Test Anxiety: Passover Examination

For weeks now, one of my children has been expressing concern about his upcoming math final. I repeatedly reminded him that he has maintained a good grade in the class all year, and that his teacher has expressed total confidence in him. Still, he was concerned he might forget something he was taught at the beginning of the year. It was only when the teacher gave the class the test study guide, covering all the concepts included on the test, that started to relax. 

It's examination time, and not just for students. The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread are imminent for those in the Churches of God. If that includes you, you've probably spent many recent hours examining your life for sin and your home for leaven.

For today, I’m not going to discuss how spiritually toxic I find the Days of Unleavened Bread, or how examining oneself and taking communion only once a year almost boils the observance down to making New Year’s Resolutions. Since we can all agree that the Bible sets an expectation for Christians to take the bread and the wine, and examine themselves beforehand, I’d like to talk about that examination.

The Wrong Study Guide?

The word “examination” has different connotations, depending on the context. It can be a simple multiple-choice test, like my son's math test. It can be an exhaustive assessment. It can have finite answers, or can be more of a progress check. But all examinations have objectives. They have ways to make progress, or positive answers. They have ways to mark mistakes, or regression. And there are definite goals.

If a student was getting ready for a geometry exam, it would be foolish to use a study guide designed for algebra. Someone facing an oral examination in German better not use a Spanish thesaurus. But in the COGs, in most cases, it seems like we’re reading Hemingway to prep for an essay on Shakespeare.

Now, I know I’ve been out of the COGs for a decade, and it’s possible that some things have changed. During my tenure, analyzing our Sabbath observance was a major factor in Passover examination. This was closely followed by the amount of time we spent in prayer. As far as sins of commission, we usually made it as far as considering our truthfulness versus lying before calling it a season and repeating the same drill the following year.

In 2024, many groups do seem to be focusing more - at least in print -  on Jesus. However, when I looked at two of the largest groups, one site included a special section titled “Walk As He Walked” that focused heavily on Jesus’ wilderness experience, temple cleansing, and Sabbath observance while discussing the Sermon on the Mount only in passing across seventeen installments. The other delved into Jesus’ sacrifice slightly more, but also recently recycled an older article entitled “Is Your Life In Sync With God?” in a prominent spot on its website. Not surprisingly, the article focused not on Jesus’ instructions or parables, but on Sabbath observance.

Serious Test Prep

But anyway, how would a Church of God member with sincere intentions examine himself in preparation for the Passover? What is his study guide, so to speak? Is it the 10 commandments? Is It Jesus? Or maybe his keeping of the tenets of the Sinai Covenant, as the COGs seem to suggest?

It seems that Jesus’ example must get a pretty high billing. After all, both your COG ministers and I would agree that Paul instructed us to “imitate him, as he imitated Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). But what exactly did Paul want us to do when he wrote that?

To understand, we need to do something most COG ministers seem to avoid - we need to look at the context. When reading Paul, that often means backtracking. So in this case, we must read 1 Corinthians 10 - possibly the whole chapter, but definitely the section leading up to the verse in question. In this case, it’s 1 Corinthians 10:23-33:

I have the right to do anything,” you say - but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything” - but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (v. 26)

If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged for another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?

(v. 30)

So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the church of God - even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (v. 33).

Paul starts a completely new train of thought in 1 Corinthians 11:2, so this is section of 1 Corinthians 10 is undoubtedly the idea he’s referring to. Now, I’d love to analyze the parts that discuss “the right to do everything,” “eat whatever is put before you,” and” the sake of conscience,” as well as the role of the meat market, but that’s not why I’m here today. Anyway, the crux of Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 11:1 hangs on chapter 10, verses 31 through 33, which tell us to:

• Honor God in whatever we choose to eat or drink

• Avoid causing others to stumble

• Focusing on the good of others rather than our own

• Helping others come to salvation

None of these sound much like what I was encouraged to focus on during Passover preparation. And 2 Corinthians 3:18 drives this point home further. Just four verses earlier, Paul describes those focused on the Sinai Covenant as having their vision obscured by a veil that is only lifted when they turn their focus to Christ.

