Church of God News

The following was from an AP story this morning: 

CAIRO, Egypt – Osama bin Laden urged sympathizers to join the “caravan” of martyrs as he praised one of the Sept. 11 suicide hijackers in a new video that emerged Tuesday to mark the sixth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Al-Qaida traditionally issues a video every year on the anniversary, with the last testament of one of the 19 hijackers involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. This year’s video showed hijacker Waleed al-Shehri addressing the camera and warning the U.S.: “We shall come at you from your front and back, your right and left.”

The new message came days after the world got its first current look at bin Laden in nearly three years, with the release of a video Saturday in which the terror leader addressed the American people.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20689822/

Comments by COGwriter: 

In last week’s video, one who appeared to be Osama bin Laden essentially told the USA to covert to Islam or essentially be subject to a lot of terrorism.

So far, the annual messages from Al-Qaida have been more in talk than they have been in actual successful terrorist attacks.

But the truth is that there is serious turmoil in the Middle East right now (Israel, Syria, Iran, etc.), the news reports indicate that Al-Qaida and groups like it are a major factor in the USA having trouble in Iraq, and ultimately, if my understanding of Daniel 11 and Psalm 83 are correct, an Islamic confederation will work with the Beast to cause the USA and its English-speaking allies to fall completely.

The USA, while a major superpower, is a superpower in decline.  Its moral decline is leading to military and financial declines, even now.

Notice the following financial report:

Dollar crashing! Time for action!

Money and Markets – Sept 10, 2007

The U.S. dollar is crashing.  It’s crashing against the euro, the pound, the Swiss franc and, especially the Japanese yen.

Just this past Thursday, for example, one U.S. dollar could have bought 115 yen; on Friday, it could buy only 113. In just 24 hours, the dollar fell more that it would historically fall in 24 weeks!  But if you think this is far removed from your daily life, think again.

The USA does need to convert.  But not to Islam.  It needs to convert to the true Christianity of the Bible and the early Church. 

Time is running short.

But most Americans do not understand that, nor the Christianity in the Bible.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?

The Bible and the Arab World In History and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Who is the king of the North?

The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church?

The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 Do they matter? Most say they must, but act like they do not. This article contains some history about the Church of God (sometimes referred to as the continuation of Primitive Christianity) over the past 2000 years.

Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?

The following is from the latest edition of Servants’ News:

Are independent believers also spending too much to take care of themselves and not preaching the gospel or feeding the flock? Because they are independent, these groups cover the whole spectrum: Some are very diligent to serve our Father, doing much with little. Other groups, while they quote the scriptures continually, are such a poor example to the outside world that they are an embarrassment to our Father. Independence is of little value if it produces no fruit. 

By COGwriter

When we were in Greece in June 2007, my wife Joyce took a photograph of the following which is actually named “Sunday Church”.

Sunday Church, Naxos Greece

Is Sunday a memorial of creation or a memorial of Mithraism?

Notice the following news account:

Asia News, Italy – Sept 9, 2007

Vienna (AsiaNews) – Sunday is an “interior necessity” for Christians, but also for all of the west where activism has reduced rest to time that is “free ….. and empty”, and with is exploitation of natural resources ahs exposed God’s creation to “multiple dangers”: with these Christian, ecological and human motivations Benedict XVI reaffirmed the value of Sunday as a day of rest, of “encounter with the Lord”, of humanity’s recreation from a society such as Austria’s – and many others – which seeks to reduce Sunday to yet another day of commercial trade or another “empty” day…

“Sunday – said the pontiff, has been transformed in our Western societies…

“Sunday is also the Church’s weekly feast of creation – the feast of thanksgiving and joy over God’s creation. At a time when creation seems to be endangered in so many ways through human activity, we should consciously advert to this dimension of Sunday too. Then, for the early Church, the first day increasingly assimilated the traditional meaning of the seventh day, the Sabbath. We participate in God’s rest, which embraces all of humanity. Thus we sense on this day something of the freedom and equality of all God’s creatures…

But the Bible disagrees with the pope as it says that the seventh-day Sabbath is the memorial of creation:

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it (Exodus 20:11).

Where did Sunday then come from?

