Bible Doctrine

The sacrament of confession is a diabolical invention of deceived men. Jesus instructed His followers early on to confess their sins to His Father. (It is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer” and can be found in Matthew 6:9-15).

Deceived men lift out of its context the words of Jesus Christ, which He told His disciples shortly after His resurrection: “whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained” (See John 20:23). Deceived men think this statement of Jesus Christ spoken to His disciples applies to every Roman Catholic priest of every generation, that they have the divine power to forgive someone’s sins or the power to leave someone unforgiven and, thus, candidates for hell and eternal damnation. They even think a pedophile priest still retains this power regardless of how ungodly or corrupt that priest might be! Friend, you better read that last sentence one more time in order to get a grasp on how diabolically deceived these Roman Catholics are.

Consider the context, the most basic rule to always be employed when trying to discern what a scripture text is and is not saying is utterly abandoned by those who think Jesus Christ was giving Roman Catholic priests the power and authority to forgive a fellow human’s sins in John 20:23. The context shows this event occurred just hours after Christ’s resurrection. These disciples had just days before witnessed Jesus Christ’s horrible sufferings and rejection. They had seen him spat upon, slapped, mocked, beaten nearly to death and then crucified by a jeering crowd of Jews and Romans. He now appears before them, showing them the gaping wound in His side and His nail scarred hands, again bringing back afresh to their minds what their fellow Jews had done to the Messiah. Jesus knew these disciples were going to have a difficult time at best forgiving these people for having treated Jesus in such a fashion so recently. Yet Jesus was about to send them out to the Jews first with the message of forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus knew unless they forgave these folks from the bottom of their heart that they could not possibly carry the gospel message to them. No way! So, using divine wisdom Jesus said, “If you don’t forgive them, I won’t forgive them. If you will forgive them, I will forgive them, too.”

It doesn’t matter how many believe a falsehood. If it is a lie, it remains a lie though all humanity believe it. According to a study in 2015, Islam had 1.8 billion adherents. That’s nearly a quarter of the world’s population. 1.8 billion people believe Islam is the only true religion. Many of them believe it so firmly they are quite willing to die for that belief! But their erroneous belief does not authenticate their religion. According to Vatican figures, there are 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world. Almost all, if not all, of them believe in the doctrine of the sacrament of confession, that a priest has the power and authority to forgive a fellow human being’s sins, or, conversely, to refuse to forgive their sins and leave them in a state of condemnation and, of course, a sure candidate for hell! A pope would have this same power and authority, wouldn’t he? And Catholics claim Peter was the first pope. So, let’s take a look at an interesting passage of scripture:

“There was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city (Samaria) used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one (like some modern televangelists do today), to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is the great power of God.'” (And such men have arisen in every generation from popes to preachers, seducing the people into believing they were God’s anointed representative for that time in human history). “And to him they had regard, because that of a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. (Not all apparent miracle manifestations come from God, you know.) But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (Note: Scripture knows nothing of any such thing as infant baptism). (Acts 8:9-12).

“Then Simon himself believed also, and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were in Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost, for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (God had temporarily delayed imparting His Holy Spirit to these Samaritans in order to lure the apostles out of Jerusalem, where they were remaining expecting to the Lord to return at any moment).  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.’ But Peter said unto him, ‘Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.'” (Acts 8:13-21).

Now notice what Peter says to Simon, “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, AND PRAY GOD, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” (verse 22, Acts 8). Why didn’t Peter say, “Confess to me thy wickedness that I might forgive thee.” He didn’t say that because this supposed first pope knew he did not have the power or authority to forgive Simon’s sins or the sins of any one else!

The apostle Paul wrote, “Be careful (Gk. anxious) for nothing, but in every thing (especially confessing and asking forgiveness for some sin or sins) by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known UNTO GOD (not some “priest” sitting in a tiny closet eager to hear you confess your sins to him). And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds (at rest and at peace) through Christ Jesus” (See Philippians 4:6-7). But confess some sins to a priest and see how quickly your conscience gnaws at you and you find yourself unable to look that man in the eye again, knowing he remembers that gross deed you told him about. Satan is clever. I’ll give him that. He knows how to capture and hold his captives.

