Why Christ Used Parables cogiw.org
In this article, the author discusses the notion of Jesus speaking in parables and why most people were prevented from understanding their meaning. Contrary to the common belief that parables were used to make the message clearer, scriptures indicate that Jesus used parables to obscure the meaning from the majority of mankind. (Matthew 13:10-13 and Mark 4:11-12) Jesus revealed that His disciples – those the…
Five Doctrines Which Identify God’s Church – Gary L Alexander hwalibrary.com
The linked Good News article from 1974 summarizes five key doctrines that are unique to the Church of God, as distinguished from counterfeit teachings of so-called Christianity. They are helpful reminders of the core defining doctrines of the true Body of Christ. PLAN OF GOD The weekly Sabbath and annual Holy Days describe God’s plan for humankind through seven steps and three annual seasons. The…
Seven Signs of the End-Time Antichrist – Wallace G. Smith tomorrowsworld.org
In the linked article, Wallace Smith sheds light on the Antichrist and the Beast Power, significant figures in the biblical prophecy concerning the end times. These powerful entities play a crucial role in the events leading up to the culmination of human history. The Antichrist, a charismatic and deceptive leader, will emerge in the last days, captivating the world with his charm and promising solutions…
Solving Our Conflict with God – Gary Petty churchofgodnetwork.org
The notion that God accepts us as we are and allows us to remain unchanged is false. Our inherent hostility towards God and our inability to submit to His ways ultimately prevent true inner peace without reconciliation. Our hostile nature is often translated in The Old Testament as “abomination,” which means behaviors and attitudes detestable to God. Behaviors described as such include idolatry, homosexuality, witchcraft,…
“We’re Coming for Your Children!” – Scott Ashley ucg.org
In the summer of 2022, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus faced criticism for an online music video in which members sang about indoctrinating children. The controversial lines spoke of converting children subtly; “You think that we’ll corrupt your kids if our agenda goes unchecked. Funny, just this once, you’re correct.”. After the fact, the group claimed it was satire, but the intent behind the…
Knowing – Jeremy Lallier sabbaththoughts.com
Throughout Christ’s life He had a single motivating drive and purpose. John summed up that purpose toward the end of his gospel when he said “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God…” (John 13:3) Christ was focused on that pivotal event that would make available an incredible choice…
“He Gets Us” . . . But Do We Get Him? – Kendrick Diaz lifehopeandtruth.com
This article discusses the recently launched “He Gets Us” ad campaign. The stated goal of this campaign is to reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible. Unfortunately, the approach that is often taken by these campaigns is to highlight specific traits of Jesus while ignoring the sum total of why He actually came. A watered down version of the Man. This contextually lacking and…
Is There A Secret Rapture Coming? thebiblesaysthat.com
Many Christians mistakenly point to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 in support of the idea of a secret rapture. There is a lot packed into these verses but a secret rapture is not one of them. For one, it confirms the biblical teaching that the dead are in the grave and not in heaven or hell, specifically pointing to the dead in Christ – “And the dead…
The Book of Revelation Unveiled podcasts.apple.com
The Book of Revelation seems like confused, fantastical imagery. But it can be understood. While the end-time events it foretells are terrifying, the ultimate message of the book is that God will institute universal peace, prosperity and cooperation over all the earth when Jesus Christ returns. It reveals how this wonderful new world will be established and why it will never be destroyed or superseded…
Implications of the Gospel of the Kingdom – David Grabbe cgg.org
The word gospel means “good news,” but conflicting ideas exist about what that is. Most consider it simply to be that Jesus died for the sins of humanity, which is indeed good news. But the good news that Jesus himself brought was about the Kingdom of God; that is, God’s rulership. God promises to claim rule over all the kingdoms and nations of this world….
The Falling Away – David Grabbe cgg.org
The Apostle Paul prophesied in the Bible about a great “falling away” before Christ’s return, wherein a “man of sin” would be worshipped as god. Sinful men of this type have risen up to lead church congregations to believe lies at various times. Is that what Paul meant? A bigger, more universal event that is unique in history is more likely, because this personality will…
The Problem With Abortion Is Bigger Than Abortion – Jeremy Lallier lifehopeandtruth.com
For most Christians, the contentious subject of abortion has been approached with myopic fervor. The ending of abortion is seen as an end all good on its own. As highlighted by this article and the study it quotes, abortion is just a piece of the puzzle and is the result of a much deeper problem. A published study, that produced ire on both sides of…
Dropping The Ball On New Year Celebrations – Gayle Hoefker ucg.org
For much of the world January 1st is the accepted and celebrated start of a new year. At the stroke of midnight, a new day and new year is brought in with cheers, singing, drinking and fireworks. What could be the harm? Through its pagan roots, its traditions closely tie it to that of Christmas. The problem with these celebrations is that they act as counterfeits…
Christmas: Does It Matter? – Brian Orchard vision.org
Most never question the traditions they keep. For many, their personal enjoyment of a holiday is all the convincing needed in whether they partake in a day or not. Is that enough? For example, are the neatly wrapped and packaged traditions of Christmas, that are enjoyed and loved by so many, enough to embrace a day that’s pagan customs are at odds with the person…
Are You Going to Heaven? Who Really Knows? thebiblesaysthat.com
So what of heaven? is that where we go when we die? Most of what is taught is mere speculation – The opinions of those without any actual knowledge. There is one that can speak from experience so what does He say? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven…
The Biblical Festivals That Teach Us About Jesus Christ – Mario Seiglie ucg.org
Within the books of the law we are introduced to seven specific Holy Convocations that God calls My feasts. (Leviticus 23:2) Though most Christians today view them as only relevant to ancient Israel, they each specifically point directly to Jesus Christ. The original symbolism of the days has been expanded by how these days were kept by Christ and the New Testament Church. Passover, Days…
The Origins of Halloween youtube.com
Have you ever questioned why Halloween? Why is it so popular, why the traditions, where did it come from? As for the origins and traditions it would be hard to miss the pagan influence. Its Celtic origins go back 2000+ years. These ancient peoples held a summers ‘ end pagan festival (Samhain) to highlight the new year. This was a time of year to take…
Does Paul Condemn Observing God’s Holy Days? – Earl L. Henn cgg.org
For most that grew up within ‘Christian’ traditions, one taught belief is that Paul condemned the observing of God’s Holy days. The verse most often used to support this is Galatians 4:9-10 in which Paul say’s ‘(9) But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which…
Post-modernism: Marxism in Disguise – Tomorrow’s World youtube.com
Postmodernism is a movement that came out of the 20th century. It is one of the Neo-Marxist philosophies that came about as a result of the utter failure of Marxism or Socialism over the course of that century. It’s often characterized by relativism or skepticism – having a healthy suspicion of reason and known truth. Marxism views all history as the struggle between classes. This,…
A Realistic Approach to Growth – Jeremy Lallier sabbaththoughts.com
Within the book of Hebrews, Christians are called to “go on to perfection” (Hebrews 6:1). For many this one command encompasses in their mind the futility in trying to keep the law. Why? because achieving the goal seems hopelessly unachievable and therefore not worth the effort. What are we to make of this command? How do we, imperfect beings, go on to perfection? This article…