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[ the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”  - 2 Corinthians 3:18

Learning from the Master

So just what does it mean to be transformed into His image? And how does being “unveiled” from the “Law of Moses” help us accomplish this? Well, Luke 6:40-41 describes us as Jesus’ students, and states we’ll resemble Him when fully trained. But to become fully trained, we must study and listen to our teacher. So just what did our master teach? Just to list a few:

• Do not murder, seethe with anger, hold onto a grudge against a brother (Matthew 5:21)

• Be a peacemaker and settle disagreements quickly (Matthew 5:23-24)

• Do not commit adultery or look on another with lust (Matthew 5:27)

• Turn the other cheek when offended, go above and beyond (Matthew 5:38-42)

• Pray for your enemies (Matthew 5:43)

• Do not worry about your physical needs (Matthew 6:25)

• Do not condemn others (Matthew 7:1) 

• Balance grace and truth to encourage others and help them seek His ways (John 8:1)
  

The New Testament contains a multitude of other teachings, from Jesus Himself, and from His disciples, that take more than a lifetime to master. In my household, with our shared religious history, we joke that sincerely employing grace is harder than anything the law prescribes. What is harder to do: to refrain from daily work for 24 hours or forgive someone who betrayed you? 

No More Tutoring Sessions

The Sinai Covenant was a good thing, giving a physical nation physical commands to follow. They helped to show God’s character and focus on righteousness, fairness, and justice. Its overarching purpose, however, was to expose man’s brokenness and need for a Savior. The New Covenant is one we make with that Savior, and has new responsibilities and expectations. Even those who disagree with me on what scriptural phrases like “fulfilled” and “it is finished” mean must contend with Matthew 23:23 - why do they allow these weightier matters to remain undone? 

If God is opening your eyes to the possibility that you were using the wrong study guide for your pending Passover examination, take heart. There’s no need for shame or regret. The law fulfilled its purpose. That was the point of the previous study guide - to show you your need for a Savior. 

But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward revealed. Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. - Galatians 2:25. 

The Holy Days served a purpose - for Israel, and in some ways, for us. But as Paul wrote, they have served their purpose. They were shadows of what was to come. And Christ was what to come. Step out from the shadows and step into His light. Join us in the grace, hope, and abundant life He offers.

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )

Acts 17:11

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Resurrection Sundae

In episode #9781 of “Things I Never Saw Myself Doing Growing Up In The Churches of God,” last weekend I had the opportunity to help serve a group of teenagers “Palm Sundaes” to mark the beginning of what some traditional churches call Holy Week. While most of the teens accepted the waffle bowls we offered, a few brave - or crazy - souls ate the ice cream directly from the palms of their hands.

Was it silly? Definitely.

Was it memorable? Absolutely.

And more importantly, it gave us an opportunity to share a poignant story from the life of our Savior with the teens - one that I’m pretty sure I never heard during my teen years. As a teen in the COGs, I never developed the deep fear and loathing toward Easter that I did for Christmas. It’s probably because it was the same season I tried desperately to clean every last cookie crumb out of my sock drawer, despite the fact that I wasn’t allowed to eat in my room.

At Christmas, there were no other distractions, so I was free to spend all my time feeling morally superior to those placing donations for needy children under the horrific tree. During the spring, however, I was vaguely aware that Easter was happening, but was mostly focused on making it through the Days of Unleavened Bread without screwing up.

When xHWA asked me to start contributing again, from a perspective of someone who has left and moved on, I knew that I would definitely write about Easter. My first Easter, I cried like a baby. It’s honestly probably my favorite mainstream Christian holiday. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have as much baggage to work through as I did with Christmas. Or maybe it’s because it’s a celebration that’s just bursting with hope. 

I’ve had a lot to say about why I think the Days of Unleavened Bread, as celebrated by the COGs, are so toxic. We focus for weeks on cleaning every speck of leaven, representing sin, out of our lives, even though we know that yeast spores live in the very air we breathe. We gather for a solemn ceremony commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Then the next night we gather for a lavish meal, even though the One sent to save us is, chronologically speaking, still in the tomb. We never actually talk about Him rising, because that would be too Protestant, although we make vague allusions to the wave sheaf offering. Then we wrap it all up with a final holy day - during which we usually discuss our dietary slip-ups more than we do our Savior.

The Days of Unleavened Bread, as the COGs celebrate them, can’t help but land us in the ditches of self-righteousness or despair. Since we don’t fully comprehend what Jesus did for us, we can end up feeling pretty good about ourselves, because we haven’t murdered, stolen, or eaten shrimp. On the flip side, since we feel like our salvation depends on our track record, others may feel defeated, worried that we will are doomed since we never be able to get it all right in this lifetime.

The true gospel lifts us out of either ditch. It teaches that all humans are fallen creatures that have sinned, but that God loved us enough to make a way of rescue. That Jesus took on our sins as a substitute, in our place. And that by repenting and placing our faith in God’s promise to rescue us, we can be freed from the eternal wages of our sin through imputed righteousness.

This message short-circuits both of those toxic impulses toward self-righteousness and self-loathing, giving us both the freedom to admit we’re not perfect and the freedom to forgive ourselves when we fall short. Teaching about experience in the life of our Lord and Savior underscores both messages. Brushing past these scriptures on the way to the things that “really” matter, like His comments on jots and titles and the Sabbath diminish what He did and shows what we believe, deep down, plays a more urgent role in our salvation. 

Since I’ve already mentioned the topic, let’s consider Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem - the Palm Sunday passage I mentioned earlier.

A week before His crucifixion, Jesus enters Jerusalem shortly after resurrecting Lazarus and performing other healings. It’s one of the few stories that appears in all four of the gospels. The crowds hailed Him as a King, laying down their coats and palm branches and hailed him as the King coming in the name of the Lord, fulfilling the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9. However, an earthly King would have entered on the most imposing warhorse, but Jesus rode into town on a beast of burden, a donkey. This humble act, also predicted by Zechariah, helped to reveal His true nature and mission, and the posture His followers must follow and adopt as well.

In the COGs, the story stops there. Possibly before the part about humility, if the story ever got started at all. But let’s keep reading, from Luke’s account, in chapter 19, starting in verse 41. Jesus literally weeps over the city. Over the structures that will be destroyed, years down the road. Over the people in the city, who will suffer. The children who will die. 

He is pitying the people. Not shaming, not blaming, not shaking His head. He is pitying the people He fed, the people who saw Him heal. He pities the people who celebrated His entry into the city. The people who hailed Him as King. The people He knows will call for his crucifixion just days later. The people who have His blood on their hands, as we all do. That’s the message those teens needed

And then He went ahead and did it all anyway. Because of His love for humanity, His love for us. He made a way. He promised abundant life for those who believe. Who place their full faith in Him. And His resurrection proved all His claims were true - that He was the Son of God, that His promises of forgiveness and eternal life because of our faith were true.

Yes, the resurrection really IS something to celebrate. That’s the message those teens needed to hear. And it’s the message you need to hear, too. The resurrection is more than just the pathway to salvation, more than the sprinkles on top. It's THE thing.

The lines on how the COGs present salvation have gotten muddier over the years. Some groups still present a hardline view that individuals must meet certain works-based requirements in order to enter God’s Kingdom. Others blur the lines to the point where dissecting their teachings sound like I’m nitpicking, which is one of the reasons I stepped away from writing in the first place. 

In my decade attending mainstream churches, it would be easy to get disillusioned by some of the behavior I’ve seen. That much of HWA’s teaching was true. After all, that’s how the devil deceived Eve in the garden - mixing an element of truth with a lie. I’ve seen many people praise the name of Jesus yet fail to follow His example. How the COGs and evangelical Christianity define that failure is very different, but at any rate, the lack of fruit on the part of some is frustrating. But that doesn’t mean we change the gospel message. Rather, it means that WE need to do our best to faithfully live it out. And to try our hardest to show grace, because we know there are days where we fail to follow Him faithfully, too.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to this: Does anything in addition to Jesus’ sacrifice get you into the Kingdom?

If so, then you believe in salvation by works. Which explains why Easter, Pascha, Resurrection Sunday, or anything else you want to call it doesn’t give you hope. And why you don’t pause to celebrate or even discuss it even on another day with less baggage. Because it really didn’t accomplish much for you. Because deep down, on some level, you’re still relying on yourself to enter God’s Kingdom. That’s not a slam or a criticism. It's simply a statement of fact.

You can’t have your full faith in two places, or it isn’t 100 percent. You can’t sit in two chairs at once. And you can’t believe in Jesus’ sacrifice as the gate for your salvation and your obedience as the key any more than you can serve both God and mammon.

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )

Acts 17:11

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Passover in the Age of Social Distancing

In recent weeks, Christians have found themselves navigating waters that have been relatively uncharted for a century. As the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19 has spread across the globe, leaders worldwide have started placing restrictions on social gatherings in attempts to limit transmission. Many state and national leaders have requested that U.S. Residents restrict group meetings to 10 or fewer individuals; some have gone as far as asking residents to stay home at all times unless except for essentials like groceries, medical attention or exercise.