There is not a single instance in the entire New Testament where someone confessed their sins to an apostle or a fellow Christian calling himself a priest, asking that such a one absolve them of some sin or sins they had committed!

Christians living in areas where there was no organized church or priests were not without God’s forgiveness. They knew they needed only pray and confess their sins to the Father as Jesus had directed them to do in the sermon on the mount.

Confessing your sins to a Roman Catholic priest to obtain God’s forgiveness is as pagan a concept as sacrificing your firstborn child to appease an angry God. THINK, believer, for once in your spiritual life THINK!

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

Donald Wiley

The very first message Jesus Christ delivered after beginning His public ministry was what is commonly referred to as the “Sermon on the Mount” and is recorded word-for-word in Matthew’s gospel account, chapters five, six and seven. Putting first things first, Jesus flatly states that “till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law.” (See Matthew 5:18). He makes certain we know exactly what law He was speaking of by quoting word-for-word two of the commandments contained in that law: “thou shalt not commit adultery” (See Matthew 5:27) and “thou shalt not kill!” (See Matthew 5:21). And He gives this fearful warning: “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” (See Matthew 5:19). Only a super deceiver like Satan could prevent a thinking mind from seeing the truthfulness and accuracy of what they have just read! And only a super deceiver like Satan could blind multiplied MILLIONS of Christians century after century from comprehending and receiving Jesus’ teaching given in the Sermon on the Mount. I stand in utter awe of that ancient spirit being.

Friends, listen, Jesus Christ categorically stated that NONE of the Ten Commandments could be changed or altered in any manner, not even in the least degree. That would include the fourth commandment: “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy!” He said heaven and earth would have to pass away before that could possibly happen. And I am to believe that overnight without any warning God’s sacred, eternal, holy sabbath was changed to a completely different day when Jesus was resurrected from the dead and that day being the day pagans for thousands of years had held sacred in their worship of the sun???!! Though no such statement is ever recorded by any writing apostle, still I am to believe that this did happen??

“The works of his hands (writing the Ten Commandments on stone tablets) are verity (faithful) and just. ALL his commandments (including the fpurth) are sure (Heb., “firm, permanent”). They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness” (Psalm 111:7-8).

Now do yourself a big favor. First, STOP SINNING, so that God’s Holy Spirit can begin to illuminate your mind. Secondly, after having repented and abandoned ALL sin, read Paul’s letters to the Galatians and Colossians slowly and carefully, considering the context as you read each verse.

Satan’s deceptive powers are astonishing. That is why believers are warned again and again in the scriptures to beware of being deceived. We are cautioned against deceiving ourselves! If what I have written above makes no sense to you, I am afraid you will be among that number who, perhaps making it into the kingdom of heaven, will be looked upon as the least among those gathered there. As for me, I don’t want to be counted in that crowd, and I am sure it is going to be quite huge.

What you have just read is absolute, utter truth – the truth of God’s holy Word. The ball is in your court. What are you going to do with it?

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

Donald Wiley

The very first public message Jesus Christ delivered after beginning His ministry was what is commonly referred to as the “Sermon on the Mount” and is recorded word-for-word in Matthew’s gospel account, chapters five, six and seven. Putting first things first, Jesus flatly states that “till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law.” He makes certain we know exactly what law He was speaking of by quoting word-for-word two of the commandments contained in that law: “thou shalt not commit adultery,” and “thou shalt not kill!” And He gives this fearful warning: “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.” (See Matthew 5, verses 18, 19, 21 and 27).

