Update 106

Dave Harris will give the sermon this Sabbath, August 16. The title of the sermon is, “The Church Is Important!”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at the appropriate time, just click on “Connect to Live Stream.”
 

This might seem like a simplistic question to ask of people who claim to be Christians. However, it appears by what has been happening in the USA, Canada, and other countries around the world, that the concept of sin or the understanding of what it is, is totally lacking.

To those of us familiar with the Bible, our answer would be, “Sin is the transgression of the law,” or — as it is phrased in the NKJ version — “Sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

The next logical question would be, what law is John referring to? We understand that he is talking about the Ten Commandments, as well as the many biblical principles or injunctions given by God and Christ that explain and magnify the Ten Commandments. For example, Proverbs 6:16-19 lists things which God hates. A proud look is one of them. If God hates a proud look, one has to conclude that pride is sin, yet pride is not listed as one of the Ten Commandments. I use this as an illustration to show that sin goes beyond the literal bounds of the Ten Commandments.

Another example is 1 John 5:17, “All unrighteousness is sin.” Recently, same sex marriages were made legal in some Canadian provinces. The Bible says that such conduct is an abomination. We know of “non-Christian” cultures, having no knowledge of the Bible, that do not allow this kind of behavior or union to take place. Some professing Christians who endorse such conduct could learn a lesson from people whom they would look down on as “pagans.” Romans 2:14-16 gives us an interesting warning in that regard.

Romans 1:26-32 shows how God abhors and hates homosexual deeds, condemning them in His Word. This passage also shows that those who perform or approve of such deeds are not guiltless in His sight. This is a real description of our times.

Another recent incident, illustrating the sinful world in which we live, involves a large denomination in a US Church appointing someone to the office of bishop who is known to be openly homosexual.

What does the Bible tell us about the office of a minister? 1 Timothy 3:1-7 states that a minister must be blameless, the husband of one wife and of good behavior, just to name a few requirements.

To appoint an openly gay man as bishop makes a mockery of the Word of God and of God Himself. In Revelation 21:8, God gives us a list of those who will not be in His kingdom. One of the categories of people listed includes those described as sexually immoral. Unless those engaged in sexually immoral conduct repent and recognize the seriousness of their lifestyle and ways, they will not be in the kingdom of God.

Brethren, we know what sin is. We are neither deceived nor ignorant of what is sin or how God views sin, knowing full well that God absolutely hates sin, yet He loves the sinner. It is apparent that the lessons of sinning and the havoc it causes are yet to be learned by the nations of this world. Those striving to obey God and to overcome sin can be comforted, however, by the words of God in Revelation 21:7, “He who overcomes (sin) shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

“Israeli troops killed a top Islamic Jihad fugitive in a raid Thursday, prompting threats of revenge by the militant group and putting new strain on an already shaky cease-fire,” according to a report posted by USA Today on August 14. It continued:

“Israel and the Palestinian Authority are deadlocked over how to handle the Palestinian militant groups, and the argument is holding up implementation of a U.S.-backed peace plan, the so-called ‘road map’ to Palestinian statehood by 2005. Israel demands that the Palestinian Authority begin dismantling the two main groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as part of its obligations under the road map. Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas says he will not confront the militants for fear of sparking a civil war. Israel, in response, says it will not go on with the road map under these circumstances, and instead keeps chasing militants.”

Later in the article, a Palestinian spokesman is quoted as saying, “Without a firm stand from the United States that the two sides live up to their obligations with one grand gesture — that is the immediate implementation of monitoring — the cease-fire is finished.”

HEAT WAVE IN EUROPE

USA Today reported on August 14: “About 3,000 people have died in France of heat-related causes since the abnormally high temperatures swept across the country about two weeks ago… Record-high temperatures have been set in numerous cities across France, and the capital has baked under heat exceeding 98 degrees. The average August temperature in Paris, which has warm but not torrid summers, is 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The French haven’t suffered alone. In Bern, Switzerland, it was nearly 98 on Wednesday — the hottest day since 1865.”

Record-high temperatures have also been set in other parts of Europe, including Portugal, Spain, Austria and Germany, causing numerous forest fires. In Germany, a “record high temperature overnight of 81.7” was “measured in Neustadt, in southern Germany,” according to Associated Press. On Sunday, England “recorded its hottest day ever — 100.58 degrees at Gravesend, in southern England,” according to A.P. A monsoon from Africa is blamed for the heat wave. Commentaries have said that it was as if African deserts were coming to Europe.

