Bible Doctrine

The Al-Aqsa (pronounced Al, like the name Al.  Aqsa is pronounced like ack-suh).  The Al-Aqsa mosque is considered to be the most sacred mosque in all the world.  It is the largest mosque in the world and is located in Islam’s holiest city, Mecca.  Now put your thinking cap on for a minute.  What do you think would happen if a gay couple, obviously foreigners, wearing shorts and tank tops entered that mosque and began passionately kissing one another?  They would, of course, be brutally killed.  In order not to desecrate the mosque any further, they might be yanked out of the mosque precincts first, but there is no doubt they would be slaughtered within minutes.

I learned a long time ago that minds already made up, holding preconceived ideas are almost impossible to penetrate with the truth.  The truth can be presented in the most convincing fashion, scripture after scripture can be cited, examples and testimonials can be given, logical reasoning can be employed.  All to no avail.

The temple in Jerusalem was the most sacred site to the Jew.  Still is.  Now put your thinking cap on for a minute.  What do you think would have happened if our Lord’s apostles, let’s say starting with Peter, had stood up in the temple precincts and declared that God’s eternal holy sabbath had been suddenly abolished with no warning given.  What if Peter had gone on to say, “Sunday is now the Eternal’s sacred time and day of rest from all labor!”  (Remember Sunday was a pagan holy day, a day that for centuries was dedicated to the worship of the Sun!)  How many priests do you think would have said “Praise God,” and come on over to the Christian camp?   My educated guess would be ZERO!  In fact, I have no doubt Peter would have been dragged out of the temple precincts and beaten to death forthwith.

But wait, doesn’t scripture say “a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith?”  It most certainly does say that. (See Acts 6:7).  But back up and carefully read the preceding five chapters.  Nowhere is there given even the slightest hint that “the faith” preached by Peter included the abolishing of the sacred sabbath day.  That is an invention of men and A LIE of Satan!  “Oh,” but some would argue, “keep reading and you will find in Acts Chapter 20 that Christians had abandoned the sabbath and were keeping Sunday holy.”  No, you won’t.  You better read Acts 20 again and a bit more slowly.  Nothing in that chapter says anything about the sabbath being abandoned and that believers met each and every Sunday from then on and every where they might be found.  These are not mere human arguments I present, friend.  It is God’s sacred Word to which I look for the truth.  May I suggest you do the same?

Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

“This man is not of God, because He keeps not the Sabbath day,” so said some of the Pharisees when they observed that Jesus healed the sick on the Sabbath. (See John 916). Jesus knew most of the Jews felt the same. How could someone be truly a representative of God if he dishonored God’s holy eternal Sabbath by doing any manner of work on that sacred day – even healing? Jesus had to point out to them that “it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days” (See Matthew 12:12).

Read the four gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) slowly and carefully. Nowhere at any time did Jesus ever give even a hint that the Sabbath would someday be changed or abolished. He did just the opposite. He showed how the Sabbath could be kept holy and sacrosanct even though a person performed good deeds or acts on the Sabbath. And, at the very outset of His ministry, Jesus declared that not one jot or tittle, not one tiny letter would be changed in God’s Ten Commandment law. (See Matthew 5:17-22). Satan’s blinding power is awesome!

And notice that the women “which came with Him from Galilee” after seeing Him crucified “and how the body was laid (without being cleaned and anointed) returned (to Galilee), and prepared spices and ointments (to anoint the body), AND RESTED THE SABBATH DAY ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT!” (See Luke 23:56). Nothing Jesus had said or taught gave them any indication that the Sabbath was to be abolished, changed, replaced or altered in any way! And though His terribly mutilated body with its gaping wounds needed immediate anointing as corruption would be greatly advanced in just a matter of hours in the Middle Eastern heat, still they would not violate God’s holy eternal Sabbath even to cleanse and anoint the Messiah!!!!

And just shortly after the founding of God’s church, Luke writes: “And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, AND A GREAT COMPANY OF THE PRIESTS WERE OBEDIENT TO THE FAITH” (See Acts 6:7). Luke would not, could not, would never have written those words had the early church abandoned the Sabbath and begun observing Sunday as the day of rest and worship, for the priests would have said the same thing the Pharisees said, “These Christians cannot be of God as they do not keep the Sabbath!” It would be doubtful if even one solitary priest would have decided to join their number. In fact, the disciples would have been dragged out of the gates of Jerusalem and stoned to death!