Friends, listen, Jesus Christ categorically stated that NONE of the Ten Commandments could be changed or altered in any manner, not even in the least degree. That would include the fourth commandment: “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy!” He said heaven and earth would have to pass away before that could possibly happen. And I am to believe that overnight without any warning God’s sacred, eternal, holy sabbath was changed to a completely different day when Jesus was resurrected from the dead?????? Though Jesus Christ at the very beginning of His ministry said this could NEVER be done, and though no such statement is ever recorded by any writing apostle, still I am to believe that this did happen, that Jesus Christ’s fulfilling of the law meant that the Ten Commandments were abolished or changed in some manner??? That is utter satanic delusion!

The apostle John wrote, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments, that, AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING, you should walk in it” (2 John 6). “For this is the love of God (this is how we show God we love Him) THAT WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, and his commandments are not grievous (not a burden, not a yoke of bondage)” (I John 5:3). This apostle says that when we keep God’s commandments it is pleasing in His sight. (See I John 3:22). “He that keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him (in the commandment keeper). And hereby we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us (both inspiring us to keep His commandments and enabling us to do so)” (I John 3:24).

The fact that a group of disciples gathered together one Sunday to hear Paul preach one last time is cited as “proof” God’s sabbath had been abolished and replaced by Sunday as a holy day! It was widely advertised that Paul was leaving the area never to return. It just happened to be a Sunday before they could all gather together. (Read the entire 20th chapter of Acts). Had it been a Monday before that occurred I suppose Satan would have deceived millions of Christians into believing Monday was now a holy day designated for worship and cessation from work!!!

“Ah, but there’s more,” crow the Sunday observers. They then cite how Paul urged the believers to “lay by them in store” foodstuffs collected for the starving believers in Jerusalem as their first priority of the week so that there would be no delay caused by gathering such upon his arrival in Corinth. (See I Corinthians 16:1-3). Somehow this is interpreted as Paul saying, “When you go to church on Sunday and pass the collection plate give liberally and I will come and get that money and take it to Jerusalem.” Some folks can read a lot into a scripture that just isn’t there!

“But wait, wait, we’ve got one more text that proves God abolished His holy sabbath. Read what Paul says in Romans Chapter 14.” Yes, friend, do read what Paul says in that woefully misunderstood text. He is not talking about our having the freedom to choose any day we like as a holy day. He is informing believers they have the right to choose any day they wish as a day of fasting!!! LOOK AT THE CONTEXT.

But then the Sunday keeper, ignoring all the foregoing, introduces his clincher, his absolute “proof” text God abolished He holy eternal sabbath – Colossians Chapter 2. He fails utterly to see that the holy days and sabbaths that were blotted out by the cross were the sabbaths “which were a shadow of things to come” – NOT the sabbath that LOOKED BACKWARD to creation week, the weekly sabbath. The annual sabbaths and holy days all looked forward to a different aspect of God’s work on this earth, especially regarding the physical nation of Israel, from Passover’s looking forward to our Lord’s sacrifice of Himself on Calvary to the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles that depicted the Messianic age when our Lord would return and finally dwell with men. Believers need not journey to Jerusalem – or any other site – three times a year to keep the annual sabbaths and holy days contained therein. These annual feasts were, in general, tied to an agrarian or agricultural society. The time of the feast of Pentecost was actually launched at the time of the Spring harvest.

Some brethren need to re-think how they interpret God’s Word lest they unknowingly place themselves back under a law of works that was set aside two thousand years ago. God help you to understand.

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

Donald Wiley

There are a thousand times ten thousand subjects of which I am abysmally ignorant, knowing nothing whatsoever about those subjects.  There is ONE subject with which I am intimately familiar – God’s Word.  It is only when one adds the catalyst of continuous obedience to God’s Word that one then gets divine revelation.  This goes a long way in explaining why so many embrace so much spiritual error.  Such minds, already made up and holding preconceived erroneous beliefs are almost impossible to penetrate with the truth.

