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Songs and Teachings of the Bible
Songs and Teachings of the Bible
Doctrine Six Continued
The Bible is the Foundation of the Church
Part Three
CHRIST UPHELD THE LAW OF GOD
Part Three
CHRIST UPHELD THE LAW OF GOD
"Jesus Christ was not a smart-aleck young man who came to do away with His Father's Law!"
-- Herbert W. Armstrong
-- Herbert W. Armstrong
JESUS UPHELD THE LAW
"But He answered and said, 'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." ' "
(Matthew 4:4)
"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 5:17-19)
" . . . you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
(Matthew 5:48)
"Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
(Matthew 7:12-14)
" . . . you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
" 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men' . . . .
"Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
(Matthew 15:6-8, 13-14)
"Now behold, one came and said unto him, 'Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?'
"So He said unto him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.'
"He said to Him, 'Which ones?'
Jesus said, '"You shall not murder," "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "Honor your father and your mother," and, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ' "
(Matthew 19:16-19)
"Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?'
"Jesus said to him, '"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.' "
(Matthew 22:35-40)
"My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."
(Luke 8:21)
" . . . blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
(Luke 11:28)
" . . . it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail."
(Luke 16:17)
" . . . I have kept my Father's commandments. . . ."
(John 15:10)
JESUS NEVER SINNED
" . . . in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."
(Hebrews 4:15)
" . . . holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. . . ."
(Hebrews 7:26)
" . . . in Him there is no sin."
(I John 3:5)
" . . . Him who knew no sin. . . ."
(II Corinthians 5:21)
WE ARE TO FOLLOW CHRIST'S EXAMPLE
"He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."
(I John 2:6)
" . . . leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps."
I Peter 2:21)
JESUS UPHELD THE SCRIPTURES
"You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures. . . ."
(Matthew 22:29)
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me."
(John 5:39)
" . . . the Scripture cannot be broken. . . ."
(John 10:35
JESUS UPHELD THE SABBATH
" . . . the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. . . .
" . . . it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
(Matthew 12:8, 12)
" . . . pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath."
(Matthew 24:20)
" . . . and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
(Mark 1:21-22)
"And He said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.' "
(Mark 2:27-28)
"And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished. . . ."
(Mark 6:2)
"So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written,
" 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
Tp proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.'
"Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.' "
(Luke 4:16-17)
Jesus had just defeated Satan in the Battle of the Universe (verses 1-15). Now He began to fulfill his ministry, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Battle of the Universe
"Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority."
(Luke 4:31-32)
"Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, 'Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.' And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
"But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and he said to the crowd, 'There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.'
"The Lord then answered him and said, 'Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?' "
(Luke 13:10-16)
Satan has been "holding the world captive" for almost 6,000 years. Just as this woman was loosed from her bondage on the Sabbath day, even so shall humanity be freed from its captivity to Satan during the Seventh Millennial Day when Satan himself shall be bound for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3). Seventh Millennial Day
"And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 'Is is lawful to heal on the Sabbath?' But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. Then He answered them, saying, 'Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?' "
(Luke 14:3-5)
"And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
"And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, 'It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.'
"He answered them, 'He who made me well said to me, "Take up your bed and walk" ' . . . .
"Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, 'See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you'. . . .
"For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, 'My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.'
"Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making himself equal with God."
(John 5:9-11, 14, 16-18)
Jesus did not sin by healing this man on the Sabbath, for Jesus never sinned (Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 2:22; I John 3:5). In the New Testament the weekly Sabbath and annual Holy Days were times when God's Work was accomplished. Jesus taught and healed people on the Sabbath days. There is a great difference between the spiritual Work of God and the physical work of man (John 6:27-29). Jesus was both God and man. As a human being, He never sinned; as God, He was Lord even of the Sabbath and performed the Work of God at that time.
" . . . are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
(John 7:23-24)
"Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'
"Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. The night is coming when no one can work'. . . .
"Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. . . .
"Therefore some of the Pharisees said, 'This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath'. . . .
" 'We know that this man is a sinner'. . . .
