James Russell, Elder:
Dear Brethren and Co-workers,
Greetings! As we come to the close of another secular year, we are yet reminded to strengthen God’s called
and to stand firm, in the truth and holiness; Apostle Peter spends much of his letter condemning false teachers. But
this warning and encouragement is for the purpose to bring piece. “Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly
out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment” ( 2 Peter 2:9-10 NKJV).
At the close of chapter two, Peter reaches a fever pitch, exposing any who would seek to lead the Church astray as
sinful, hollow, deceived, and damned. From the beginning of the chapter, he has connected the threat of false teachers
to the history of false prophets that have plagued Israel.
So when we work on “Proving All Things,” Jesus Christ warned us to “ ..... Beware you of the leaven [sin]
of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1). The theme of the entire 12th chapter of Luke is the sincerity and
devotion that should characterize the true follower of Christ, in contrast with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and their
doctrine. The term “leaven” is applied primarily to their way of life. In theory (“doctrine”) and in practice
(“hypocrisy”), by precept and by example, the influence of the Pharisees led men away from God and His truth!
To be simply said, Christ is saying beware of Judaism’s oral laws and lip-services when it comes to the teaching
of His Father's laws!
Meditating on that foundation of knowledge, it has been said by some, there is no inspired calendar in the
Bible. If that be the case, why call the Bible, God’s instruction Book for mankind? Why would we be commanded
by God to keep His weekly Sabbaths and annual Holy Day Sabbaths, if He has not given us a calendar to know when
they are to be kept? The definition of a calendar in Webster New Collegiate Dictionary is: 1). “A tabular register
of days according to a system covering one year and referring the days of each month to the days of the week;” 2).
“A system for fixing the beginning length and division of time [as week, and month] in a definite order; 3). “An
orderly list.” I ask, what is in these definition that constitutes a calendar, that is not found in God's Word?
We can read in Genesis 1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Then we are told, God
divided the days and nights, weeks, months and years! “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the
heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, [appointed times] and for days,
and years” (Gen. 1:14). Then the LORD commands us to keep certain days for Holy use and certain days for
laboring. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them,
Concerning the Feast of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be Holy Convocations, even these are My Feast. Six
days shall work be done: but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation: ye shall do no work therein, it
is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings” (Lev 23:1-3). Again, why would God command us to keep Holy
certain days and not show us in His Word when to keep them, knowing “Every word of God is pure: He is a shield
unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a
liar”(Prov 30:5-6). We further read of this law in the book of Deuteronomy “Ye shall not add unto the word which
I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your
God which I command you” (Deut 4:2).
The Pharisees and scribes were pressured by the Roman government in 358-9 AD to produce a Hebrew
holiday calendar, so they designed one to fit their convenience by putting intercalations in it. Intercalate means:- to
insert a day or month in the calendar. A synonym for intercalate is introduce. Webster's definition of introduce: 1).
"To lead or bring in for the first time;" 2). "To bring into play or bring into practice." Have you ever read in God's
word where we are to intercalate or insert Judaism’s tradition of mans calendar dates into His inspired annual Holy
Day calendar. What does God inspire Jeremiah to tell us? “For the children of Judah have done evil in My sight,
saith the LORD: they have set their abominations [traditions of men] in the house which is called by My name, to
pollute it”(Jer 7:30).
The Pharisees, who practice keeping the Hebrew calendar inserted the POSTPONEMENTS [delaying God's
annual Sabbaths days] into their Hebrew calendar, that most of the Churches of God keep today. The churches that
follow the Hebrew calendar postponed rules are “adding to and taking away” from God's word, teaching and
supporting Judaism, which Christ condemns. If our SAVIOR condemns it, it must be wrong. “Jesus walked in the
temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about Him, and said unto Him, How long dost Thou make
us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works
that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said
unto you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:23-27).
There are many going outside of what the Bible teaches. They are watering down God's Truth by practicing
the confusing, hard to understand Hebrew calendar rules! One example of this I touched on in the first paragraph
of this letter. Another example is Genesis 1:14, calling the waxing crescent moon the first day of the month, ignoring
completely God's clear words that tells them when the first day is “In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night And the evening and the morning were the
first day” (Gen 1:1-5). Three days later, Genesis 1:14, is in the middle of the first week of God's creation when the
crescent moon was seen after the true conjunction of God's first day. It is this same middle of the week day the
Hebrew calender counts from for their holidays, that many Churches of God follow today!