There are many theories. Here is one I read yesterday from the 21st century historian Craig Harline:

The Roman calendar has long featured numerous annual festivals and an eight day market cycle, but it had no tradition of weekly commemoration of a particular day. During the first century AD, this changed as Rome adopted a seven-day week of its own, shaped by Jewish, planetary, and native Roman traditions…

To begin with, Sun Day mattered more than even among Roman pagans, who still far outnumbered Christians and who may well have influenced how Christians worshiped on their special day.

The second century pagan empire was not irreligious…on Sun Day, Roman pagans began with early services in honor of the rising Sun and Sun God…

More important in raising the status of Sun Day among pagans was Mithraism. This movement was related to the emperor’s Invincible Sun Cult but carried much broader appeal, especially among the empire’s multitude of soldiers. Followers of Mithra did emphasize Sun Day, and with greater impact than early Christians. In fact they may have influenced the Christian choice of the first day of the week for worship and some Christian forms of worship. Purification by baptism, the virtues of abstinence…setting aside heaven for the pure…and celebrating the birth of their God on December 25 are all allowable parallels. Another was Mithraism’s treatment of Sun Day.

Christians assigned their own meanings to such practices…Christ was the true Sun, and east was the direction in which Christ ascended into heaven…the similarities in worship, the new status of the first day among both groups at about the same time, the pagan assumption that Christians were fellow Sun-worshipers, and the emergence of the Christian metaphor “Christ the Sun” all suggest a connection of some sort (Harline C. Sunday: A History of the First Day from Babylonia to the Super Bowl. Doubleday, NY, 2007, pp. 5,9-10).

Absolutely astounding! There is nothing in the Bible to suggest Jesus Christ is the Sun nor that east was the direction in which Christ ascended into heaven (to verify that latter point, simply read the account in Acts 19-11)–yet people who claimed Christ AND Sunday, claimed such non-biblical positions.

Actually, the Bible is clear that humans are not to worship any celestial bodies, which includes the sun:

And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage (Deuteronomy 4:19).

Although in English, the terms “son” and “sun” sound exactly the same, that is not the case in either Greek nor Latin. Furthermore, the Greek for the expression Christ the Sun would be Χριστός τό Ηλίου. Ηλίου meant sun, but was also the name of the sun god (Helios).

Wikipedia has this interesting statement:

In Late Antiquity a cult of Helios Megistos (“Great Helios”) drew to the image of Helios a number of syncretic elements, which have been analysed in detail by W. Fauth by means of a series of late Greek texts, namely: an Orphic Hymn to Helios; the so-called Mithras Liturgy (Helios. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios verified 09/10/07).

Notice that Helios is tied to Mithraism. And that the cult of Helios drew syncretic elements. Combining “Christianity” was pagan elements is syncretic.

Does any true Christian think that real Christians were going around saying, “Christ is Helios”?

Of course not!

Thus, this is apparently why those into Mithraism would consider that the “Christians” that did this were sun-worshipers like them. This probably brought the two groups (Mithraism/Helios followers and sun-honoring Christ professors) closer together and may better explain how what passes for mainstream Christianity adopted such non-biblical practices such as a December 25th celebration called Christmas.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Sunday and Christianity Was Sunday observed by the apostolic and true post-apostolic Christians? How clearly endorsed Sunday?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them?
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church?

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH 

My son Michael thought that the above picture could capture in humor what I believe has happened to the WCG. My wife Joyce coined the expression “Transformed from Truth” many years ago when she first heard of the book improperly titled “Transformed by Truth” by Joseph Tkach (Jr.).

In his September 2007 newsletter, J. Tkach (Jr.) of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) reported: 

Over the last two decades, our fellowship, the Worldwide Church of God, has experienced remarkable transformations. God has changed us at many levels—in doctrine and theology, in our relationship with God, and in our relationships with one another and with non-member family, friends and neighbors. We are forever grateful for this work of God’s grace. To God goes the glory; but I also thank all of you for your faithfulness and sacrifices to be part of this journey of transformation and reformation—from where we were, to where we are (WCG Now), and continuing forward together to where God is taking us (WCG Next).