John the Baptist said, “He whom God has sent speaks the words of God…” (John 3:34).  And the one God has sent is not cowed or influenced by any man’s opinion, rejection or acceptance.  Seared upon their conscience are the words, “No Compromise!”  One whom Jesus Christ, the Living Head of God’s church, has set in the role of a teacher in the body of Christ has both an uncanny knowledge of and memory of scripture.  God Himself, through His prophet Amos, asks pointedly, “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

Jesus Christ WARNED “He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathers not with me scatters” (Luke 11:23).  We must never forget that we are nearly two thousand years in time removed from the founding day of God’s church.  Between our day and the day of our Lord and His apostles lies a great yawning chasm of time wherein a tremendous amount of error has been introduced and interwoven into Christianity.  It is absolutely imperative that we listen to the counsel and teaching of Jesus Christ, His prophets and apostles even if we stand entirely alone in doing so.  Scripture clearly declares that anyone who follows the pathway of truth will ever and always be in a severely circumscribed minority.

Jesus asked, “Do you not therefore err, because you do not know the scriptures?  You therefore do greatly err.” (Mark 12:24, 27).  Note well what He said.  One who doesn’t know the scriptures intimately well does not simply embrace some error.  They err greatly!  And the scriptures to which Jesus Christ alluded were the Hebrew scriptures – the Old Testament.  The very foundation of God’s truth and revelation to Adam’s descendants.

The writings of the prophets contain the very core of the beliefs and practices of our Lord’s true followers.  Remember, Paul’s defense before Governor Felix was that he believed all things written in the law and in the prophets – the first five books of the Bible and all the rest of the Hebrew scriptures.  Paul well knew that Jesus Christ taught that men are to live by EVERY WORD that proceeds out of the mouth of God.  Peter’s last words to God’s people were “be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets’ (2 Peter 3:2).  That is why Jesus urged the Pharisees, who embraced and taught gross error, to pay close heed to “Moses and the prophets.”  He told them this over and over again. 

God is not playing a game with mankind, but is in deadly earnest.  In order to reproduce many glorified and super obedient sons and daughters God surrendered His beloved spotless, holy, perfectly obedient Firstborn to be horribly tortured and shamefully murdered before a jeering, cat-calling crowd of rabble.  When one tramples beneath their feet that precious spilled blood, know this, they are then standing on the most dangerous and shaky ground in all the universe.  It is only by God’s great mercy Donald Wiley still draws breath in his 82nd year of life.  Never forget that it was the One who died on Calvary who drowned every single human being on earth save for one family.

The ONLY commitment God knows is total commitment.  And God says, “You come over to my square.  I’ll not move over to yours.”  And He further declares, “You shall seek me, and find me WHEN YOU SHALL SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART” (Jeremiah 29:13).  If you haven’t done that, you haven’t found God.  You’ve found religion.

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

Donald Wiley

There is an event recorded in the New Testament that most theologians refer to as the Mount of Transfiguration experience or miracle.  It is recorded in three of the four gospel accounts, John being the one exception.  In Matthew’s gospel account it is found in the 17th chapter, verses 1 through 13.  In Mark’s gospel account it is found in chapter 9, verses 1 through 13, also.  In Luke’s gospel account it is found in chapter 9, verses 27 through 36.  In all three of these accounts a voice is heard speaking out of an overshadowing cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, hear ye him.”  Matthew adds the phrase, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.”  This is, of course, God the Father, since the One speaking calls Jesus His beloved Son.  But it is the COMMAND that is uttered to which we had better take heed: “Hear him” or, as we might say, “LISTEN TO HIM!”

I can understand the world at large ignoring that command.  Billions do not know such a command was ever uttered.  Those who do not believe in the inspiration of the scriptures, especially the New Testament scriptures, do not believe such a voice was ever heard and, therefore, for that reason, ignore the command to listen to Jesus Christ’s statements, teachings, instructions, etc.  What I find quite troubling is that there are literally MILLIONS of professing Christians who believe such an event occurred but still ignore God’s plain, clear, easy-to-understand COMMAND.  They do NOT listen to what Jesus said and do not obey Him in many areas.