The young crescent moon is only identified with superstitious pagan idol worship. Notice the three places
in scripture, the crescent moon is mentioned. “In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling
ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their “round tires” [crescent ornaments] like the moon” (Isa 3:18).
Judges weighs in on the crescent moon, “And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the
ornaments [crescent moons] that were on their camels' necks” (Judg 8:21). Looking at verse 26, “And the weight
of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments,
[crescent moons] and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were
about their camels' necks”(Judg 8:26).
How do you know a true believer of Christ from one influenced by Jewish fables? By comparing what they
teach and practice with what the Bible teaches. Remember, the difference between a true and false believer is that
the true believer of God “Prove All Things” and sees their mistakes and errors and repents of them!! When people
become obsessed over something, they find it hard to change even when they are shown to be in error. The postponed
annual Holy Days have become a good example of this error!
The Hebrew calendar is of a private interpretation, The apostle Peter was inspired to write, “Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the
will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1 :20-21).
Judaism never accepted Christ as their Messiah. Therefore they did not receive God's Holy Spirit! I ask, Why
would you want to keep and follow their holiday dates for God's annual Holy Days? Their intercalated
postponements are of their own private interpretation-because they were never inspired or given God's Holy Spirit!
The Hebrew calendar being used today, looks for the pagan image of the crescent moon to start their count
for their holidays, many “Churches of God” follow that same pattern! What does God's instruction book say
about this subject? “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth”(Exo 20:4).
Judaism, is not the religion that God taught to Moses! Judaism is a man-made tradition that God
condemns!! “I am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not, if another shall come in his own name, him
ye will receive [ teacher of the Hebrew calendar]. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another,
and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father, there is
one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me, for
he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?" (John 5:43-47).
Many who want to practice syncretism [mixing religions] judge themselves by themselves. They consider
a man's reputation as good or bad in terms of their own traditions, instead of looking to God, His character and
words, as their standards. That is why Apostle Paul told the Galatian Churches, “Let every man prove his own
work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own
burden” (Gal 6:4-5).
Church of God, In Truth:
P.O. Box 1120, Kimberling City, MO 65686
Tel: 417-338-0033: Fax: 417-338-0031:
E-mail: cogit@flash.net
James Russell, Elder Pete Fleming, Elder
Tel: 417-338-0033 Tel: 830-885-5502
E-mail: cogit@flash.net E-mail: pmf06@gvtc.com
Puerto Rico Phillippines
Martin Martinez, Deacon Romeo Samudio, Rep
Tel: 787-786-5856 Tel: 090-8536-4415
E-mail: marty@ucsint.com E-mail: romesamudio@yahoo.com
Our Sabbath telephone Conference number is toll free; 1-888-206-2266. An automated speaker will ask for
your access code. ......... [call for code number].
The Sabbath Internet Conference is found at: www.postponements.com Click on “live sermon” Both
telephone and internet hook up times are at 11:30 AM, Pacific time zone, 1:30 PM Central time zone, and
2:30 PM Eastern time zone.
DAILY LOYALTY TO THE TRUTH.
"If you abide in My word" (V 31). Jesus Christ insisted that
to be a true disciple-demanded loyalty to the truth, and
nothing but the truth, as it was revealed in Him.
Truth! The Word required the testimony of two witnesses
before they accepted a record as valid, and Jesus claimed to
represent the two required witnesses since He was one with
the Father in speaking, as well as being.
LEARNING DAILY THE TRUTH.
"And you shall know the truth. " (V 32). Israel professed to
know the truth and to be the official exponents of it. They
had yet to learn, however, that truth is not only a system of
words to memorize, but an encounter with a living person in
the Word.
We find in God's word the expression of eternal truth. John
wrote; "Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is
truth'{John 17: 17). Ifwe would fulfill our responsibility as
disciples, we must read, learn and meditate upon this His
Word. Since truth is essentially moral, and so must be
associated with a person, It is necessary that we recognize
Christ as TRUTH. When answering Thomas on one
occasion He made the claim, "1 Am the Truth" (John 14:6).
DAILY LIBERTY IN THE TRUTH.
"The truth shall make you free" (V 32). Genuine liberty is
the crowning evidence that the disciple is fulfilling his
responsibility in relation to truth. It is not sufficient merely
to learn of the Word of God and the Son of God; such
learning must be translated into action. Only by obedience
to the truth, as we see it in the Son of God, is there liberty
for the disciple of the Lord of Lord's. Only then shall we
find light for life's duties, joy in our sorrows, strength in
our weakness, guidance in our perplexities and freedom
from bondage. ~ Points to Ponder