Why human beings throw common sense out the window when they read the Bible amazes me. And, by their belief that God abolished the Sabbath overnight, at the time of Christ’s resurrection, without any prior warning or careful instruction or teaching that such would occur shows they think God has no common sense either. It takes God THOUSANDS OF YEARS to get the Jews to honor His eternal holy Sabbath day and after finally achieving that goal through mind-boggling punishments, including the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, the casting down of David’s throne, and the enslavement of His people by the Babylonians, I am to believe He then says, as it were, “Oh, it was no big deal anyway. I am hereby abolishing the Sabbath I said would be forever and am making Sunday sacred even though I said not one jot or tittle of the Ten Commandments would be changed!” Such a God could not be trusted ever!

And you don’t think Satan has the power to deceive YOU? Oh, he can deceive Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, and he can deceive one of Christ’s apostles (Judas), but not these denominational pastors who know the Word of God backwards and forwards. That’s why there is only one unified denomination in Christianity. Christian leaders cannot be deceived. Yes, I am being quite facetious. As Jesus said, only the few have found their way through the narrow gate into the truth of God in this matter of the Sabbath. One can go along with the majority in this matter and trample on God’s holy Sabbath week in and week out all the days of their life, but there will be payday someday. They might not forfeit their salvation, but they will certainly lose many eternal rewards God would have given them for holding to the truth and refusing to follow the piper who played a tune of gross deception. And there is payday even now in a large sense as prayers are hindered and blessings withheld in this present life. As for me, folks, I will hold God’s Sabbath sacred as long as I live – and, since I keep His commandments, I have already attained eighty-two years of life. (See Proverbs 3:1-2 and Psalm 111:7-10). God help you to understand.

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12)

Donald Wiley

Most pastors are not representatives of Jesus Christ per se, but are representatives of their particular denomination. If there is one pastor preaching Lutheran doctrine to his congregation and another pastor two blocks away preaching Methodist doctrine to his congregation, it is a no-brainer that they can’t both be representatives of Jesus Christ as Jesus Christ will not lead and inspire one of His servants to preach one doctrine while leading and inspiring another servant to preach a contradictory doctrine to his congregation.

Many pastors enjoy a host of benefits provided to them and their immediate family by the church they pastor. They are often provided with a rent free parsonage, a late model car, an oil company credit card to be used for the purchase of gasoline and oil for their car, health and dental insurance for their entire family, a two-week paid vacation each year, and a salary that will range from modest to exorbitant. All too often these become what I call Satan’s fringe benefits, because Satan will use them to prevent a pastor from introducing a newly discovered doctrine to his congregation. Let’s say a pastor through much careful in-depth study of God’s Word discovers that God’s eternal seventh day sabbath is just that – eternal and was never abolished and replaced by Sunday observance. He also realizes full well that if he begins expounding this “new” doctrine to his congregation the deacons will have an emergency meeting and will meet with him and inform him he is no longer considered their pastor and must vacate the church parsonage within the next thirty days, surrender his oil company credit card and give the keys to his car to the senior deacon. His health and dental insurance is immediately cancelled and his next paycheck will be his final paycheck. Satan will whisper to his mind, “You don’t want to lose all of that do you? Where will you find another congregation that will want you as their pastor as your denomination has now labeled you a heretic.” And so the all too human pastor forgets about sharing the sabbath doctrine with his congregation. Satan’s fringe benefits have locked him in to continuing teaching error to his congregation. The Spirit of God is quenched in his mind and heart and no further divine revelation is afforded him by the Lord.

As I have said so many times before, Satan is an expert at his craft, the art of deception and spiritual enslavement. Some pastors recognize this. Many never do. And the one most endangered of all by Satan’s expertise and ingenuity is the novice, the one who is a babe in Christ, having only recently embraced the faith. All such need to make absolutely certain that they have abandoned all sin and maintain a continual walk of holiness lest they become fair game to Satan’s wiles.

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

All over the world the Jewish people have it reinforced in their minds again and again that Jesus was a false Messiah, in fact, once a year every year – each Good Friday! And, of course, this error is reinforced in the Jewish mind every week by the observance of Sunday and spurning of God’s eternal sabbath day by multitudes of professing Christians!  Jesus Christ gave the Jewish people ONLY ONE SIGN that He was their true Messiah? The scribes and Pharisees had demanded of Him that He give them a sign that He was the Messiah. He said, “no sign will be given to (you) except the sign of the prophet Jonah, for as Jonah was THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of man be THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS in the heart of the earth (the tomb)” (See Matthew 12:39-40). Jesus Christ had just said to these scribes and Pharisees “by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned”? (See verse 37 of Matthew 12)..If Jesus remained dead in the tomb for three full days and three full nights only arising from the dead after passage of that much time, then he would be justified by His words and shown to be a true prophet and the Jewish Messiah. Any other period of time would reveal Him to be a false prophet, a deceiver, and, thus, a son of Satan. And the chief priests and Pharisees DID REMEMBER that Jesus made such a prediction, for they “gathered together to Pilate, saying, ‘Sir, WE REMEMBER, while He was still alive, how THAT DECEIVER said, “AFTER THREE DAYS I WILL ARISE.'” (Matthew 27:62-63).