"And Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.' "
(John 9:1-4, 14, 16, 24, 39)
REGARDING JESUS AND THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH
Jesus upheld the Ten Commandments as well as God's original intent at the time of creation
Jesus upheld the Ten Commandments as well as God's original intent at the time of creation
Jesus, His family and His disciples all kept the seventh-day Sabbath, which was made holy at the time of creation and made a part of the Ten Commandments (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 4:9-13). At His First Coming Jesus kept the Sabbath, upheld it and restored His own original intent in creating it (John 1:1-3).
Jesus taught that it is an act of adultery for human beings to divorce and remarry, in so doing superseding an OT law of Moses while upholding the Ten Commandments (Matthew 19:3-9, 16-19). His stand regarding the Fourth commandment ("Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy") was identical to His stand regarding the Seventh ("You shall not commit adultery") -- He restored God's original intent with regard to both. God, through Christ, made 1) marriage on the sixth day of creation, and 2) the Sabbath on the seventh day. Both were made for mankind (Mark 2:27; 10:6-8). It was a perfect creation (Genesis 1:31) until sin entered into the picture (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12).
The New Testament confirms that the weekly Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, not the first. It begins on Friday at sunset and ends on Saturday at sunset. The following New Testament Scriptures demonstrate that the first day of the week is the day after the Sabbath, because the women who prepared spices to anoint Christ's body, and rested on the Sabbath, came to the tomb on the first day of the week -- "after the Sabbath," "when the Sabbath was past":
Jesus taught that it is an act of adultery for human beings to divorce and remarry, in so doing superseding an OT law of Moses while upholding the Ten Commandments (Matthew 19:3-9, 16-19). His stand regarding the Fourth commandment ("Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy") was identical to His stand regarding the Seventh ("You shall not commit adultery") -- He restored God's original intent with regard to both. God, through Christ, made 1) marriage on the sixth day of creation, and 2) the Sabbath on the seventh day. Both were made for mankind (Mark 2:27; 10:6-8). It was a perfect creation (Genesis 1:31) until sin entered into the picture (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12).
The New Testament confirms that the weekly Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, not the first. It begins on Friday at sunset and ends on Saturday at sunset. The following New Testament Scriptures demonstrate that the first day of the week is the day after the Sabbath, because the women who prepared spices to anoint Christ's body, and rested on the Sabbath, came to the tomb on the first day of the week -- "after the Sabbath," "when the Sabbath was past":
"Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment."
(Luke 23:56)
"Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began. . . ."
(Matthew 28:1)
"Now when the Sabbath was past. . . ."
(Mark 16:1)
The women who rested on the Sabbath and then came to the tomb included Jesus' mother and the mother of James and John (Luke 23:55; Matthew 27:55-56; 13:55; John 19:25).
Jesus came to destroy sin, not to abolish God's Law (I John 3:3-9). When Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17), He meant that He did not come to destroy the Law of God, but to fulfill Bible prophecy. He fulfilled some of the biblical prophecies at His First Coming, but not all of them (Acts 3:18-21; I Peter 1:10-12). Jesus fulfilled the prophecies which predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer (Acts 3:18; Luke 17:25). The prophecies which remain will be fulfilled in conjunction with His Second Coming (Luke 21:22). Today we are living between the First and Second Comings of Jesus Christ, and the moral Law of God has not been abrogated.
Jesus said, "if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17; see also Mark 10:17-19 and Luke 18:18-20). Although the Old Covenant is obsolete (Hebrews 8:13), God's Law is the basis of the New Covenant as well as the Old (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:7-12; 10:16-17). The Ten Commandments are to be written on our hearts and in our minds today (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). The Sabbath remains holy time for man to draw near to God. Jesus taught His disciples how to observe the Sabbath properly, and set an example for them in doing so. There is even more instruction regarding how to keep the Sabbath in the New Testament than in the Old.