Jesus said, “EVERY ONE that is of the truth, hears my voice” (See John 18:37).  He didn’t mean hearing what He said in such a fashion as for it to go in one ear and out the other, but to hear what He said with such interest and eagerness as to OBEY what He said, to do what He said we are to do!  He warned, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (See John 6:63).  And He said, “He that believes on me has everlasting life” (See John 6:47).  To believe ON Jesus Christ is not merely to believe facts about His life, that He died for our sins, was buried and rose again.  To believe ON Jesus Christ is to believe what He said and to act upon what He said – to OBEY HIM in all things.

Again Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say???” (See Luke 6:46).  Such conduct and behavior is ludicrous, senseless, absurd – and leads to eventual judgment and possible eternal death!

A short time before Jesus Christ was arrested and almost immediately crucified, a young man approached Him and asked what he must do that he might have eternal life.  Jesus answered him, “If you will enter into life, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS!”  The spiritually blind argue, “Well, that’s how you got saved before the cross.  Now, on this side of the cross, all we gotta do is believe.”  Yet after the cross the apostles told those seeking to be saved that they must repent.  (See Acts 2:38).  Repent of what?  Sin!  And what is the Bible definition of sin?  “Sin is the transgression of the law” – God’s law, the Ten Commandments.  (See I John 3:4).  So if sin is the transgression of God’s commandments, and one repents of sin, then that means one begins keeping God’s commandments.  So Jesus did know what He was talking about when He told the young man he must keep the commandments in order to inherit eternal life!!!

Most folks don’t have much trouble believing we should keep nine of the commandments, agreeing wholeheartedly that true Christians should not lie, or steal, or kill, or commit adultery, or worship idols, etc.  It’s that fourth commandment that sticks in their craw, you know the one that says, “Remember the Sabbath day to KEEP it holy….”  That’s the one they want to jack hammer out of the tablets of stone, re-writing it to say, “Remember Sunday and make it holy.”  Try to keep that fourth commandment and they will say you are a legalist, or that you are trying to put believers back under the law, or that you are trying to earn your salvation, or some such satanically inspired argument.

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

Donald Wiley

Did you know that is the charge given to Jesus Christ by God the Father regarding everyone of us who have placed our faith in the Lord and given to Him our last full measure of devotion?  “Bring him (or, her) home!”  That is exactly what Jesus Christ is doing as He right now functions as God’s High Priest in the heavenlies.  That is what drives Him at white hot heat every moment of every day.  But we can thwart our Lord.  We can make His task difficult, if not impossible, for Jesus will not possess us as some demon might if given the opportunity.  He will guide, direct, caution, warn, uphold, lead, strengthen, bid, encourage, entering into our daily lives in a myriad different ways – but He won’t possess us, forcing us to go His way.  But in a real sense He already possesses us, having bought us with the price of His shed blood on Calvary.  We are not our own anymore – once we believe, repent and  bow to Him as our Mighty Lord.

In Hebrews 2:10, Jesus is called the Captain of our salvation.  And in that role it is written that He is bringing many sons (and daughters) to salvation – to immortality and eternal life.  He is the Good Shepherd.  We are the sheep of His pasture.  And, if He has a hundred sheep and one strays, He will leave the ninety and nine to go search for the one that has lost its way.  And if the Creator has a hundred nations and ninety and nine of them go astray, He will leave the one nation to go and seek and save the ninety and nine that have been duped, deceived and led into false religions by Satan the devil.   But He operates on schedule time.  He has a time-table by which He works.  And we are far from the final destination of God on that time-table.  “God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son.”  “God is not willing that any should perish.”  “Jesus Christ tasted death for every man” – every Inca warrior, every Aztec maiden, every Babylonian camel groomer, every Chinese peasant!  This is a truth few “preachers” comprehend, believing most of mankind live and die with no knowledge of Jesus’ sacrifice and plan to save them and are thereby consigned to a burning hell without hope.

