I wonder sometimes how the Cogs have been lead to speak of the Law and how this sets them apart from the “false christians”. The cog law-keeping has only a few elements different from sincere Christians. Is there really a greater reward because you went to church on a different day and a few other days thru the year and didn’t eat pork? Is that really the difference? Is it really just that easy? What of those christians that sincerely observe most of the law simply by walking in God’s Spirit? They truly believe the law as such was only given to Israel so they congregationally worship the Lord on Sunday rather than Saturday. Is that the great deception? Do COG members really believe the devil is congratulating himself for the existence of loving, sincere, generous Christians who do much good in the world and will even accept martyrdom before denying the Lord and yet are fake because all he had to do was trick them about the sabbath.
Further, which is worse to God, seeing through a glass dimly and not understanding some things or claiming the Lord demands adherence to the Law and willfully choosing to not observe portions you don’t want to. Some examples COG members are not observing are 1) simply not having blue tassels on your garments, 2) not separating your women from the family during their period, 3) not living in sukkoths during tabernacles, etc.
Lets not forget that before 1974 or so, Pentecost was kept on Monday. Did those who died before it was changed to sunday never quite achieve first fruit status because they believed something wrong (much like The COGs judge sunday keepers)? Do members in the COGs question such things? Would they rely on a "sincerity argument" for those that died pre-1974 and never observed Pentecost because they chose the wrong day to observe it? Why then is the sincerity argument not applied to other Christians? In the way the COGs view things and the importance of correct days, Is not keeping the real Pentecost proof you didn’t have the holy spirit? What could possibly be the alternative explanation (after all, the COGs believe Sunday keepers do not have the holy spirit because they are wrong about a day)?
I'd love to see how a COG member would answer these things...
Jim
from a previous posting