These requests have challenged leaders from all denominations, now forced to help the church come together as one body – in a hundred separate homes. How can individuals serve others as the hands and feet of Jesus when all their limbs are required to maintain six feet of distance. Many churches have instituted online services. Some have opened drive-thru centers to hand out public assistance. But few seem to have found a good solution for handling communion – the commemoration of bread and wine.

While all Christian traditions adopt this sacrament, differing theological viewpoints affect how the ritual is practiced. Many protestants churches view communion as an important, yet symbolic, ritual memorializing Christ's sacrifice in remembrance “as often as” it is done. Some churches practice it weekly; others monthly; still others quarterly. In the current situation, many feel relatively comfortable waiting indefinitely for the next safe opportunity.

Catholics vary some in their belief about communion, but generally view the practice less symbolically and more as a ritual to be practiced regularly. The elements are served at every mass; but as I understand, it is generally accepted that Catholics should take communion at least once per year; preferably around Easter.  In my area, the diocesan archbishops has granted dispensation from mass – – to all within our district until the crisis passes.

It's more challenging to clearly define the views of the Churches of God, since they never had a  systematic theology and each splinter has its own flavor. Generally, though, the COGs view Passover – their annual communion service – as an observance critical to salvation. This view is based on Numbers 9:13:

But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people for not presenting the Lord's offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin. 

This application is in keeping with COG teachings on “ongoing justification” - that man is initially reconciled to God through Christ's sacrifice, but then is responsible for keeping his own slate clean – to varying extents – through a track record of repentance and spiritual growth. In short, if you're required to keep your library record up to date, the appointment for renewing your library card is critical.  and the schedule for available renewals is pretty limited - in this case, one evening per year.

I clearly no longer accept the reasoning behind the annual COG service, for both theological reasons and practical ones. Covenants aside, I find that annualizing the spiritual disciplines communion is intended to foster undermines our Christian walk. If we wait several months to get serious about a matter of sin in our lives, they have likely already taken root. If we wait almost a year to restore a relationship - and only do it because we have to - that relationship is likely over. If we make examination and reconciliation an annual practice, our personal holiness and relationships suffer.

Regardless of my reasons, many who I know and love disagree. And that's who I want to talk to today. Because I have no doubt that COG leaders are currently wrestling with decisions about the upcoming Passover. I also know that small groups of members are considering meeting for Passover even if their organizational leaders cancel official services. And I'm concerned about the graying COG population, given the risk COVID-19 poses to the elderly.  Today I'd like to give some food for thought - or at least consideration - advocating NOT gathering for Passover.


God created quarantining

First of all, the concept of social distancing to prevent illness is biblical - they're discussed in both Leviticus and Numbers. God mandated that Israelites who had symptoms of leprosy, or who had a suspicious discharge (among other concerns) stayed outside the camp until their
symptoms passed. This was intended to prevent contagion from spreading through the camp. Social distancing is a similar concept, except we avoid infecting others - or being infected - by isolating ourselves from the public by staying on our own property. Also, today, infection isn't as easily recognized as a seeping wound. COVID-19 has a lengthy incubation period, so it's possible to infect others unknowingly before knowing you're sick. As a result, retreating to your own home – and taking more drastic isolation measures if you're symptomatic – makes practical and biblical sense.


The Second Passover

God certainly wants us to fear and obey Him, but He's also a merciful God who understands that life is messy. Jesus experienced it firsthand; but we even see evidence of this in the Old Testament. In His wisdom, God established a second Passover for Israel when His quarantining mandates made people unclean. In Numbers 9, we see that a group of men who handled a dead body were concerned about being cuff off from Israel because they missed the Passover. God directly told Moses that those men could wait a month.

God's instruction didn't apply only to the ceremonially unclean - it even applied to those who were “away on a trip” during the first Passover. The Bible doesn't elaborate why men would be traveling near Passover - I can only assume it would be for an unexpected or critical reason. Most Israelites wouldn't choose to travel at that time. Regardless, this provision shows that God wants us to take Him seriously - but understands that life is messy. Will our current messiness clear by May 8? I doubt it. President Trump recently extended social distancing recommendations to April 30, and stated society might return to more normalcy by June 1. But an extra month would give church leaders - and the experts informing them - more time and data to evaluate.