God had given specific instructions to Israel regarding the Sabbath (Exodus 16:4-35; 31:12-17; Numbers 15:32-36). When Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God' " (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4), He was quoting an Old Testament Scripture which meant that God had given Israel manna six-days-a-week for forty years, in order to teach them to rest every Sabbath (Deuteronomy 8:2-3). God's dealings with Israel on their journey to the Promised Land were examples for our admonition today (I Corinthians 10:1-13; Hebrews 3:7-4:11; Jude 5; Romans 15:4). The Third Millennial Day
There were two kinds of laws given in the Old Testament: 1) laws which defined sin, and 2) laws which instructed Israel how to deal with sin after it had been committed. Christ's sacrifice changed the second kind of law, but not the first (Hebrews 7:12; 9:10; 10:8-9). Sin (gr: anomia) is the flagrant defiance of the known will of God (Romans 5:12; 6:1-2, 12, 15; 7:22-23; I John 3:4-9; Hebrews 10:26). God and Christ never change (Malachi 3:6; 4:4; Hebrews 13:8).
As Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong considered many important doctrinal subjects. He would first ask, "Is it" (the subject under consideration) "sin?" After a thorough study of the Scriptures, and with a multitude of counsel, the "sin question" would be answered and the Church would take a stand on the subject. Mr. Armstrong understood that only God can decide what sin is (James 4:12), but that He compels man to choose whether or not to sin (as in the garden of Eden). Sin includes the violation of the Spirit of the Law as well as the letter (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28; 19:16-21; Luke 10:25-28; 18:18-19; Romans 2:12-29; 13:8-10; James 2:8-12).
Those who say that they know God, but do not keep His commandments, are liars (I John 2:4). No liar will enter into God's Kingdom (Revelation 21:8; 22:15). Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong declared that there is one commandment which most churches refuse to obey -- the Sabbath commandment. A World in Confusion
Jesus said, "if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17; see also Mark 10:17-19 and Luke 18:18-20). Although the Old Covenant is obsolete (Hebrews 8:13), God's Law is the basis of the New Covenant as well as the Old (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:7-12; 10:16-17). The Ten Commandments are to be written on our hearts and in our minds today (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). The Sabbath remains holy time for man to draw near to God. Jesus taught His disciples how to observe the Sabbath properly, and set an example for them in doing so. There is even more instruction regarding how to keep the Sabbath in the New Testament than in the Old.
God had given specific instructions to Israel regarding the Sabbath (Exodus 16:4-35; 31:12-17; Numbers 15:32-36). When Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God' " (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4), He was quoting an Old Testament Scripture which meant that God had given Israel manna six-days-a-week for forty years, in order to teach them to rest every Sabbath (Deuteronomy 8:2-3). God's dealings with Israel on their journey to the Promised Land were examples for our admonition today (I Corinthians 10:1-13; Hebrews 3:7-4:11; Jude 5; Romans 15:4). The Third Millennial Day
There were two kinds of laws given in the Old Testament: 1) laws which defined sin, and 2) laws which instructed Israel how to deal with sin after it had been committed. Christ's sacrifice changed the second kind of law, but not the first (Hebrews 7:12; 9:10; 10:8-9). Sin (gr: anomia) is the flagrant defiance of the known will of God (Romans 5:12; 6:1-2, 12, 15; 7:22-23; I John 3:4-9; Hebrews 10:26). God and Christ never change (Malachi 3:6; 4:4; Hebrews 13:8).
As Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong considered many important doctrinal subjects. He would first ask, "Is it" (the subject under consideration) "sin?" After a thorough study of the Scriptures, and with a multitude of counsel, the "sin question" would be answered and the Church would take a stand on the subject. Mr. Armstrong understood that only God can decide what sin is (James 4:12), but that He compels man to choose whether or not to sin (as in the garden of Eden). Sin includes the violation of the Spirit of the Law as well as the letter (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28; 19:16-21; Luke 10:25-28; 18:18-19; Romans 2:12-29; 13:8-10; James 2:8-12).
Those who say that they know God, but do not keep His commandments, are liars (I John 2:4). No liar will enter into God's Kingdom (Revelation 21:8; 22:15). Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong declared that there is one commandment which most churches refuse to obey -- the Sabbath commandment. A World in Confusion
JESUS WILL ADMINISTER THE LAW OF GOD OVER ALL NATIONS IN THE WORLD TOMORROW
I Kings 2:1-4, 9:4-9; I Chronicles 22:10-13; 28:4-10; II Chronicles 7:17-22; Isaiah 2:3-4; 9:7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 14:9; Luke 1:30-33; Hebrews 2:5; Revelation 11:15 The Seventh Millennial Day