly accepting of future US mediation efforts.”

The magazine concluded its article with these interesting comments: “The smug manner in which the allies congratulated one another in Washington is deceiving, because both men are acting with limited authority. Bush’s disaster in Iraq could cost him the reelection. And Sharon’s career lies in the hands of the chief public prosecutor, who will soon decide whether to file corruption charges against Sharon.”

UNPRECEDENTED HATRED FOR U.S.

On April 16, 2004, Reuters reported about comments by Jordan’s King Abdullah, stating that the invasion and occupation of Iraq has created widespread animosity against the United States among ordinary citizens across the Middle East. He pointed out: “This has created for the first time that I have felt in the Middle East… some sort of animosity that I never felt or heard about toward the United States… The feeling that is being felt toward the United States around the region and around the world is NOT A HEALTHY ONE… As a friend of yours and as one who cares about many, many people in this country, I AM VERY, VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE PERCEPTION TOWARD AMERICA AND AMERICANS.”

On April 21, 2004, the Guardian published an article, titled, “Arab ally snubs Bush amid ‘unprecedented hatred’ for US.” The article stated:
“A growing rift between America and the Arab world was exposed yesterday when two Middle Eastern allies delivered damaging rebuffs to President George Bush’s policies in the region. King Abdullah of Jordan flew home from the US after abruptly canceling a meeting planned for today with the president in Washington. The king’s move came as the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, said there was more hatred of Americans in the Arab world today than ever before. King Abdullah and Mr. Mubarak are two of the most moderate leaders in the Middle East and the two normally closest to the US.

“King Abdullah’s cancellation was in retaliation for Mr. Bush’s support last week for a plan by the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, in which he offered to pull out of Gaza in return for US recognition of illegal settlements on the West Bank and an end of the right of 3.6 million Palestinians to return to Israel. Mr. Mubarak cited as reasons for the increased hatred Israel and the US occupation of Iraq. In an interview with Le Monde published yesterday, he said : ‘After what has happened in Iraq, there is an unprecedented hatred. What’s more – they [Arabs] see Sharon act as he wants, without the Americans saying anything.’

“The Jordanian government said yesterday it was seeking clarification of US intentions towards Israel and the Palestinians before agreeing to a new meeting with Mr. Bush… The Arab League, which represents all Arab countries, welcomed the king’s decision to cancel his meeting… Mr. Sharon secured his deal with Mr. Bush partly through brinkmanship, sitting at Ben Gurion airport for three hours last week and threatening to cancel his Washington visit. Mr. Bush caved in.

“But similar tactics by King Abdullah are unlikely to achieve the same result. The palace statement said the king had written to Mr. Bush before his meeting with Mr. Sharon saying the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza had to be part of an overall peace plan, not an alternative to it. But Mr. Bush ignored his plea.”

THE WORLD VS. ISRAEL

As Die Welt reported on April 19, 2004, “Israel threatens with liquidation in Syria.” The paper stated: “Following the planned killing of Hamas leader Abdelasis Rantisi in the Gaza strip, Israel threatened to kill the political Hamas leader, Chaled Messhaal, who resides in Syria…. Worldwide, the liquidation of the Hamas leader [Rantisi] was strongly condemned… The U.S. government voiced concern, but stressed [as did German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer] that Israel has the right to self-defense. They [as well as Fischer] asked the Israeli government to carefully consider the consequences of their actions…. The EU strongly criticized the planned killing of Rantisi… British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw labeled the action as ‘unlawful and counterproductive’; [Spain] spoke of ‘an execution without a trial…’ China, Russia and France also condemned the killing of the Hamas-leader.”

IRAQ — THE PROBLEMS MOUNT

As BBC News reported last week, “Europe’s weekend and Easter Monday papers [were] preoccupied with the deteriorating security situation in Iraq.” French papers added that “day after day, Iraq is plunged a bit deeper into CHAOS.” German papers reported that two Germans were killed in Iraq, and that, as a consequence, the German government issued an advisory to all Germans to leave Iraq.

Der Spiegel Online reported on April 14, 2004, that other countries have issued similar warnings and advisories to their citizens, including Russia and Japan. The paper stated, too, that Spain, New Zealand, Thailand and the Philippines were prepared to withdraw their troops from Iraq. In addition, citizens of South Korea were contemplating leaving Iraq, after seven missionaries from South Korea had been temporarily kidnapped.

Subsequently, Spain began withdrawing its 1,300 soldiers from Iraq and will have them home within six weeks, according to Reuters, dated April 19, 2004. The article continued, “President Bush expressed regret Monday… and warned Madrid against taking further actions… In Iraq, radical Shi’ite Moqtada al-Sadr called for a halt to attacks on Spanish troops in Iraq because they were pulling out… Romano Prodi, European Commission president… praised Spain’s decision… [Extremely controversial] Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has dispatched some 2,700 troops to Iraq, was dismayed by [Spain’s] decision.” Associated Press added that “72 percent of Spaniards want the troops withdrawn.” Spain’s decision to pull out their troops must also be seen in light of a REVERSAL of foreign policy. As Die Welt reported on April 17, 2004, the new leader of Spain “looks for his allies mainly within Europe.” The main European powers, France and Germany, have been opposed to military action in Iraq.

Following Spain, Honduras announced “the pullout of” troops “in the shortest time possible,” according to Associated Press. While it was reported on April 16, 2004, that Portugal may withdraw troops as well, it was stated on April 19, 2004, that the Portuguese government’s position “won’t change… despite any difficulties which may arise.”

