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

 

Dave Pack: I've studied so much I am smarter than the Rabbi's!

 

@exrestoredcog David C. Pack - I Am An Expert Who Can Teach Rabbis Stuff During "The Greatest Untold Story!" (Part 524) on July 17, 2024, David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God admitted he is an expert now and can teach Jewish rabbis stuff they don't know. Credit to former member Marc Cebrian. You can find him documenting the failings of David C. Pack here: https://www.exrcg.org/ https://youtube.com/@exrcg_org #davidcpack #restoredchurchofgod #cultsurvivor #cultleader #armstrongism #herbertwarmstrong #worldwidechurchofgod #religiouscult #cultsandextremebeliefs #jesuschrist #returnofjesus #kingdomofgod #endtimes #prophecy #exwcg #exrcg #prophesy #prophesying #Shinning #excommunication #podcast #fyp #viral #foryou #rabbis #orthodoxjudaism #jewish #judaism #coercivecontrol ♬ original sound - exRestoredCOG

PCG Destined To Take The Kingdom of God By Storm! No Weak Men Should Apply

 

There have always been a couple of things that the Church of God had a strange obsession about - Satan and weak effeminate men. Satan is the all-knowing all-powerful god of the church that controls everything. Jesus? Not so much. Satan is discussed more and emphasized more than Jesus ever is.

The other thing that set many church ministers off the deep end was weak or "effeminate" men. Who can forget the 98-pound weakling, turned Golden Gloves champion Rod Meredith and his obsession with gay men when he wrote his "The Shocking Truth About Queer Men". This article was probably a knee-jerk reaction to prove his masculinity after Herbert Armstrong said he was the most effeminate man in the ministry. From that point on all men in the church had to be Alpha men. No weaklings need apply. (See: "Alpha Men" In The Churches of God)

The Philadelphia Church of God has a huge obsession with British Royalty and Winston Churchill. Churchill was a man's man in LCG's eyes and could do no wrong. Gerald Flurry wants his followers to be men of integrity like Churchill, powerful and forceful in accomplishing the mission. He wants his men and followers to be "boiling hot".

We live in the Laodicean era. Revelation 3:15-17 reveal that most of God’s people in this era are lukewarm, complacent and self-satisfied. That is human nature. Their love has waxed cold, but God says, I wish that you were hot! That word “hot” is zestos in the Greek, meaning boiling hot.

Flurry wants them to also be filled with passion:

Do you have passion for truth? For righteousness? For God’s Family and Work? For the plan of God? For the Kingdom? Build passion for the things in your life that God supports.

That passion is needed because they are going to take the Kingdom of God by storm!

There is a lot to be said for having proper enthusiasm and excitement. When you put effort toward something worthwhile, good things will happen. The Bible is full of people whose passion was God and His Work.

Matthew 11:7 says, “And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?” Did you expect to see some weak, soft, effeminate man? This man was a messenger for God; he prepared for Christ’s first coming—the first-century type of the end-time Elijah.

“But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. … Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (verses 8, 11-12).

“Suffers violence” comes from a Greek word meaning: “forced, overpowered, taken by storm” (Vincent’s Word Studies). Christ says the Kingdom of God is taken by storm! We seize the Kingdom of God like we are conquering a city. 

PCG members need more passion and foregoing some meals to support the work. Christ's meat is all they need. Besides, the church needs the money you would waste on food.

Christ’s meat was to do His Father’s Work. It sustained and energized Him more than physical food. Mr. Flurry writes in John’s Gospel—The Love of God, “If you are like Christ and you miss some meals to do the Work of God, that’s not bad! Christ had enough passion and excitement that He didn’t mind those kinds of inconveniences. His mind was teeming with the vision of God! He was thinking about the World Tomorrow, not the world today. If you are really doing the Work, you have vision!” 

PCG members and especially the Irish dancing men need more zeal and passion to get the work finished. Prancing around on a stage pretending to talk about a guiding hand from someplace, who will soon send his son to sit on Flurry's golden throne, is about as passionless as it could get. Well, other than printing hundreds of booklets in different languages that no one will ever read like Bob Thiel does.

“According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him” (verses 18-19). We need more of that zeal and passion—the zeal of the Eternal.

God is stirring us to build the zeal of the Eternal. Ask God for more passion, and He will give it to you. Passion will inspire action and help you surmount obstacles and become a more effective tool for God. You can inspire passion in other people and build a more passionate Family of God.

So get off your lazy butts and be passionate, because your number one reason for being passionate is you will soon be God ruling with power and authority!

Isaiah 62:1 says, “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” Isaiah was eager to do anything possible to proclaim God’s message. The Church’s literature is packed with quotes about the need for passion like the Father and Son have. It should be our number-one passion to declare the message of the God Family. 

 

Samuel Kitchen Claims He Found His Brother Trying To Conjure Up A Demon

 

Just when you think the Church of God can't sink any lower, along comes someone to restore your faith.

This ongoing public mental breakdown of Samuel Kitchen is sad and unbelievable. Armstrongism has such a negative effect on people anymore. Instead of focusing on Jesus, he placed his entire trust in Herbert Armstrong, the supposed one true Apostle who apparently still speaks from the grave to keep Samuel on the narrow path.

Recently there have been tremendous issues in the Kitchen family with brother being pitted against brother, all thanks to Armstrongism.

Samuel Kitchen has now resorted to claiming his younger brother is possessed by demons and has recently found him trying to conjure up a demon. Samuel let his brother move in with him to help with his window cleaning business. Apparently, demons moved in also and Samuel has been busy casting them out:

He thought while working, me pausing and working on office work and book keeping, was negligent and unnecessary, and I needed to be with him to finish the cleaning. I said, no I'm the boss and I have responsibilities and I needed to get this done. 

 

This triggered him, and a wrong attitude came about. He began to believe I was taking advantage of him. He was no longer led by a cooperative spirit. 

 

Since then, things have worsened. I've had to put out several demons, and restore order in my house. I caught my brother sitting in the dark, fuming and foaming in his emotions, trying to conjure a demon, and in his own words "searching for the devil". His spiritual condition got worse, and he refused to study the Bible or pray. He kept telling me, he already did.

Then, horror of horrors, Samuel walked in and heard him playing heavy metal which apparently to Samuel is a pipeline for demons to come in and enter his brother's mind:

So I've been telling him he needed to leave. He had me take him to a Walmart in a town 30 miles away, and drop him off as he was leaving to go to a homeless shelter. Upon finding they were full and could not accept him, he called me up and I picked him back up. 

 

I talked with him many times, about finding a job, working for a couple of weeks and renting a place of his own. I didn't want him homeless. And he went back and forth with wrong attitudes and wrong spirits. 

 

Now, he told me he never experienced these type of attacks until he moved up with me. I kind of agree with him on that. The Devil doesn't attack an evil thing. We were two men, who I thought was walking the same path. I talked to him over the phone and he sounded like he had a good relationship with God, and when things weren't working out for him in Kansas City, I opened up my heart, my home and my business to him. 

 

I even paid for his flight tickets for the feast this year.(Something that is not refundable I found out)
God began to bless my business here locally. It doubled in one week. And I have tried to remind my little brother of what God is doing. But he has taken the stance I am using him for personal gain.
Tuesday night, this week, he was playing metal and screaming music in my bedroom, indulging in the evil spirits and anger and hate. He has done this in the past, and he is evoking demons and wants to swim in the hate and bitterness. So I walked in and for over an hour, sang Bible hymns, and confronted the demons that were coming in. 

 

The last time things got this heated and out of hand, in he was possessed, and he tried to stab me and did a lot of damage to my home, and it was the Devil that entered him and told me to my face I was going to die and he was going to do it in Jerusalem. 

 

This time, he told me he was looking for the devil to possess him. I asked the demon that was entering him, his name, and I got profanity and "I told you before".
It ended with the demons leaving, and I went to bed.

Things did not get better the next morning:

I was walking to the library to upload this next week's Bible study and Church services, to the channels my brother Tim(another brother) had returned to me last week. 

 

He was still part of the channel, because YouTube didn't allow me to become "primary owner" until after seven days of being an owner. Tim made me an owner, and since YouTube saw I was just added, they said I had a seven day period before I could become "primary". 

 

So while I was working on that, I received emails telling me I had been removed from the channels and I was no longer owner. 

 

I contacted my brother, he refused to answer my calls or messages. 

 

When I posted yesterday about it, he messaged me telling me how I wronged Clint, and he took it back because of how I was treating Clint and will not give it back. I needed to change he said, and he took the side of Clint. 

 

Clint, had called Tim, while I was going to the Library, and gave him a story, full of lies.

Tim, took to himself, without coming to me about this situation, and took the channels, on total condemnation against me.

Samuel sees this as a direct attack by Satan who is angry that he runs the Worldwide Church of God.

It has been a stressful several weeks, of battling the Devil and demons, and those easily led by them.
The Devil wants to destroy the Worldwide Church of God, and me doing what I was doing on YouTube was helping the Church. 

 

So please pray for me. My family has turned against me. I am not afraid, but I am deeply concerned for my well being. 

 

I came home yesterday, ordered my little brother to leave the house immediately. He was no longer welcomed. He called the police on me, who arrived and told me he couldn't leave according to state laws and I have to serve a 30 day eviction on him. 

 

I can end my lease and move, forcing him to leave sooner, but I would be displaced and without home. 

 

I think that is what Satan wants. 

 

So I'm praying about finding a new place, or waiting out things here behind enemy lines, until the 30 days are up. 

 

It's all in God's hands. I realize a YouTube channel is not the Church. A website is not the Church. I don't need a home to continue to obey God. I don't need anything. God has provided everything for me. So whatever happens, I know it'll be okay. My comforter and protector is near. My concern is whether I am close to him, and that's what I'm focusing on right now. 

 

Please pray for me brethren. I need your prayers.

What Samuel and this entire family need is a good psychotherapist who deals with mental illness, cult trauma, and recovery. It should NOT be a COG minister who is not qualified.

It is actually sad to see what Armstrongism has done to this family. They aren't the first and will not be the last.

Another NEW COG Group: When WIll This Craziness Ever End?

@misterdifficult #cults #CultSurvivor #armstrongism #WCG #comedy #WorldwideChurchOfGod #sarcasm @exRestoredCOG ♬ original sound - misterdiffiCULT

Hat tip to MisterdiffiCULT for discovering a new Worldwide Chruch of God splinter group. This one is a splinter of Dave Pack led by Vidal Wachuku. It is called the Church of God Without Walls. Holy Hanna! What a quagmire of irrelevance Armstrongism has descended into!

Apparently, he got a few Restored Church of God folks to join him along with their money. After all, money is the official purpose of any COG. It's not leading people to Christ. It's all about leading people to men along with their money. These self-appointed leaders all need to keep money flowing into their pockets so they can maintain their expected living standards. Their donate button is featured on the front page of their website, right at the top.

Church of God Without Walls is a congregation of believers, many from other splinter groups, that believe in the True Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed by Mr. Herbert W Armstrong. 

With a group that spans continents we meet frequently on digital and social media such as Zoom, YouTube and Facebook.

I pastored congregations of The Restored Church of God in the state of Florida, USA and the Caribbean Islands from February 1, 2012 to November 30, 2021. I was later transferred to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Texas where I was responsible for the congregations in most of the state and parts of Louisiana, USA from Dec. 1, 2021- Dec. 29, 2023.