A deceived Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ was placed in the tomb as the sun set on “Good Friday” and that He arose from the tomb at sunrise “Easter Sunday!” I urge you to count how many days and how many nights elapse between sunset Friday and sunrise Sunday. TWO NIGHTS AND ONE DAY! This satanically inspired tradition portrays Jesus as a false Messiah to the Jews. It clearly points up as fact that Jesus failed to fulfill THE ONLY SIGN He gave His beloved people that He was truly their long awaited Messiah!!!!.

Those who do not know their Bibles as they should fail to realize that the sabbath that drew on as Jesus died on the cross was NOT the weekly sabbath, but an annual sabbath, the First Day of Unleavened Bread, an annual sabbath that immediately followed Passover! Jesus was crucified on Passover day. The very next day was an annual sabbath. The Jews had SEVEN annual sabbaths, sabbaths that fell on various days of the week, sometimes overlapping with a weekly sabbath and some years occurring on a weekday. (See Leviticus chapter 23)..

Crucifixion week the annual sabbath called the First Day of Unleavened Bread fell on Thursday. Jesus was crucified on Wednesday of that year, NOT on Friday. Crucifixion week HAD TWO SABBATHS, the annual sabbath of unleavened bread and the normal weekly sabbath. Preachers who do not see this plain, unarguable truth in the scriptures are not fit for the office they hold as they teach and propagate A LIE that yearly reinforces in the minds of unsuspecting Jews that Jesus was a deceiver and a false Messiah!!!!  And those Christians that follow this tradition likewise cause the unsuspecting Jews that Jesus was a false Messiah!.  Thinking Jesus was resurrected on Sunday, they justify this error to teach Sunday observance as a day of rest while ignoring God’s sacred, eternal sabbath.

Jesus body was placed in the tomb as the sun was going down on Wednesday.  Remaining in the tomb for a full three days and three nights would necessitate His coming out of the tomb as the sun was setting the following Saturday.  That is WHY the women found Him missing from the tomb early Sunday morning when arriving there while it was yet dark. He had arisen hours before as the sun was setting Saturday evening!  The Easter Sunday tradition is a myth and propagates a satanic lie to this day, a lie believed by the overwhelming majority of professed Christians!

The average Christian, even the average minister has no inkling of how clever Satan is and how successful he is in planting his deceptions in the human mind, yes, even the minds of unsuspecting Christians. Such ministers will have to stand before Jesus Christ face-to-face someday and give account to Him as to why they depicted Him as a false Messiah to the Jewish people of their time and locale.

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

To many, it seems clear that the apostle Paul wrote something in Colossians 2, verses 13 through 23 that utterly nullified the teaching of Jesus recorded in Matthew chapter 5, for Paul wrote the Colossians , “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, OR OF THE SABBATH DAYS, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.” Isn’t Paul saying the Jewish dietary laws are now void? We can eat whatever we wish. We can drink whatever we like – a Bloody Mary, or any other mixed drink. No one is to judge us as to what “holy days” we keep. We can honor Christmas, Easter, Lent, Sunday, All Soul’s Day, whatever. Isn’t that what Paul is saying? The Jewish sabbath day has been abolished, right? Not so fast, friend. Paul is saying more in Colossians 2 than first meets the eye. And he is definitely NOT saying what many assume he is saying. This passage in Colossians 2 is one of the classic passages where one must keep in mind the apostle Peter’s WARNING that Paul wrote “some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned (in the Hebrew scriptures especially) and unstable (spiritually, sinning day in and day out) wrest (twist, distort), as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own (spiritual) destruction” (See 2 Peter 3:15-16).

We will come back to Colossians 2 a bit later, but first let’s look at something Jesus said in his sermon on the mount recorded for us in Matthew chapter 5. “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (verses 18 and 19). The Lord then tells us which commandments He is speaking of in this passage by citing two of them word-for-word: “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (See verses 21 and 27, Matthew 5).