The International Herald Tribune Online stated on April 10, 2004: “Germany and France’s options were also limited by the reality that it was no longer possible to justify countering American policy by the selective demonization of the Bush Administration. Just as John Kerry [who had, with the vast majority of Democrats, voted for the war with Iraq] had called on the new Socialist prime minister of Spain, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, to reconsider his pledge to bring Spanish forces home from Iraq, the Democratic candidate’s reaction on Thursday to the worsening military situation hardly let Europe off the hook from its faulty presumption that no unified American view existed on Europe’s ongoing share of Iraqi responsibilities. ‘No European country,’ said Kerry, ‘ is made safe by a failed Iraq, yet those countries are distinctly absent from the risk bearing.'”

Opposition to British forces in Iraq is also mounting, especially after the occurrence of several deadly attacks on British forces in Iraq. According to a report by Independent.co.uk, dated April 20, 2004, “British troops might have to stay in Iraq for up to 10 years to help local forces maintain security after the proposed hand-over of power to the Iraqi government on 30 June, the commanding officer of UK forces in Basra has warned.”

The Bible proves that God only forgives us, if we meet certain conditions. One important condition is repentance. God does not forgive us, if we refuse to repent. Today, God has only called comparatively few and is not yet judging the rest of the world. This means, God has not yet forgiven the world, as they have not yet repented, but God does not hold them accountable at this point in time (This is not to say that sin does not have built-in penalties which a sinner will have to pay automatically). Those not called and not forgiven yet are described in Acts 17:30-31: “Truly, these times of ignorance God OVERLOOKED [not, forgave!], but now COMMANDS ALL MEN [those called] EVERYWHERE TO REPENT.” We have to REPENT of our sins before baptism (in addition to accepting Christ’s sacrifice as payment for our sins), even though we might have committed sins in ignorance (compare 1 Peter 1:13-15; Ephesians 4:17-18; 1 Timothy 1:12-13; Acts 3:17). God offers us the gift of repentance, when He calls us, but we must respond to it and accept it (2 Timothy 2:24-26; Romans 2:4).

When the people realized that they had killed Christ, the Son of God, they asked Peter what to do. His response was: “REPENT, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ FOR THE REMISSION [FORGIVENESS, see margin] OF SINS…” (Acts 2:38). Forgiveness of sins FOLLOWS repentance.

It is true that Christ prayed on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). Some have said that this Scripture proves that God forgives even though there is no repentance. This is false. Christ was not asking God to forgive them AT THAT MOMENT. Rather, He was stressing that they had not committed the unpardonable sin, when they killed Him. Surely they KNEW that they killed Christ. But they did not KNOW who Christ was. We need to note Peter’s sermon in Acts 2, explaining to them Christ’s identity. They did not willfully and maliciously kill Christ as the Son of God. When Peter explained to them what they had done, they “were cut to the heart” (v. 37). Peter told them that, UPON REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM, they would obtain forgiveness of their sins — not before then. He did not contradict Christ — they both agreed. Peter did not say, God has ALREADY forgiven you, since Christ had asked for your forgiveness. Rather, Peter understood what Christ had asked for. Christ, in essence, told the Father, “Don’t remember their sin forever. Once they come to repentance, forgive them.”

The same is true for Stephen’s prayer in Acts 7:60: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (NIV, RSV, REB, NAB, NJB). Moffat says, “Lord, let not this sin stand against them.” Stephen was saying, in essence, what Christ was saying, in effect: “Don’t treat this as the unpardonable sin, for which there is no forgiveness. Don’t let this sin stand against them forever. Once they come to repentance — a realization what they have done — forgive them.” Stephen and Christ did NOT ask God to forgive these people right there and then. Stephen had just told them, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you” (v. 51).

Stephen also told them, just as Peter had done, that they had become “the betrayers and murderers” of “the Just One” (v. 52). While Peter’s audience repented, Stephen’s audience did not. Rather, they added insult to injury by murdering Stephen. So, Stephen did not ask God to forgive them at that moment — people who were stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, always resisting the Holy Spirit. He asked God to forgive them, once they repented. Stephen did not contradict Peter either, who had required repentance BEFORE forgiveness.

In fact, we find numerous Scriptures where God has refused to grant forgiveness, as there was no repentance. Please note, too, that these examples include God’s dealing with Old Testament people to whom He had never offered the gift of the Holy Spirit. Compare Jeremiah 18:18-23; Joshua 24:19-20; Isaiah 2:9; Exodus 32:31-34.

On the other hand, we find that God forgives sin, once we repent (Psalm 32:5). When Solomon dedicated the temple, he asked God to forgive the people, when they would sin, REPENT, and ask God for forgiveness (1 Kings 8:33-40).

Notice God’s wish in Jeremiah 36:3, “It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, THAT EVERYONE MAY TURN [i.e., repent] from his evil way, THAT I MAY FORGIVE their iniquity and their sin.” Again, no forgiveness without prior repentance. Notice also Daniel’s prayer, asking for forgiveness, following repentance, in Daniel 9:1-20.

God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, does not teach something different in New Testament times. In 1 John 1:9, we are promised forgiveness if we confess [or repent of] our sins. In Acts 26:18, forgiveness is predicated on turning from darkness to light. Compare, too, Peter’s admonition to Simon Magus, in Acts 8:22: “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.”

In conclusion, the Biblical teaching is very consistent and clear: God does not forgive us our sins, if we don’t repent of them.

A new member letter was sent out this week. You can find a version of the letter at: _______________.

Our newest booklet on sickness and healing will be entering the second stage of the review cycle by this weekend. We have already received the following comment from one of our reviewers: “This is another fine and very thorough booklet, more thorough than any I have read in the past on the subject of healing. Thanks for your continued dedication in helping God’s people, and in getting the truth out to others.”