What the Almighty calls “Doctrines of Devils,” billions of people call “the will of God.” That same God says about those people that they: “ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE” (Hos. 4:6). Read Who Are My People Called by My Name? and Who Are God’s People? and Who and Where is Israel Today? Key words–Called, People and Where respectively. Those who are known as “the church” globally are perishing because they do not know the God Who authored the Bible they all possess. To know, believe and obey His Word is to know, believe and obey Him. GOD AND HIS WORD ARE ONE–THEY ARE INSEPARABLE.

Jesus warned those in “the church” that, on Judgment Day they would stand before Him, call Him their Lord and remind Him of how religious they had been and of the many wonderful works they had done in His name. He declares that He will say to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me YOU WORKERS OF INIQUITY (LAWLESSNESS)” (Mat. 7:22,23). God’s Word is His Law. For convenience, He condensed His Law (Genesis to Revelation) into Ten Commandments which man must obey (“work”) in order to be saved upon His return to earth (Jam. 2:14,17,18,20,24,26). Faith without works cannot save the soul (vs 14). To break one of His commandments (refuse to “work” it) is to break the entire Law (Jam. 2:10). We must prove our love for Him by obeying (working) His Law (Jn. 14:15, 21,24,23; 15:9,10; Mat. 15:9/ Lk. 6:46. His Word is His Law. To reject as much as a jot or tittle (comma, period, etc.) is to prove that one DESPISES BOTH FATHER AND SON (Mat. 5:18/ Lk. 10:16). We will be judged by God’s Words (Jn. 12:44-50), not man’s interpretation of them.

So what is the problem with religious man; what separates him from the Biblical God? Simply put, church people mistake church-defined christianity for Bible-defined Christianity. Their “truths” prove that they reject the Truths of God and embrace Satan-defined “truths,” just as did Adam and Eve so many years ago. Unless there is a church-wide rejection of Satan’s “truths,” followed by a church-wide embrace of God’s Truth (His Word–Jn. 17:17), followed by a 180 degree turn of spiritual direction, billions of supposedly saved, born again people will suffer the same fate as their ancient ancestors did in the Garden of Eden–THE LORD’S REJECTION. Now we will examine some of the counterfeit church’s “truths” in light of God’s Holy Word, which Jesus called TRUTH (Jn. 17:17)–the ONLY standard against which all things spiritual must be judged.

To change, ignore, eliminate, etc. a commandment is to take God’s place. This is idolatry, which is the breaking of commandment #1–placing oneself before God. In this series we will examine some church beliefs and customs which, if believed and practiced, makes idolators of all who take upon themselves the power to determine right and wrong, good and evil (Gen. 3:22). Let us begin our examination.

THE SUNDAY SABBATH: Knowing that Satan would use this commandment to lure away masses of church people, God created a separate, special covenant with His chosen people (His “church in the wilderness” –Acts 7:38) that would serve as a “sign” that they were truly His people. This special covenant is recorded in Exodus 31:12-17. Note that this was the second time He had spoken about His Sabbath which is obviously very important to Him. We know this for, after creating that special day, He “blessed the seventh day and sanctified it” (Gen. 2:1-3). In Isaiah 58:13 He calls the seventh day Sabbath: “MY HOLY DAY.” Man, led by Satan, has taken unto Himself the God-level power to CHANGE HIS HOLY DAY. By doing so churchman removes the blessedness and sanctification of God’s Holy Day and transfers those designations to his (man’s) preferred day–Sunday–the day when sun worshipers pay homage to their god–the sun. To God rejecting sun worshipers Jesus will say at the time of judgment, “I never knew you.” Read the series on the Sabbath. Key word–Sabbath.

BIBLE INTERPRETATION: Each religious cult, when combined with hundreds of other such cults, today constitutes what is called “Christianity” or “the church.” Because each cult (denomination, church, faith, assembly, etc.) is different from all others, and because each calls itself THE TRUE CHURCH, and because each claims to have THE TRUE GOSPEL, each must of necessity have its own god, its own savior, its own truths and its own plan of salvation. This abominable heresy is the result of each group having its own personal INTERPRETATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. However, the Apostle Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, declared: “KNOWING THIS FIRST OF ALL, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any PRIVATE (PERSONAL) INTERPRETATION. For the prophecy (Word/Gospel/Truth) came not in old time by the will of man, but HOLY MEN OF OLD SPOKE AS THEY WERE MOVED UPON BY THE HOLY SPIRIT” (2 Pet. 1:20,21). This was the same Holy Spirit that teaches that same prophecy of Scripture to God’s ministers today. Unfortunately, such men are minutely few in number. Jesus told His apostles to pray that the Father would send out more servants to do the ministerial work. Few have answered His call. Many have answered Satan’s call to lead his churches. They have been supremely successful. For proof, look in any phone book under CHURCHES.

To interpret God’s Holy Word to any degree is idolatry. God reserves for Himself the power to create Scripture/Truth. Only God can interpret what He has written through His prophets and apostles, which He does using the Scriptures themselves. THE BIBLE INTERPRETS ITSELF AS THE TRUTH SEEKER SEEKS OUT HIS “FINE PRINT” THAT MAKES HIS “HEADLINES” COME TO PASS WHILE EXPLAINING THEM. Read Isaiah 28:9-13 for God’s instructions for studying His Holy Scriptures. This ministry was designed by the Lord to focus on His “fine print” and to teach it to those in the institutional church who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Few do, even fewer believe what God tells them and only a minutely few obey it. Jesus warned about this eventuality in Matthew 7:13,14 and 22:14. Recall that of the multitudes that He taught, fed, healed, delivered, etc., only about 120 were with Him at the end of His life. Many, He said would be called to join Him, but few would be chosen for having answered His call. Will you be among the chosen few? L.J.