Christianity’s false doctrines have caused the Jews to view Jesus of Nazareth as an imposter, for the Jesus believed in by most Christians failed to fulfill the ONLY sign He gave the Jews that He was indeed their Messiah, that sign being that He would remain in the tomb for three days and three nights.  Deceived believers say Jesus was in the tomb but two nights and one day, from dusk on Good Friday until just before dawn on Easter Sunday.  They further confuse and alienate the Jew by saying their Jesus abolished God’s eternal holy Sabbath day and inaugurated the pagan day of the sun as God’s new day of rest and worship!!  That is WHY the orthodox Jew still looks for the Messiah and shuns and avoids all contact with Christians.  They have no idea that the majority of Christians are deceived in such matters.

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

Donald Wiley

In closing his letter to the believers at Rome, Paul addresses himself to “all the churches of the Gentiles,” and mentions “the church that is in THEIR HOUSE (meaning Priscilla and Aquila)” (See Romans 16:3-5 and I Corinthians 16:19).  And, in closing his letter to the Colossians, Paul writes, “Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house” (See Colossians 4:15).

If one is ignorant of the history of the early church and reads only the Book of Acts, they will come across such statements as “how many thousands of Jews there are which believe” (See Acts 21:20) and how “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).  The reader might then be led to believe that the number of members in the church increased exponentially and that the various assemblies of the church of the First Century contained hundreds, even thousands of members.  Not so!  As the word of God spread across the Roman Empire converts to the Christian faith found themselves under severe persecution and also found that their meeting places were limited to private homes or outdoor gatherings when their numbers were such that they could not be accommodated in a single house.

And, if the novice in the Word of God is unaware of the dates when various letters of the New Testament were written, one might think that the early church had a New Testament of sorts to guide and instruct them in the ways of God.  It is generally agreed that the first letter of the New Testament to be written was the Book of James and that it was written about 50 A.D.  The first gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were not penned until the sixties!  It is believed Paul’s first epistle was the Epistle of I Thessalonians and that it was written about 52 or 53 A.D.  Yet the church of God, the “New Testament” church began and was inaugerated on the Day of Pentecost in the early thirties (some say 31 A.D., some say 33 A.D.) 

So what scriptures did the apostles and elders of the early church use to guide and instruct them in the doctrines of God, since they had no New Testament?  Well the only scriptures existing at that time – the Hebrew Scriptures, commonly called the Old Testament, of course!  Although the Septuagint was a Greek translation, it was a translation of the Hebrew scriptures – not the New Testament. When the Jews in Rome came together to hear Paul speak (he was then under house arrest in that city), “there came many to him into his lodging to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, BOTH OUT OF THE LAW OF MOSES, AND OUT OF THE PROPHETS (THE OLD TESTAMENT), from morning until evening.” (See Acts 28:23).  He might well have used the Septuagint to do so. This would have been about the year 63 A.D.

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

Donald Wiley

Have you ever held an apostle’s Bible in your hands? I have many, many times. In fact, I have about sixteen of them in my possession at the present time, and read from them daily. Oh, I don’t mean the originals the apostles actually held in their hands and actually read from. I mean copies printed in English and bound up with New Testaments and sold as one single book. That’s right. I am talking about the Old Testament. It seems few ever stop to consider that the ONLY scriptures Jesus’ apostles had were the Hebrew scriptures – what we today call the Old Testament. Years passed after the founding of the church before one of the apostles – those few who wrote lengthy letters to the early church – began writing such letters. And, thus, the New Testament was written in a piece meal fashion. One letter written a dozen or so years after the founding of the church in Jerusalem, another written ten or fifteen years later, until finally near the close of the First Century the apostle John wrote the final book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation around 96 A.D.

The New Testament, as such, did not come into being until more than two hundred years after the time of Christ! Many modern believers, those who call themselves a “New Testament Church” seem to think the early church had the New Testament and used those scriptures to guide them in what they were to practice and believe. Not so!