Some argue, “Well, Jesus said He came to fulfill the law” (verse 17). He kept the law perfectly for us so that we don’t have to keep the law anymore as His perfect and righteous life is applied to us in lieu of our sinful lives. Well, friend, if Jesus fulfilling the law meant we need not attempt to do so that would mean we are free to kill and commit adultery as well as spurning the keeping of the sabbath or any other commandment, wouldn’t it? The Ten Commandments are a unit. They stand or fall together. Three years later, while enroute to Jerusalem and the cross, a young man confronted Jesus and asked Him what he must do in order to have eternal life. Jesus instant reply was “Keep the commandments!” When asked, “Which?” Jesus began citing the Ten Commandments. (See Matthew 19:16-22). Actually Jesus could have answered the young man with but one word: “Repent!” For WHAT do we repent of? SIN! What IS sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law!” (See I John 3:4). So, if the law has been done away with that would mean men are no longer sinners. One cannot break a non-existent law! Sinners no longer would need to repent. Kind of confusing, isn’t it? Well, hang in there. Things will begin looking a little more clearer in Part 2 of this posting.

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

When I awoke this morning a scripture was in my mind that though quite simply stated contained some of the most brilliant enlightenment ever brought to my mind by God. The scripture was Acts 24:14. The apostle Paul had been brought before Governor Felix and the High Priest Ananias was given free reign to question Paul. The questions asked Paul by Ananias prompted Paul to give this most enlightening answer: “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they (these Jews) call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, BELIEVING ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAW AND IN THE PROPHETS.” I then pointed out that Ananias could have then said to Paul, “Do you mean you agree and concur with the law of God that states clearly that we are to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy?” And Paul would have answered, “I certainly do!” And, since Paul stated that he believed all things written in the prophets as well, Ananias could then have asked him, “Do you also agree with the prophet Isaiah where he writes “it shall come to pass that from one Sabbath to another all flesh, Jews, Gentiles and Christians alike, shall honor the Sabbath day in the new heavens and earth?” (See Isaiah 66:22-23). Paul would have answered, “I believe that wholeheartedly!”

Ananias might have looked at Paul with narrowed gaze, wondering if this apostle was merely agreeing with the Hebrew scriptures to save his own hide. He might have pressed a little further and asked, “What is your opinion where the prophet Isaiah says we are to stop trampling on God’s holy day, and that we are to call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord, and shall thus honor Him?” (See Isaiah 58:13-14). I have no doubt Paul’s immediate reply would have been, “This is what I teach in every place I speak forth the mind of God to my hearers.”

Ananias might have then said, “This Jesus, whom you Christians call Lord, said that men are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Am I right?” Paul would have said, “That is correct.” Ananias might have countered, “Over and over again Isaiah and the other prophets said, ‘Thus saith the Lord’ as they made their pronouncements. Isn’t that correct?” Paul would have said, “Most certainly.” “Then you are a Sabbath keeper?” asked Ananias. Paul’s reply would have been, “I am indeed and shall be till I draw my last breath.” Had Ananias said, “What is this I hear of your followers gathering to hear you preach one last time on a Sunday?” (See Acts 20). Paul would have said, “So what? That doesn’t change the Sabbath. How do you take that to mean that we didn’t hallow the previous day, God’s holy Sabbath?” Ananias might have then looked at Governor Felix and said, “No more questions, your honor.”

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

What if the United States Congress passed a law that stated next Saturday at midnight all traffic patterns in the United States would forever shift from driving on the right side of the roadway to driving on the left side of the roadway. At that hour Department of Transportation workers across America would hastily rearrange all traffic signs and repaint all street, road and highway markings to reflect the change. Do you think such a change would be implemented quickly and easily with no accidents and little if any opposition? Well, let me give you a scenario even more astonishing.

What if God inaugurated a holy day of rest at the same time He created man and placed him in the garden. What if he declared again and again the sacredness of that day and displayed almost unbelievable anger whenever that day was violated by those who knew God favored that day, dogmatically stating that He would even destroy Jerusalem and His own temple if that sacred day continued to be dishonored?  (See Jeremiah Chapter 17).  What if He said that day could never be changed and would remain sacred to Him even in the new heavens and new earth?  (See Matthew Chapter 5 and Isaiah Chapter 66).  Would you have a hard time believing such a change was authorized by God with no advance warning, and no specific declaration that He approved of any such change? That’s the problem I have with Sunday, folks!

