Bible Talk: The Law of Moses: Cultic or Universal?

The Law of Moses: Cultic or Universal?

In a comment on my last post, the leader of the Church of God International stated: "My position...is that the Law of Moses contains both universal and cultic features, and that the cultic features are time-bound, covenant-specific, and served as types and shadows of a higher and infinitely greater reality. The universal features, on the other hand, are not covenant-dependent at all, but exist apart from the covenant and are, in some measure, 'written on the hearts' (Rom 1:15) of all human beings." He went on to characterize the Ten Commandments as: "The Law of God written on the heart (by the Holy Spirit--the 'finger of God') is the same Law that was written on tablets of stone. That IS the Moral Law." Is Pastor Stinson's position consistent with Scripture?

First, the Bible clearly looks at the Law of Moses as a comprehensive whole. The categories of "universal," "cultic," and "moral" do NOT appear in Scripture! In Torah, we read: "And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you." (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, NLT) And: "Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?" (Deuteronomy 4:5-8, NLT) And: "So Moses told the people, 'You must be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, following his instructions in every detail.'" (Deuteronomy 5:32, NLT) And: "These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, 2 and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life." (Deuteronomy 6:1-2, NLT) And: "So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them." (Deuteronomy 12:32, NLT) And: "The Lord your God will be merciful only if you listen to his voice and keep all his commands that I am giving you today, doing what pleases him." (Deuteronomy 13:18, NLT) And: "Today the Lord your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly. You have declared today that the Lord is your God. And you have promised to walk in his ways, and to obey his decrees, commands, and regulations, and to do everything he tells you. The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands." (Deuteronomy 26:16-18, NLT) And: "So you must obey the Lord your God by keeping all these commands and decrees that I am giving you today." (Deuteronomy 27:10, NLT) And: "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world." (Deuteronomy 28:1, NLT)

Before leaving the Old Testament, I would also like to ask my readers a couple of questions for your consideration: If Mr. Stinson is correct in dividing the commandments of Torah into categories of "cultic" and "universal," which commandments belong in each category? Are clean and unclean meats cultic or universal? Are the festivals cultic or universal? Is the commandment to remember the Sabbath cultic or universal? If they are universal, then why were Gentile nations not permitted to join the Israelite's in their observance? Were both cultic and universal commandments part of God's covenant with Israel?

Like the Hebrew Scriptures, Jesus referred to the "Law of Moses" as a comprehensive whole. We read in the Gospel of Matthew: "Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose." (Matthew 5:17, NLT) And that Jesus said: "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT)

Likewise, Christ's apostles looked at the Law in the exact same way. In one of his epistles, Paul wrote: "For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Galatians 5:14, NLT) And, in his letter to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, James wrote: "Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. For the same God who said, 'You must not commit adultery,' also said, 'You must not murder.' So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law." (James 2:8-11, NLT)

In other words, as we have said here many times, ALL of the different iterations of God's Law are based on the premise of love - not doing hurt or harm to anyone (Romans 13:8-10)! This (LOVE) is the foundation of God's Law in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the writings which we refer to as the New Testament!

Miller Jones/Lonnie C Hendrix

Crackpot Prophet Warns: The Guts Will Be Torn Out Of America When Yellowstone Super Volcano Blows! Oh Noes!!!!!!!!

A "localized hydrothermal explosion" near the Saphire Pool in the Biscuit Basin of Yellowstone National Park exploded today. These are relatively common occurrences in Yellowstone due to the thermal activity across the basin. The last time it exploded was in 1991.

Never fear though, our favorite Church of God self-appointed crackpot prophet popped his own geyser today and warned unless that the country repents it is going to be destroyed by Yellowstone exploding. These self-appointed crazy crackpots get overstimulated when world events fit the doom-and-gloom scenarios that they want to see happen in the world around them. Then, and only then would all of the lazy Laodicean and atheist reprobates realize they were actually God's messenger. Dream on, buttercup!

The Great Bwana Bob Mzungu Thiel quotes:

As Yellowstone Awakens, Dr. Michio Kaku Warns That It Could “Literally Tear The Guts Out Of The United States Of America” 

One day it will happen. Scientists assure us that one day the absolutely massive Yellowstone supervolcano will once again experience a Category 8 eruption, and if it happened today it would “literally tear the guts out of the United States of America”. That is why what has been happening at Yellowstone in recent months is so alarming. We know that the ground has been rising and that “a 465-mile-long piece of molten rock” is moving upwards directly under Yellowstone. And we also know that the major geysers at Yellowstone were more active last year than in any other year in any of our lifetimes. Are these signs that an eruption is coming? We better hope not, because as Dr. Michio Kaku recently told Fox News, there is “a sleeping Godzilla underneath Yellowstone”…

The Great Bwana's eyes probably glazed over at the mere thought of this happening!

He warns us... (It's another "could" moment since he is not a real propeht)

Things will not remain as they have. Yellowstone could erupt–BIG TIME! 

 

The Bible is clear that God controls the weather and various calamities, but wants people to heed His prophets:

6… If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. (Amos 3:6-7)

He even went to New Zealand and stood on top of a super volcano and preached one of his mind-numbing sermons:

A supervolcanic eruption such as one at Yellowstone or elsewhere could cause major “troubles,” and truly impact the USA and Canada. An earthquake could trigger this. Volcanic eruptions spew out melted elements and can cause much destruction.

While in New Zealand last year, we made a video about this while I was standing on top of a supervolcano:

8:30 

Are supervolcanoes a real threat? 

Are supervolcanoes, such as Yellowstone in the USA or various ones in New Zealand a real threat? If so, what type of threat? Are supervolcano issues consistent with biblical prophecies? If so, which ones? Could the eruption of a supervolcano make the USA, New Zealand, or other lands vulnerable to takeover in the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). Dr. Thiel answers these questions while standing atop a supervolcano in a geothermal area of Rotorua, New Zealand.

He just can't shut up...after all, it is ALWAYS about him, foremost.

For years I have warned that the USA could be hit with a ‘perfect storm’ of events and disaster that could weaken it during the ‘beginning of sorrows’ so that it would be easier for it to be taken over at the start of the Great Tribulation. We see that the space agency NASA sees Yellowstone as a serious risk. And while some will scoff and say that the probability is too low, less statistically ‘probable’ events have happened. Plus, because of the decline in morality in the USA, destructive events are going to hit it. 

 

A supervolcano eruption from Yellowstone could be enough to nearly topple the USA–and then allow it to be toppled by the coming European Beast power.

The only way you can save your pathetic Laodocean behind is to repent and join his little cult and be saved!

This is the time to get your spiritual life in order. 

 

Are you doing that? 

 

In order to “be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man,” you need to get your spiritual life in order. You not only need to watch, but also to pray and change.

 

 

LCG Members Must Such Grievous Sinners That They Need To Start Preparing Now For Atonement

 

In Living Church of God their record has been skipping in the same place for a quarter of a century now. Perilous times are knocking at the door. It's just a few short years away. Within 5-10 years, etc. Then, add to that the same message that they heard incessantly from their mother church for decades. Keeping the members scared is well well-worn-out tool of the church.

Plus, there is an incessant mantra that members are NOT ready. They are always asleep at the wheel. They won't be ready when everyone flees in the night.

Because the members are always such miserable failures, they need to start planning now on how they fast on the Day of Atonement, otherwise, their god is not going to listen to them.

I wonder when the weekly message from Winnial will ever be positive. "You are loved by God". "God's grace has set you free", "you are beautiful in God's sight", etc. No "buts, no warnings, no fear factor, no law-keeping threats. 

Let grace abound:

All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end. Romans 5:20 MSG

Winnail's incessant whining: 

Prepare for the Fast—Part 1: We are clearly warned that “in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1–5), and those days will come “suddenly” (Deuteronomy 28:20; Isaiah 29:5; 30:13; Jeremiah 6:26). We are also warned that Jesus Christ will return unexpectedly(1 Thessalonians 5:2–3) or else all flesh will perish (Matthew 24:20–22). Jesus said His disciples need to “watch” and “be ready” (Matthew 24:42–44), but He also warned that many will not be ready for His return (Matthew 7:21–23; 25:1–10) because they have become distracted by trials and the “cares of this world” (Matthew 13:18–23). Numerous scriptures warn that we must come out of this world that is hurtling down the road to destruction (Acts 2:40; 2 Corinthians 6:17–18; Revelation 18:4). A major reason for the Fast for us—as a Church and as individuals—is to draw closer to God(Isaiah 55:6; James 4:8). Take time to pray and meditate on these scriptures as we prepare for the coming Fast.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

Prepare for the Fast—Part 2: The Bible reveals there is a Judgment coming and that Jesus Christ will judge the world when He returns (1 Chronicles 16:33; 2 Timothy 4:1). That judgment will be especially severe on the Israelite nations, which have “forsaken” God and no longer have a “fear” of God as they “do their own thing” (Jeremiah 2:11–19; Judges 21:25). They will lose their blessings because they followed misguided leaders who urged them to disobey and despise God’s laws (Leviticus 26:14–17) and to view God’s word—the Bible—as a “strange thing” (Hosea 8:12). The rejection of God and His word has spawned the moral decline, hatred, violence, corruption, and promotion of behaviors like homosexuality and transgenderism that God calls abominations (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:18–32; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10). However, God reveals what He is looking for in those who will be spared the coming judgment: people who obey His commandments and who are humble and teachable and “tremble at [His] word” (Deuteronomy 10:12–13; Isaiah 66:2). Another reason for the coming Fast is to redouble our efforts to develop and show these fruits in our lives.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail