A Statement Of Beliefs

Should “The Church of God” (The Congregation of Yehovah) Have A Statement Of Beliefs?

Chapter 41, Part 2 Preview: Should your local congregation mandate doctrinal requirements beyond the Ten Commandments? To do so would turn that Assembly into a Church! Yet “The Church Is Not In God’s Plan*”. I recommend that you preferably dont go to Church, but rather consider The Anatomy of a Church* and if there is an Assembly of Disciples within driving distance—under Yehovah (God) and not under hierarchy—congregate there! This is spelled out in How Does the Eternal Govern Through Humans?*.

Some Revealing Things That Yeshua Said

While I do not feel that it is advantageous to list doctrinal beliefs, it is quite easy to point out the commonest beliefs of others that paradoxically have no scriptural basis. Most of the “basic beliefs” of traditional churches have nothing to do with the true Way! Once these very common misconceptions are dispelled, a tremendous void is created, which will hopefully necessitate your search for factual answers.

There are a numerous instances in which Yeshua said things that are seldom taught today. Listed below are several Biblical quotations of Yeshua that have been almost universally disregarded.

1. Yeshua gave only one sign to prove that He was the Messiah, that being the prediction that He would be dead and buried for exactly three days and three nights–72 hours. The “Good Friday” evening to “Easter Sunday” morning tradition suppresses the truth concerning that sign, as it accomplishes its main goal–obscuring the “Nazarene” Passover!

Matthew 12:38-40 Then some of the Torah teachers and Pharisees told Him, “Master, we want to see a sign from You”. 39 But He replied, “A wicked and unfaithful group of men demand a sign, but no sign will be given to them, except for the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 Just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, in the same manner, the Son of Man will be in the inner part of the earth for three days and three nights. GV

2. Contrary to what the vast majority advocate, Yeshua did not come to do away with God’s Law.

Matthew 4:4 But He replied, “In the Scriptures it says, ‘People must not live by bread alone; but by every word that leaves Yehovah’s mouth’”. GV

Matthew 5:17-20 Dont ever suppose that I have come to do away with the Torah, or the Prophets; I havent come to overthrow them, but to fill in the gaps. 18 Assuredly, I tell you, that until the New Heaven and earth arrives, not one yoth or one vowel point will pass away from the Torah, until everything comes into existence. 19 So whoever breaks one of the smallest prescribed rules and teaches it as doctrine to others will be called small in the Kingdom of the Heavens; but anyone who carries out and teaches them, will be called great in the Kingdom of the Heavens. 20 I assure you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses the Torah teachers and the Pharisees, you wont enter the Kingdom of the Heavens. GV

3. Yeshua never contradicted His Father, but rather spoke only what His Father told Him to say.

John 12:49-50 I have not spoken My own teachings. The Father who sent Me instructed Me about what I should say—what I should declare. 50 I know that His Commandments lead to eternal Life. So, these things that I say, are what My Father has told Me to say”. GV

John 14:23-24 Yeshua replied, “Anyone who loves Me, and regards My teachings; My Father will love, and WE WILL COME TO THEM, and make Our living quarters [“mansion”] with them! 24 Yet those who dont love Me, dont preserve My teachings. The teachings that you hear are not mine, but are the Father’s who sent Me. GV

4. Many people think that Yeshua came to bring “peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” Actually, Yeshua said that He did not come to bring peace—on the contrary He said just the opposite!

Matthew 10:34-36 Dont assume that I came to bring peace on the earth, I havent come to bring peace, but a sword [conflict]. 35 Because I came to “alienate a man against his father”, and “a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A person’s enemies will be the members of their own household”. GV

5. Rather than say that He was leading the way to heaven, and that Christians would all follow His lead when we die, Yeshua said that He would return to Earth, and that no one, other than Himself, had ever gone to heaven. The scriptures refer to resurrections that will take place in the future, rather than of spirits drifting heavenward when someone dies.

Matthew 24:3, 27, 30-31 As Yeshua was seated on the Mount of Olives, His disciples approached, conversing among themselves and asked, “Tell us when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age [aion]. ... 27 As lightning comes out of the east, and then flashes into the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ... 30 Then the miraculous sign of the Son of Man will be seen in the sky; and then all the nations of the earth will mourn, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds in the sky, with great power and splendor. 31 Then He will send out His spirit Messengers with a great trumpet blast [1] and they will gather together His Chosen People from the four winds [north, south, east and west], from the farthermost bounds of the horizon [“Heaven”] to the opposite furthermost bounds. GV

[1] These events are what the Feast of Trumpets portrays.