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

Do you want to know how to dramatically increase your chances of living a long life – at least reaching the threescore and ten (70) years spoken of in Psalm 90, verse 10? Keep growing spiritually, keep making spiritual progress, keep putting away and out of your life anything offensive to God and His holiness. Keep doing that, keep making real progress and you may be surprised how your lifespan will lengthen. Paul writes, “My God shall supply ALL YOUR NEED according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (See Philippians 4:19). And if it is MORE TIME you need in order to get it right, in order to flee and abandon some unhealthy or unholy habit, God will grant you more time. If that necessitates His healing you of some dread affliction, even what men might call an incurable illness, He will do even that. DO NOT LIMIT GOD! “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (See Philippians 2:13). And God working IN YOU is not going to allow you to die when He, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, is making tangible, real progress in your spiritual growth and character, for God does not work at cross purposes with Himself. The breath of every living thing is in His hand. Remember, it is “godliness…that has promise of the life that now is,” that is, of your present temporary chemical existence. (See I Timothy 4:8). That is not to say the good, or godly, do not die young. Some do. But they are the exception to the rule. That fact does not negate the truth of this scripture: “Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with (an accompanying) promise.” And what is that promise? “That it may be well with you, AND YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH” (See Ephesians 6:2-3).

“Keep my commandments AND LIVE…” (See Proverbs 7:2). “In all your ways acknowledge Him (seeking God’s wisdom and will), and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:6). And He will not direct you in a pathway that will shorten your life, but in a pathway of peace, safety and a lifestyle that will tend to lengthen your life. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding, for by me your days shall be multiplied, and the years of your life shall be increased” (Proverbs 9:10-11). “The fear of the Lord prolongs days” (Proverbs 10:27).

Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

Pune, India is a city of two-and-a-half million people located in western India. It has a grand temple dedicated to the god Shiva. Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes are also preserved in that city. Eight hours ago someone from that city visited my website, pulling up the article “The Secret of Longevity.” They must have told someone else in Pune about that article as four hours later a different computer in Pune brought up the same article. It is rare that two different computers from the same city visit my website and bring up the same article to read. I can only assume the first visitor has shared my website with someone else, urging them to check it out.  (The Bible Study sites to which I post, as well as my Facebook page, receives comments from dozens of different nations and scores of pastors, evangelists, missionaries and the like).

“The Secret of Longevity.” That is one of my most popular postings.  I have expanded it several times and may yet expand it a bit more. And I do know the secret of longevity. First and foremost it demands a total and continual submission to Jesus Christ as Lord. Your Creator is then guiding and leading you in your daily life, in every decision you make. Guardian angels are then watching over you quite actively and carefully. When ill you have the Great Physician Himself attending you. Who could ask for more than that?

It gives me pleasure to think that something I have written might indeed increase the lifespan of someone on the other side of this planet, or someone just down the street from where I reside. The article is based on scripture, of course, and in the same I quote many scriptures wherein our Creator tells us humans how to live long lives on His good earth. My twin and I are now past the halfway mark of our seventh decade of life. November 30 will mark our 76th birthday, and that is less than six months away. (My twin and I are now eighty-two years old as March 9, 2025).

I read a lot of biographies of the famous and near famous. During my adult life, scores and scores of the famous and near famous have finished their life course and now are only memories, memories that grow dimmer with each passing decade. And, all too soon, we, too, shall be but a memory. And when the younger generation of our loved ones die, then those visiting the cemeteries that hold our remains will glance at the markers above our graves having no idea who we were, what we looked like, or what manner of lives we lived. We will be the dead of ages past.

The past does not exist, although the recent past remains in the memories of those now living. The ancient empires are no more. The Incas, the Mayans, and the Aztecs are not hiding in the shadows. They were erased from the scene of life long, long ago. But not a one of them has been forgotten in the mind of God. ALL live unto Him (See Luke 20:38). Someday, and that day grows ever closer, our Creator will call each and every one of them to come forth from the dust of the earth and they shall live again. And, in that time and in that day, they will have their minds opened to just why they live again and what a grand and glorious future their Creator will then offer them, inviting them to “enter into the joy of your Lord.” I look forward to that day with eager anticipation. The Hebrew prophets speak of that day and time expansively, but many believers are prevented from seeing this grand truth in scripture due to a misunderstanding of such New Testament passages as Hebrews 9:27 and Romans Chapter 1. Also, they fail to comprehend that “ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God AND IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE!” (See 2 Timothy 3:16). God help us all to understand.

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley