Questions about us
GENERAL QUESTIONS TO THE CHURCH OF GOD, IN TRUTH
1. What is the Church of God, in Truth's goal and purpose ?
2. How many members are in the Church of God, In Truth?
3. Do you have a church near me?
4. Do you have booklets, sermon tapes, a magazine and are you on the Internet?
5. Do you give Bible studies?
6. Do you believe God's people should give tithes and offerings?
7. Do you keep the Old Testament Holy Days?
Each one of these questions could be a sermon topic or an article by themself, but to answer briefly let me first say the Church of God, In Truth is, as we have been accused of, conservative and literalist. We have a clear understanding that we are to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good"(1 Thes. 5:21) and we understand, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction"(Prov. 1:7). "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments: His praise endures for ever" (Ps 111:10). We are to live by every word of God. Christ said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"(Matt. 4:4).
Question one
What is the Church of God, In Truth's goal and purpose?
The Church of God, In Truth goal is to "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matt. 6:33). AND teach the truth from God's Word! We are not to follow a man or the traditions of man! We believe our goal is to build on the foundation of God's Word only!
When the Apostle Paul was instructing Titus to go and ordain elders in every city he gave clear guide lines that were to be followed. We find those instructions warned Titus not to ordain a man that would teach Jewish fables [a myth, an untruth]. Paul said "This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables [myth, untruths], and [the] commandments of men, that turn from the truth"(Titus 1:13-14).
Paul when instructing Titus must have read Jeremiah, Chapter 7: "The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, stand in the gate of the Lord's house, [spiritual Church of God today] and proclaim there this word, and say, hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust you not in lying words........." (Jer. 7:1-4). " For the children of Judah have done evil in My sight, saith the Lord: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, [the Church's of God ]to pollute it " (Jer.7:30). Jeremiah continues speaking to Judah in Chapter 8: verse 8 "How do you say, we are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the Scribes is in vain [the word vain is strong's # 8267, untruthful, deceitful, liars] the wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?" (Jer 8:8-9). And in the last sentence of verse 10, "From the prophet even unto the priest every one deals falsely." The Church of God, In Truth, does not want to be accused of that. Our goal is to teach truth and do our best to "prove all things," that does not mean, we know all things!!! Today we find Jewish fables being taught and practiced in the Churches of God, causing the Fourth Commandment, the one God said to not forget. The Holy Days are a Sabbath and they are not to be postponed!
God's word to His Church does not say, sanctify [set apart] My people through the gospel. God's word does not say sanctify my people through their works. God does say, " Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). And in verse 19 " And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." God clearly states through Moses, " Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you." V:16, "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. V:17, It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed." God's weekly Sabbath and His appointed Holy Days, are His and the Church of God, In Truth‘s day of rest. We should not buy or sell on God's Sabbaths!
We feel our purpose is to warn God's people at this end time, who are asleep, [as were the ten virgins of Matthew 25] of the "postponements incorporated into the "Calculated Hebrew Calendar." These Jewish fables O.K. them to work on God's Holy Sabbath (Titus 1:13-14).
Question two:
How many members are in the Church of God, In Truth ?
We do not know. We have often thought about this question. Is it those who gives tithes and
offerings? Is it those that attend regularly on the phone hook up with us on God's Sabbath day? Is it those who only attend on the Holy Day phone hook up with us? Is it those who attend the Feast of Tabernacles with us? To answer these questions lets look into God's word. "God has not cast a way His people which He foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says of Elijah? How he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed the prophets, and digged down Your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed there knee to the image of Baal [or fables]. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace " (Rom. 11 :2-5).
Elijah leaves us another example. "And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, art you he that troubles Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the Commandments of the Lord, and you hast followed Baalim. [Israel and the house of Judah both were taken into captivity because of idol worship]. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word" (1 Kings 18:17-21). God's word is to be followed without mixing in Jewish fables.
The bottom line to the question, how many members are in the Church of God, In Truth? The answer is, " But now has God [NOT MAN] set the members everyone of them in the body, as it has pleased Him" (I Cor 12:18).
Question three
Do you have a church near me ?
The answer is yes! How close? Just as close as your phone is to you!! Weekly Sabbath services and some Holy Days services are held through a telephone conference call. That Conference call telephone number is:
1- 888-330-9937
ACCESS CODE/PIN: Access code/pin is: 346041#
Be sure to add the pound # key, when accessing the code number.
Also: *6 to mute, *6 to unmute. 11:30 A.M. California time, adjust for your time zone.