USA Today reported on August 14: “About 3,000 people have died in France of heat-related causes since the abnormally high temperatures swept across the country about two weeks ago… Record-high temperatures have been set in numerous cities across France, and the capital has baked under heat exceeding 98 degrees. The average August temperature in Paris, which has warm but not torrid summers, is 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The French haven’t suffered alone. In Bern, Switzerland, it was nearly 98 on Wednesday — the hottest day since 1865.”

Record-high temperatures have also been set in other parts of Europe, including Portugal, Spain, Austria and Germany, causing numerous forest fires. In Germany, a “record high temperature overnight of 81.7” was “measured in Neustadt, in southern Germany,” according to Associated Press. On Sunday, England “recorded its hottest day ever — 100.58 degrees at Gravesend, in southern England,” according to A.P. A monsoon from Africa is blamed for the heat wave. Commentaries have said that it was as if African deserts were coming to Europe.

MOST AMERICANS OPPOSE SAM SEX UNIONS

The Washington Post reported on August 14, that a “strong majority of the public disapproves of the Episcopal Church’s decision to recognize the blessing of same-sex unions, and a large share of churchgoing Americans would object if their own faith adopted a similar practice, according to a new Washington Post Poll. So broad and deep is this opposition that nearly half of all Americans who regularly attend worship services say they would leave their current church if their minister blessed gay couples — even if their denomination officially approved these ceremonies, the survey found. As courts, companies and congregations across the nation consider what standing to give gay couples, the poll demonstrates strong public disapproval of any RELIGIOUS sanctioning of same-sex relationships. It underscores THE SHARP DISTINCTION MOST AMERICANS MAKE BETWEEN THE RELATIONSHIPS BLESSED BY THE CHURCH AND THOSE RECOGNIZED BY THE LAW.”

The article also pointed out that “Three out of four frequent churchgoers opposed the Episcopal convention’s decision, and a similar proportion said they would object if their own faith took a similar step. But even among those who acknowledged that they rarely or never attended church, nearly six in 10 objected to blessing gay couples… The poll also found… that public acceptance of same-sex civil unions is falling. Fewer than four in 10 — 37 percent — of all Americans say they would support a law allowing gay men and lesbians to form civil unions that would provide some of the rights and legal protections of marriage… The survey found that 60 percent of all Americans opposed last week’s decision by the Episcopal Church’s general convention to give its bishops the option of allowing the blessing of same-sex relationships in their dioceses.”

WHAT MOST AMERICANS BELIEVE…

In a nationwide poll, conducted by the Barna Research Group and published early August by Webminister.com, Americans were asked pointed questions regarding the Bible, Christian lifestyle and beliefs about God, among other things. 58 percent of all Americans surveyed believe the Bible is totally accurate in all it teaches. At the same time, 61 percent say Satan is not a living being, but a symbol of evil, and 43 percent believe that Jesus Christ committed sins. In addition, 24 percent of “born again Christians” believe that lying is sometimes necessary. “Born again Christians” were defined as those who had made “a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important” in their lives today, and who believe that they will go to heaven when they die.

Our free booklets, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?” and “And Lawlessness Will Abound…” explain in detail what happens to man when he dies and whether God requires of us to keep all of the Ten Commandments.

WHAT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH BELIEVES…

The L’Obsservatore Romano published an article on August 6, 2003, reporting about a “reflection” of the pope on Sunday, August 3. He said, among other things, “Special attention should be paid to safeguarding the value of Sunday, Dies Domini [“the Lord’s Day”]. This day is the symbol par excellence of all that Christianity has stood for and still stands for, in Europe and throughout the world: the perennial proclamation of the Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus, the celebration of his victory over sin and death, the commitment to the human being’s full liberation. By preserving the Christian meaning of Sunday a notable contribution is made to Europe for the preservation of an essential part of its own particular and cultural heritage. May the Blessed Virgin, to whom so many churches and chapels are dedicated in the different regions of Europe, make her protection felt over all the peoples on the Continent.”

e recommend that you read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy,” if you want to learn more about the truth on the “value of Sunday.” You might also want to read our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” which explains in detail what the “Good News” or the “Gospel” really is.

A: We should realize that members over the years, in following Church teaching, have declared bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is a recognized and legal means in this world to free oneself from debts, under certain circumstances. Court decisions have been rendered, involving Church members, dealing with questions regarding tithes and offerings in bankruptcy procedures. Certain state laws allow churches to keep tithes, up to a certain amount and percentage, which were received from members who subsequently filed for bankruptcy.

More importantly, the Bible endorses the concept of declaring bankruptcy in certain circumstances. What is the biblical basis for the Church’s long-standing teaching that the declaration of bankruptcy is not against Scripture, under certain circumstances?

We have always taught that bankruptcy is not to be taken lightly, but that it is a very serious matter. Normally, a person should do everything he or she can to pay back any debts incurred by him (2 Kings 4:7), or to at least try to arrange an extension of time with the creditors. There are unforeseen circumstances, however, which justify and sometimes even necessitate the declaration of bankruptcy. These circumstances might involve debts incurred in a business transaction, inherited debts, unexpected debts, or even incorrect allegations, falsely claiming that debts are due and owing, leading to a lawsuit by the “creditor” against the “debtor,” against which the “debtor” has no financial means to defend him- or herself.

If a debtor finds him- or herself in such a situation, he or she is Scripturally allowed to file for bankruptcy in order to reorganize his or her debts or, failing this, to extinguish his or her debts. There are numerous Biblical passages which, judging by their spiritual implications, allow for the same.

These passages deal with God’s institution for ancient Israel of the “Sabbath” and the “Jubilee” Year.

(1) On the “Sabbath Year,” that is, at the end of every seventh year, “debts of fellow Jews [correctly: Israelites] were to be canceled” (Halley’s Bible Handbook, 24th ed., p. 139). One needs to note that this was an automatic release of debt, by God-given law. It was not required that an agreement was reached between creditor and debtor, or that the creditor agreed to release the debt of the debtor. Quite to the contrary, the debts had to be released every seventh year, whether the creditor liked it or not. This was not just a postponement of debts, either; it was, rather, a cancellation of debts.

Notice Deuteronomy 15:1-3, 9: “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor SHALL RELEASE IT; HE SHALL NOT REQUIRE IT OF HIS NEIGHBOR OR HIS BROTHER, because it is called the Lord’s release. Of a foreigner you may require it; but you SHALL GIVE UP YOUR CLAIM TO WHAT IS OWED TO YOUR BROTHER… Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye will be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing [knowing that by the time of the seventh year, the lender or creditor would never receive back what he gave] and he cry out to the Lord against you, and it become sin to
you.”

References to the Sabbath Year can also be found in Exodus 21:2, Nehemiah 10:31, and in Jeremiah 34:14. The release of debt was to occur automatically, without the necessity of an agreement between creditor and debtor. An interesting application of these principles can be found in Nehemiah 5:1-13.

(2) In addition, every fiftieth year, God’s civil law for ancient Israel demanded that ANOTHER release be granted. This was, again, not a matter of choice or agreement between creditor and debtor, but automatic. Halley points out on p. 139: “Jubilee Year was every 50th year. It followed the 7th Sabbatic Year, making two rest years come together. It began on the Day of Atonement. ALL DEBTS WERE CANCELED, slaves set free, and lands that had been sold returned.”

The Year of Jubilee is mentioned in several places, for instance in Leviticus 25 and Numbers 36:4. It is associated with the proclamation of “liberty” (Leviticus 25:10) and referred to as the “Year of Liberty” in Ezekiel 46:17. In Leviticus 25:24, 28, 39-41, it is stated:

“And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land… But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee, and in the Jubilee it shall be RELEASED, and he shall return to his possession… And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you…, [he] shall serve you until the Year of Jubilee. And then he shall depart from you — he and his children with him — and shall return to his family. He shall return to the possession of his fathers.”

The New Testament does not abolish the principles set forth in these Scriptures. In fact, Jesus came to preach liberty, as expressed in the Year of Jubilee, at His first coming (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:17-21), applying it to total freedom of God’s people, including freedom from all sickness, disease, sin, death, and every curse (compare, for example, Edward Chumney, “The Seven Festivals of the Messiah,” p. 147). It is true that there are New Testament Scriptures describing how creditors freely forgave their debtors (compare, Luke 7:41-42; 16:5-8). These additional Scriptures do not negate the principle, however, that debts can be forgiven by law and in God’s sight, regardless of whether the creditor is agreeable to such cancellation or not. In conclusion, the concept of declaring bankruptcy is Biblical under certain circumstances.

We have placed another Standing Watch program on our Web site that was recorded last Friday. It is titled, “What Happened to Sin?”

Our new booklet on baptism is finished and on its way to the printer in the UK. It has been placed on our Web site, under http://www.eternalgod.org/lit/booklets/baptism.htm.