WCG Now: There are currently about 60,000 of us worldwide; gathered in about 800 congregations and study groups; under the care of about 600 pastors WCG Now is a wonderful testimony to God’s transforming grace and love…So let’s continue forward—yoked together with the Lord directing. Let’s move on together from WCG Now to WCG Next. Please pray about this vision—look for ways to participate in your congregation. Our small, but truly worldwide church is in a unique position to show what God can do through willing and obedient servants.

Comments by COGwriter: 

J. Tkach failed to mention that WCG shrank from about 150,000 before the transformation (which was from biblical truth to human fairy tales).  He specifically failed to mention that WCG was transformed from a hermeneutic of relying on the Bible to one of relying on traditions of mainly Protestant “scholars” for doctrine.

There is no possible way that WCG could have adopted many of the doctrines and practices it now holds from the Bible alone, especially Easter and Christmas.

I continue to pray that those still in WCG will open their eyes and believe the Bible for doctrine and not be part of an organization that places more doctrinal emphasis on the traditions of men.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

WCG Announces 35 Beliefs Book  This explains many of their changes.
Comments on the Teachings of Ron Wallen, Philip Neal, Kenneth W., GRUMPS, Jesse Arellano, and others who Profess(ed) that WCG has God’s Authority Can one still believe what Herbert W. Armstrong used to teach and still be in WCG? This article addresses this important issue.
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they?
Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the COG is NOT Protestant. 

Choir During the 2006 Feast of Tabernacles in Antigua, Guatemala 

By COGwriter

As most readers of this page are aware, we in the Churches of God observe the biblical Holy Days that Jesus and the apostles did.

Holy Days that while observed by the early New Testament Church (as well as throughout the history of the true Church) were condemned by followers of the Greco-Roman confederation that are now known as the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.

When are the next holy days?

Here is a schedule:

September 13, 2007 Feast of Trumpets (For more information on its meaning, read the article The Book of Life and the Feast of Trumpets?)

September 22, 2007 Day of Atonement (For more information on its meaning, read the article The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance)

September 27-October 3, 2007 Feast of Tabernacles (For more information on its meaning, read the article The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians?)

October 4, 2007 The Last Great Day (an article explaining how one COG has a misunderstanding on this day is titled Last Great Day study paper).

Several articles of further related interest may include:

Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? Did they? Did Jesus?
Holy Days This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2012, with their Roman calendar dates. Its hard to keep them if you do not know when they occur. 🙂
LCG 2007 Feast of Tabernacles’ Information Here is information on many Feast of Tabernacles locations for this year.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by new WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean?

In the latest edition of Servants’ News was the following letter and with a response:

LETTER:

RESPONSE: This is a great question that I think deserves an answer.

Comments by COGwriter: 

While governments have lied and will continue to do so, I do not believe that that is the biggest factor. 

I believe that most people do not even attempt to understand how news events fit into the plan of God, nor, as Norman Edwards properly stated, do they properly understand biblical prophecy.  They seem to act like news items are like the wind–something they notice, but that seems arbitrary.

The photo above is of an ancient carving of Euro who is supposed to be the southeast wind.  I (COGwriter) took this picture in Athens (Greece).  (A picture of the tower is available at https://www.cogwriter.com/299.htm) 

Notice what the Apostle Peter wrote:

…scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up (2 Peter 3:3-10). 

Just this week there were four significant earthquakes on the West coast of the United States, at least 18 died from Hurricane Felix, and the US Federal Reserve pumped more money into the money supply to stop the economy from crashing (this started a couple of weeks ago).  This morning, scientists announced that 1/2 of some area in Alaska will be melted by 2050 and that there was a 3.1 magnitude earthquake in Arkansas.  World changing events are going on right now that people ignore.  Like Peter warned, they act like everything is the same.

As far as misunderstanding prophecy, that is and will be a HUGE problem. 

The Roman Catholics, for example, actually expect a “Great Monarch” to arise in Europe who will be supported by a miracle performing Pontiff who will make the world nominally Catholic.  This is a mirror-image (they have it backwards) of prophecy as this is what the Bible warns against.

Many Protestants erroneously expect that they will be raptured away, thus will be totally caught off guard. 

Most other Protestants (as well as the Eastern Orthodox) will become so ecumenical that they will actually accept Roman Catholic misunderstandings of prophecy.

The Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) actually believe that the United States is the two-horned beast of Revelation, hence will not understand when the European Beast power arises (especially since much of the SDA leadership is into ecumenicalism).

The Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) position on the United States is not too far from the SDAs (though they are not ecumenical).  Furthermore, since the JWs believe that more of Daniel 11 has been fulfilled, than truly has, they will be deceived as well.

The Church of God, Seventh Day de-emphasizes prophecy so much that they will not know what happens until too late.

The Bible shows that the Laodiceans in the Church of God think they understand, but since they do not, they will not be protected at the end.

The plain truth is that God only promises to keep the Philadelphians from that hour of trial, hence those that do not accept the idea of Church eras, as well as all others that are not Philadelphian will not be so protected.  Those that Zephaniah 2 indicates will be “gathered together” before it is too late.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Who is the king of the North?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? Who is right about prophecy? This documented article answers those questions.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach?
SDA/COG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The COG is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.
Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Churches of God Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Church of God, Seventh Day: History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
7. The Laodicean Church Era was predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. Non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.

The latest edition of Norman Edward’s Servants’ News arrived this week.  Norman Edwards reported that he attended this summer’s convention of CG7-Denver.  And while he apparently liked the convention, here is some of what he reported:

President Whaid Rose stated, “We are Protestant.  We protested the Catholic Church and embraced ‘sola scriptura’. We just protested more than the rest.” (Edwards N. 2007 G.C. Convention Church of God (Seventh Day).  Servant’s News, July-Aug 2007, p. 6).

I am glad that Whaid Rose is still willing to publicly admit that his church protests the Catholic Church.

The following which is purportedly from the October 2003 edition of CG7’s Bible Advocate and was written by its president, Whaid Rose, states:

When God wants to do something significant in the world, He calls a man or a woman and sets him-her to the task.” {Speaking of the Protestant Reformation}, “That event is remembered each year during the month of October. What better time to celebrate the blessings of the Reformation and contemplate the impact of your own life…There were many other reformers besides Luther.”

CG7’s President must realize that, years ago, even CG7 did NOT trace its history through the Protestant reformation. Thus, celebrating the ‘blessings of the Reformation’ seems odd.

Yet while Roman Catholics tend to consider that all non-Catholics who profess Christ are Protestant, the truth is that those truly in the Church of God (COG) are not Protestant.

We not only protest the Roman and Orthodox Catholics, we protest the Protestants themselves precisely because they have not truly embraced sola scriptura and because they have embraced many Catholic practices that they should have protested (Sunday, Christmas, the Trinity, etc.).  Furthermore, Protestants do not seem to understand that since God is a God of love, that His plan of salvation will result in nearly every one being saved.

In addition, we in the COGs like the Living Church of God, specifically trace our history from the apostles including Peter, Paul, and John, and through various leaders in various lands throughout history.  Unlike the Protestants who trace themselves through the Roman Catholics, we in the COGs DO NOT trace ourselves through Rome, never accepted the authority of the Roman Church, and hence never broke away from it. 

Unlike the Protestants, we in the COGs can boldly teach about early Christianity because our early leaders (like Polycarp and Polycrates) were the ones that objected to Roman Catholic practices such as Easter-Sunday Passover–the Protestants have no such early leaders they can point to that objected to Rome when it attempted to expand its influence.

An ecumenical age is approaching that many, including the Seventh-day Adventists (see yesterday’s post) and even some who consider themselves part of the COG will be caught up in.  Hopefully, those in CG7 will realize that they should not consider that they are Protestant.

Several articles of possible interest may include:

Church of God, Seventh Day: History and TeachingsNearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
Hope of Salvation: How the COGs differ from most Protestants How the COGs differ from mainstream Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a COG background.
Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the COG is NOT Protestant.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 Do they matter? Most say they must, but act like they do not. This article contains some history about the Church of God (sometimes referred to as the continuation of Primitive Christianity) over the past 2000 years.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Churches of God Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Churches of God Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
SDA/COG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The COG is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.
Five Dissimilarities Between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Church of God The COGs are not related to the Mormons and this article explains five differences.
Being Separate: What Did Herbert Armstrong and the Bible Teach About Where Not to Fellowship? Some believe that it is acceptable to attend groups called COG, but who are not actually. What did Herbert W. Armstrong and the Bible teach about this.
Universal Salvation? There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this?