Revelation 3:11 I AM COMING QUICKLY! Hold tightly onto what you have, so that no one takes your crown. GV

Revelation 5:9-10 They sang a new anthem, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, and to open it’s seals; because You were slain, and have bought us for Yehovah with Your own blood, out of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation; 10 and You have made them kings and priests for Yehovah; and they will reign on the earth. GV

Revelation 22:7 I will not be delayed! Blessed is anyone who holds fast to the prophetic statements of this book”. GV

Matthew 25:31-32 When the Son of Man comes in His splendor, and all His spirit Messengers with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His splendor. 32 All of the nations will be gathered into His presence; and He will separate them from each other, just like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. GV

John 3:13 NO ONE HAS GONE UP TO HEAVEN, EXCEPT THE ONE WHO CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, THE SON OF MAN WHO IS IN HEAVEN. GV

Matthew 6:10 May Your Kingdom arrive; and Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, GV

6. Yeshua told people not to swear at all, under any circumstances, so people, almost to a man, will stand up and swear under oath–often with their hand on the very Bible that condemns what they are doing!

Matthew 5:34-37 But I tell you, “Dont swear at all, not by Heaven; because it is the throne of Yehovah; 35 and not by the earth, because it is the footstool under His feet; and likewise not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Great King. 36 Furthermore, dont swear by your head, because you cant make one hair on it either black or white. 37 But your ‘Yes’ should be ‘Yes’; and your ‘No’ should be ‘No’; because anything added to that is evil. GV

7. Yeshua said that we would all perish, and not automatically continue living as an immortal being. It requires faith in Yeshua as well as being raised from the dead, to be given the gift of—not the birthright of—eternal life.

John 3:16 Yehovah loved the world so much, that He gave His unique Son, so that whoever continues [5723= present, active] believing [1] in Him would not be destroyed, but have eternal Life. GV

[1] None of the Aramaic to English translations I’ve seen, and virtually none of the Greek versions are willing to state this eternal Life concept accurately. One trip down the sawdust trail is not sufficient. As a Christian or a Nazarene, you must believe, and act accordingly—UNTIL death—to enter the Everlasting Kingdom. Only some quite literal versions dared state this truth, such as Young’s or the Concordant.

John 3:5-7 Yeshua replied, “It is absolutely certain that unless someone is born of water and the spirit, they cant enter the Kingdom of Yehovah. 6 Those born of flesh, ARE composed of flesh; and those born of the spirit, ARE composed of spirit. 7 Dont be surprised when I tell you that you must be born anew. GV

Luke 13:1-5 At that time, someone came and told Him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 Yeshua replied, “Do you suppose that those Galileans were worse sinners than any other Galileans, because this happened to them? 3 I say no; yet all of you will perish as well, unless you amend your ways. 4 Or the eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on, killing them; do you suppose that they were worse sinners than the the other people living in Jerusalem? 5 I say no; yet unless you amend your ways, you will also perish”. GV

John 11:11-14 Is there a father among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, would hand him a stone? Or, if he asks for a fish, would hand him a snake instead of a fish, 12 or would pass him a scorpion, if he asks for an egg? 13 So if those of you who are far from perfect know how to give gifts to your children that will benefit them, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the sacred spirit to those who ask Him”? 14 He was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man began to speak; and the people were amazed. GV

John 5:24-29 It is absolutely certain that anyone who hears My truths, and believes in the One who sent Me, has eternal Life, and wont come into condemnation, but has passed from death to Life. 25 It is absolutely certain that the time is coming, (and as of this writing, now is), when the dead will hear the voice of Yehovah’s Son; and those who hear, will live. 26 Just as the Father has Life in Himself, so He has also allowed the Son to have a separate Life, in His essence. 27 In addition, He has also given Him the authority to carry out the judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Dont be amazed at this; because the time is coming when everyone in their graves will hear His voice; 29 and come out; those who have done good, to the Resurrection of Life, and those who have done evil, to the Resurrection of Condemnation [1]. GV

[1] This statement alludes to Daniel’s Judgment Day statement (12:1-3). Judgment Day will occur during the most horrific time in world history. Yet “at that time your people [Israel] will be delivered”.

8. Yeshua told us not to address anyone as “Father” as a religious title; so millions of people address their local priest as “Father,” and the Pope as the “Holy Father,” in spite of Yeshua’s plain warning not to do it.

Matthew 23:9 Dont call yourselves ‘Father’ on earth; because there is only One Father—the Heavenly One. GV

9. Yeshua is not the Master (“Lord”) of the “Lord’s Day”, (allegedly Sunday), but rather He is the Master of the (seventh-day) Sabbath.

Mark 2:27 He told them, “The Sabbath was made for the sake of man, and not man for the sake of the Sabbath”. GV

Luke 4:16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

10. There will be religious leadership and religious followers, who are not pure in heart, who do not do the things that Yeshua said that we must do. Yeshua, much to their astonishment, will reject them.

Matthew 4:15-23 “The land of Zebulon, the land of Naphthali, the highway by the sea, the ford of Jordan, Galilee of many ethnicities [ethnos]; 16 the people who sat in darkness have seen great light; and to those who sat near the shadow of death, light has dawned”. 17 From that time on, Yeshua began to proclaim, “amend your ways; because the royal power of the Kingdom of the Heavens is near”. 18 As He walked on the shore of the sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Cephas, and Andrew his brother, who were throwing a dragnet into the sea; because they were fishermen. 19 Yeshua told them, “Follow Me; and I will make you fishermen of people”. 20 So immediately, they left their nets and followed Him. 21 As He passed on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, as they were mending their nets. Yeshua called them too. 22 They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed Him. 23 Yeshua traveled all thru Galilee, and He taught in their synagogues proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom; and He healed every disease and malady of the people who gathered. GV

Mark 7:6-9 He answered and said to them: Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’8 For laying aside the commandment of Yehovah, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do. 9 He said to them: All too well you reject the commandment of Yehovah, that you may keep your tradition.

Luke 6:46 But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?

Things People Believe That Are Not Biblical

Here is a list of some of the religious tenets that people believe which are not taught in the Bible. The explanations for these notions do not accompany the statements, but many of the true Biblical perspectives are examined elsewhere on our web site. If you have specific questions, please dont hesitate to contact us.

1. “God has already determined whether He will “call” you, and whether you will choose to follow Him and have eternal life, or that you will choose to reject Him and suffer the penalty. It’s all been predestined from the foundation of the world, so you cant do anything about it. You have no choice in your own salvation.”

2. “Jesus was born on December 25, died on Good Friday and was resurrected on Easter Sunday.”

3. “Jesus kept the Sabbath, the Feast of Tabernacles, the Passover, and the Days of Unleavened Bread etc. because He was Jewish.”

4. “Three kings visited Jesus in the manger.”

5. “Baptizing infants and babies fulfills a Scriptural requirement, that ‘saves’ the baby’s soul.”

6. “Sprinkling and pouring are acceptable forms of baptism.”

7. Or, “Baptism is a ritual that is not really necessary any more.”

8. “If you ‘confess Messiah’, then you are a Christian.”

9. “God is one Being, comprised of three separate personages. Or, God is one Being, Who can sometimes manifest Himself as a Father, at other times as a Son, and at other times as a Holy Spirit.”

10. “The Kingdom of God is the church.”

11. Or, “The Kingdom of God refers to when we will go to Heaven.”

12. Or, “The Kingdom of God is something set up in people’s hearts.”

13. “We have immortal souls that continue to exist independent of our bodies after our death.”

14.“The resurrection is when Jesus will come down from heaven, with all of the worthy immortal souls following Him from heaven, to be reunited with their mortal bodies again.”

15. “Satan and the demons are immortal.”

16. “We go to either heaven or hell when we die.”

17. Or, “the resurrection is when Jesus will come down from heaven, resurrect the saints, and then they will all go right back up to heaven again.”

18. “God is one—so that would exclude Jesus”.

19. “It doesnt matter if ‘the church’ has adopted some of the beliefs and customs of paganism. These rites and rituals have been “cleansed” by assigning them Christian names and by the passage of centuries, so they arent really pagan any more. God doesnt really care how we worship Him, as long as we are sincere.”

20. “Jesus will return and rapture the church away to heaven.”

21. “Dietary laws were for ancient Israel, not for believers today.”

22. “If you do not become a true Christian in this life, then you are eternally doomed.”

23. “Lucifer is another name for Satan.”

24. “Only Christians are capable of having “agape love”.

25. “When Jesus returns, and Judgment Day begins, He will destroy everyone who had not accepted Him as their Savior.”

26. “Judgment Day doesnt really come until after the millennium.”

Some scriptures are from the “New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.” “Bible text from the New King James Version® is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.”