Were there such a thing as a time machine that one could step into, twist some dials and set a certain date, as well as a place, to which to return and then go back to let’s say Damascus or Joppa and the year 44 A.D. what a surprising revelation would await them. And, since we are speaking of doing the impossible and doing something miraculous in the process, let’s say when you stepped out of the time machine you found that you were dressed as everyone else of that era and could speak fluently the language of the day and understand said language. You then ask someone where the Christians were then meeting in that city. And let’s keep on musing, and say the first person you asked just happened to be a Christian and said to you, “I am on my way to the house of Zacharias right now. Since this is the fourth sabbath of the month, we have agreed we will meet at his house this sabbath as he has a large enough room to accomodate fifty of us. Come with me.” (I hope you are not surprised that such is the place where the early Christians met. Church buildings would not come into existence for another two hundred years). Would you be surprised that no one had a New Testament? In fact, if you were to ask them about the lack of New Testaments, you would find they would gaze at you in consternation and quite puzzled and ask you, “What do you mean by a New Testament?” They would not know what you were talking about. In fact, they would not know what you were talking about if you asked if anyone had brought an Old Testament with them. You see, the early church only had limited access to various scrolls of the Hebrew scriptures – what we today call the Old Testament. Those scrolls were not called such at that time in history.

When one of the teachers of the assembly stood up to speak, in all probability, he would read to those assembled before him from a copy of the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures written in Koine (coy – ‘NAY) Greek, the common Greek language of the day. For several years there would be not a scrap of apostolic epistles to read from. Some might have been fortunate enough to have heard Jesus or John the Baptist teach at some point. If founded by an apostle, they would have an apostle’s teaching in some matters, but, for the most part, the Hebrew scriptures would be their guide book. (To be continued in Part 2).

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

Donald Wiley

I suppose the scripture texts that are used more than any other by the Sunday observer to “prove” God’s holy, eternal seventh day Sabbath was moved to the first day of the week (Sunday), the day observed by sun worshippers for many long centuries, are the passages found in the 16th chapter of I Corinthians , verses 1 through 3, and Colossians 2, verses 13 through 22. The Corinthian text reads as follows: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.  And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.” (I Corinthians 16, verses 1 thru 3, King James Version).

Now here is what many seem to think that text says: “Now concerning the collection of the offering at church, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.  Each Sunday let every one of you take your offering to church as God has prospered him, that there be no collecting of the offering when I arrive.  And when I come, whomsoever you shall approve as honest and trustworthy by your letters, them will I send to bring this money to Jerusalem.”  And, of course, the passage says nothing of the kind.

The average Sunday preacher has no idea that there are two intimately related scripture texts that must be considered for a proper understanding of what Paul was saying in the passage quoted above.  Those two texts are found in Acts 11:25-30 and Romans 15:25-28.  First let’s look at the text in Acts 11: “Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul (Paul).  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch.  And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people.  And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.  And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.  And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there would be great dearth (famine) throughout all the world (the Roman Empire), which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.  Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea (where the famine was particularly raging), which also they did, and sent it by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”  This is the collection, the gathering (or harvesting) Paul speaks of in I Corinthians 16.  It is not a collection of an offering of money taken up in church on a Sunday.  It is a gathering of life-saving foodstuffs to be the first order of business on the first day of the week after God’s holy sabbath had passed and they were free to work in their fields again, gathering the fruit and vegetables Paul would make certain was delivered to the saints in need in Jerusalem.

The Romans text: “But now I go to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints, for it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia (the Roman province where Corinth was located) to make a certain contribution (of food) for the poor saints at Jerusalem. It has pleased them verily, and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore I have performed this, and sealed to them this fruit (food relief), I will come by you into Spain.” (Romans 15:25-28). 

The more lengthy Colossians text will be considered in Part 2.

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

Donald Wiley