By COGwriter

Yesterday, I received the following in two emails from the same woman:

What a fascinating website! I love the Sabbath and I love history – your website is an excellent resource for both. Thank you so much for all the time and effort that has obviously gone into your website. I’m looking forward to exploring it further. 

Your historical information is incredible. I don’t know how you were able to find such excellent sources, but I found them all fascinating. I am especially delighted to find the account of the Tai-Ping Christians in China in the 1800s. About 12 years ago, I first read an account of them, but could never track down the story again. I’ve told what I remember of it to my kids, but now I have more I can share with them, thanks to you! 

I’m just going to be honest, and hope it doesn’t turn you off; I’m a Seventh-day Adventist. I found your list of COG beliefs very interesting. I am one of a growing number of Seventh-day Adventists who have been led to realize the importance of laying aside the pagan observations (Christmas, etc.) and keeping God’s appointed times. I never thought I’d ever “give up” Christmas (or birthdays, for that matter!), but since our family has done so, we have seen as never before how truly pagan it is. After we started keeping God’s Holy Days, I was surprised to learn from my Mother that devout Seventh-day Adventists never used to celebrate Christmas. I’d never known anything different, but according to my Mother, when she was a little girl, her father’s family were greatly offended when her more worldy mother sent them a Christmas card and brought Christmas trees and celebrations into the family! 

As I have been studying the feasts and holy days from the perspective of a Seventh-day Adventist, I was stunned to discover that, beginning in 1886 and really picking up after 1888, Ellen White wrote strongly that there were truths vast and profound to be studied in the Hebrew economy. Moreover, that the “statutes” were still binding and should still be kept. Wow! Talk about a shock! Leviticus 23 really came alive! I think it is a real pity that so many of my church are unaware of these statements and think that everything but the 10 commandments was nailed to the cross. Fortunately, God is opening to the understanding of more and more Seventh-day Adventists that here is something that deserves study . . . and obedience!… 

Again, thank you so much for a terrific website. I’ll be back to explore some more! I’m so thankful to have found it…

I’m aware that Ellen White was not originally  trinitarian.  My question is, how do you define “trinitarian”?  Does that apply to Jesus Christ?  Or to the Holy Spirit?  I’m not really clear on just what the definition is.  I’m intrigued, though, because one of our church’s most respected conservative scholars recently wrote a book on the trinity.  His ideas have really created some waves.  I’ve not been able to obtain a copy of it yet, but would like to see what it says.  A mutual friend, a conservative Adventist pastor, told me that he thought the subject merited looking into, although it’s not standard “SDA” doctrine.

Which article(s) on your website best sum up the trinitarian issue?

The truth is that the Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) have made so many changes that now even their top leadership seems to want to be strongly associated with the Sunday-keeping churches and those churches now are becoming accepting of the SDAs.  And the trinity is one of the key doctrines of the Protestants and Catholics.

Some articles to address her questions would include:

Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?
Is The Father God? What is the view of the Bible? What was the view of the early church?
Jesus is God, But Was Made Man Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what?
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them?
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church?

Notice the following news item on the Adventists:

Mainstream Protestants, Adventists Make Efforts to Remove ‘Stereotypes’

Christian Post – Sep. 4, 2007

Mainline Protestants and Evangelicals have engaged in ongoing talks with a Christian group that many mainstream believers consider a cult. One major denomination, however, says that’s a mistaken “stereotype.”

Recently coming out of conversations with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Dr. Sheldon Sorge of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) noted, “We have mutual misunderstandings”…

The PC(USA), the nation’s largest Presbyterian denomination, had initiated talks last November with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, seeking better understanding of a group that has a membership of more than 14 million worldwide. Last month, representatives of the PC(USA) and the Adventist Church met in Louisville, Ky., for a second round of talks to remove stereotypes and explore areas of possible cooperation.

Sorge indicated that the meeting helped clear up some misunderstandings that many Protestants had about the group.