Question four
Do you have booklets, sermon tapes or a magazine and are you on the Internet ?
Yes, we have sermon tapes available and a bi-monthly magazine called the "Prove All Things," a booklet called "Postponements, Another Mystery of The Ages" and a Special Calendar Edition of the "Prove All Things"magazine, explaining God's natural calendar from His word and our Web page is filled with a variety of articles on different topics. Internet Web address is: http://home.flash.net/~cogit/
Our feeling about this is: We do not want to build on another man's foundation. We receive these instructions from 1 Cor. 3:9-11, "For we are labourers together with God: you are God's husbandry, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." In other words "don't add to or take a way " from God's Word. We do not duplicate booklets on information that is already available from the remnant Churches of God.
Question five
Do we give Bible studies?
Not usually, we have found, ministers take time to put a Bible study together, then most that come and listen take that Bible study to be their Bible study for the week. God's word tells us to "Let everyman prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For everyman shall bear his own burden"(Gal.6:4-5). 1 Thess. 5 :21, tells us as individuals to "Prove All Things; hold fast that which is good."
Question six
Do you believe God's people should give tithes and offerings?
Yes! According to God's Word we are taught to support God's church with tithes and offering. "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts"(Mal 3:8-12). In the New Testament we are admonished by God to give tithes. "For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this Man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils" (Heb 7:1-4).
The Church of God, In Truth, takes up only three Holy Day offerings as prescribed in God's Word! "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which He shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which He hath given thee" (Deut. 16:16-17).
Question seven
Do you keep the Old Testament Holy Days?
YES, we keep God's Holy Days found in the Old Testament [Lev.23]. We do not keep Judaism's holidays that incorporate the "postponement rules." We do not believe we are to practice syncretism [mixing religions]. Elijah understood the meaning of "syncretism." "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, how long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word " (1 Kings 18:21). This is what we see many other splinter Churches doing today !!
The Church of God, In Truth, takes its instructions from God's word! Other splinter Churches of God take their Holy Day practices from the "Jewish Hebrew Calendar" causing them to mix religions! The Pharisees that practice Judaism were never given God's Holy Spirit. This is why the Church of God, In Truth, will not follow them and a calendar set by Hillel II who was a Pharisee and practiced Judaism! Let me quote the rules of "postponements" that most Churches of God follow today. These rules are found in the "Comprehensive Hebrew Calendar" book, written by Arthur Spier.
These are the four Dehioth [Postponement rules]:
1. "When the molad [rebirth of the astronomical new moon] Tishri [seventh month] occurs on a Sunday, Wednesday. Or Friday Rosh Hashanah [first day of the civil year] is postponed [moved] to the following day.
Comment: [Rosh Hashanah is not God's Feast of Trumpets, it is the celebration of Judaism's New Year].
2. When the molad Tishri occurs at noon [18 hour] or later, Rosh Hashanah is postponed [moved] to the next day. [or if this day is a Sunday, a Wednesday, or Friday, is moved to Monday, Thursday or Sabbath because of dehiah.
3. When the molad Tishri of a common year falls on a Tuesday, 204 parts after 3 a.m., ie, the 3rd day, 9th hour 204 parts or later, Rosh Hashanah is postponed [moved] to Wednesday, and because of dihiah a further postponed to Thursday.
4. When in a common year succeeding a leap year, the molad Tishri occurs on Monday morning 589 parts after 9 a.m., ie the 2nd day 15th hour 589 parts later, Rosh Hashanah is postponed [moved] to the next day.
Note:
In more than 60% of all years Rosh Hashanah does not occur on the day of the molad but is postponed [moved] according to one of the dehioth. Therefore the dehioth are actually not the exception to the rule but the rule" End of quote.
Let me read you a sentence of reply in a letter written in 1999 from the largest church organization split off from the Worldwide Church of God on a "Postponement" calendar question. "It is incorrect to refer to the rules of postponements as moving the holy days!" I would like to give you the definition of "Postponements" from the Bible, but the word "POSTPONEMENT" is not in God's Holy Scriptures! God clearly said "You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you" (Deu. 4:2). Webster's Dictionary defines the word "postpone" as: "1. To hold back to a later time; 2. To place after in order of precedence; 3. To place after." God's Holy Days and weekly Sabbath are to be remembered and kept at their appointed time. "Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee" (Deu. 5:12). Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8).
Does the "postponement rules" sound like something you want to follow??
I pray these questions and answers help explain The Church of God, In Truth's stand, on these often asked questions!
James Russell