“We certainly did view them as more of a separatist group than what we have discovered,” he said. “We found them to be ecumenically engaged, consistent with major Christianity on major points of faith”…

“And it was also our misunderstanding that they want to be a separatist group and not be involved with the wider church,” added Sorge, who said he and fellow Presbyterians discovered that the Adventist Church has been deeply involved in conversations with other Christian bodies.Such bodies include Lutherans, The Salvation Army, and the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), according to Hal Thomsen, assistant to the president for the North American Division of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

The following news item was of interest:

‘Land of Milk and Honey’ lives up to its name

Jerusalem Post – Sept 3, 2007

Now it’s official. The Land of Milk and Honey has lived up to its name.

A Hebrew University archeologist has uncovered the oldest known apiary, or beehive colony, in the Middle East.  Prof. Amihai Mazar found the beehive colony, dating to the 10th to early 9th centuries BCE, in an archeological excavation this summer in the Beit She’an Valley.

The biblical-period beehive colony was discovered in Tel Rehov, which is believed to have been one of the Israelite kingdom’s most important cities.

Three rows of beehives were found in the apiary, containing more than 30 hives, although the archeologists estimated that the total area may have contained some 100 beehives.

Beekeepers and scholars estimated that as much as half a ton of honey could be culled from these hives every year, the university said Monday.

The dating of the beehives was done by measuring the decay of the Carbon-14 isotope in organic materials, using grains of wheat found next to the beehives.

This grain was dated by a laboratory at Groningen University in the Netherlands to the period between the mid-10th century BCE until the early 9th century BCE, a time period attributed to the reign of King Solomon and the first kings of the northern Kingdom of Israel following the division of the monarchy.

Mazar said that these are the first beehives ever discovered at any site from the ancient Middle East.

He said that while ceramic vessels that served as beehives were known from the Hellenistic and Roman periods, none were found intact, and beekeeping on an industrial scale such as the apiary at Tel Rehov was hitherto unknown in the archaeological record…

The discovery at Tel Rehov indicates that beekeeping and the extraction of bees’ honey and honeycomb was a highly developed industry as early as the First Temple period, Mazar said.

Israel is referred to as the Land of Milk and Honey in the Bible 16 times…

One well known instance of an actual honeycomb being mentioned in the Bible is in I Samuel, where Jonathan tastes honey from a honeycomb during the battle with the Philistines.

During the dig, archeologists also uncovered three ceramic storage jars found near the beehives with the inscription “To nmsh.” “Nimshi” is known in the Bible as the name of the father and in several verses the grandfather of Israelite King Jehu, the founder of the dynasty that usurped power from the House of Omri (II Kings: 9-12).

The archeologists involved in the dig believe that it is possible that the discovery of three inscriptions bearing this name in the same region and dating to the same period indicates that Jehu’s family originated from the Beit She’an Valley and possibly even from the large city located at Tel Rehov.

The large apiary discovered at the site might have belonged to this illustrious local clan.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1188392526493&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

The Bible is true, and regularly, scientists interested in the truth find more support for the fact that it is true.

Several articles of possible interest may include:

What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know?
The Bible: Fact or Fiction? This is a booklet written by Douglas Winnail that answers if the Bible is just a collection of myths and legends or the inspired word of God.
Read the Bible Christians should read the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
What is the Appropriate Form of Biblical Interpretation? Should the Bible be literally understood? What do the writings of the Bible, Origen, Herbert Armstrong, and Augustine show?
Bible and Historical Resources on the Internet Electronic bibles, Two Babylons, early Christian literature, photos, and even links to old Herbert W. Armstrong materials.

Felix Becomes Category 5 Hurricane

By MARGARET WEVER,

AP Posted: 2007-09-03 06:44:08 Filed Under: World News

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (Sept. 3) – Felix rapidly strengthened into a dangerous Category 5 hurricane  and churned through the Caribbean Sea on a path toward Central America, where forecasters said it could make landfall as “potentially catastrophic” storm.

Felix was packing winds of up to 165 mph as it headed west, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. It was projected to skirt Honduras’ coastline on Tuesday before slamming into Belize on Wednesday.

“As it stands, we’re still thinking that it will be a potentially catastrophic system in the early portions of this week, Tuesday evening, possibly affecting Honduras and then toward the coast of Belize,” said Dave Roberts, a hurricane specialist at the center in Miami…

On Sunday, Felix toppled trees and flooded some homes on the Dutch islands of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire in the southern Caribbean.  

The Bible does have some dire warnings for those living in islands.  Information can be found in the article Islands and Bible Prophecy.