Passover at Home 

Another possibility is keeping Passover at home. It's unconventional - but what isn't right

Pretend there's fewer than 10 here.

now. Most churches have already been tuning in to weekly services at home. There's no reason Passover couldn't be handled the same way. Chances are good that you already have unleavened bread at home (if not, and you're considering this option, I'm happy to send you a recipe).

But what about foot washing? Especially if you live alone?

Here's the thing. Foot washing is a beautiful symbol of Christ's humility and submission. It's an amazing symbol, and there's not one thing wrong with doing it ourselves. But in scripture, we have no evidence this practice was repeated in following years. New Testament authors repeatedly reference taking the bread and the wine, but foot washing is not a focus of those passages. Is it a beautiful reminder? Absolutely. Is it possible to do from 6 feet away? No. And does it appear to play into our salvation? Honestly, I don't see it.


Sacrificial love

During the Lord's Supper itself, where Jesus established the tradition of communion, He also told us that love would be the mark of His followers. The word used in this passage is a form of agape, or sacrificial, unselfish love characterized by outflowing concern for others. Throughout the New Testament, we see examples where Jesus, Paul, Peter, and others made choices that cost them personally in order to benefit others.



So what does that mean today? It means we may need to sacrifice our comfort and our preferences for the good of others. You may be young and healthy (although that's not a guarantee), but your graying COG brethren to whom you risk passing the virus are not. This knowledge has led to restrictions on assisted living and nursing home visits. It is not loving your elderly neighbor to risk passing the virus to them.


The Bible instructs us to respect governing authorities

Service at the River church held March 29, 2020

Early this week, news leaked that a megachurch in Tampa, Florida, preached before a crowd of several hundred parishioners over the weekend. Many Christians were shocked that the River at Tampa Bay Church ignored local orders restricting gatherings in non-essential services to 10 individuals or fewer. Other Christians were shocked when the pastor, Rodney Howard-Browne, was arrested.



I don't intend to rehash the arguments for and against Howard-Browne here - I'm sure we'll hear them ad nauseum in coming weeks. I've also heard of earlier instances where churches held services while restrictions on crowds larger than 50 were in place for weighty reasons like "we usually only have 80 fewer or people anyway" or "we didn't like the government telling us we couldn't meet."

I recognize that there are complex constitutional questions, among other nuanced issues, involved in this debate. But the Bible came before the U.S. Constitution. And Romans 13 clearly instructs Christians to obey the governing authorities, unless our leaders instruct us to commit an immoral act or to contradict God's instructions. I don't believe that requesting people temporarily limit gathering crosses this threshold. No one is singling out churches in this request - it's ALL GROUPS. No one is forcing church leaders to change their message, editing their sermons, or restricting access to broadcast media. It's not ideal, it's not fun - but it's not persecution.

This has all happened before 

The decisions we're being forced to make may seem unbelievable, but they're not unprecedented. Church leaders had to consider similar issues during the Bubonic Plague, and more recently, in the Spanish Flu outbreak. Martin Luther, father of the Reformation, had this to say regarding whether Christians should flee the Plague, in a surviving letter to the Rev. Dr. John Hess:

"I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God."

Throughout history, it's highly likely that Christians have occasionally missed taking the bread and the wine without jeopardizing their salvation. For example, we know Paul taught and received visitors while under house arrest. But it's unlikely he was able to continue Passover and other religious traditions as scheduled while in Roman prison in the late 50s A.D. We know he wasn't the only disciple imprisoned before martyrdom. Given the chaos that has defined much of human history, it's improbable that believers have been able to observe the Passover on the exact date, every year, for more than two thousand years. (This is just one more reason that ongoing justification, partially based on dates and observances, is implausible in my eyes).

We should, as Luther stated, pray for protection. We should ask God to wipe this virus out. And He could. But I'm not expecting it. God can do anything, and a miracle of epic proportions would capture the world's attention, for His glory. But my gut says He would have stepped in by now if that was part of the plan. Like everything else in His creation, God designed viruses for natural purposes. And like everything else He made, He designed them to be efficient and effective. In our fallen world, many things intended for natural purposes have spun out of control. xHWA wrote an excellent piece earlier this week explaining why COVID-19 is not a sign that Jesus' return is imminent, despite what some COG leaders are saying. Boils are the only human illness specifically named in prophecy, although the word translated as "pestilence" can have broad meanings, including human illness. In general, human life isn't expected to get easier as time draws to a close. While we should not be ruled by fear, I'm not getting my hopes up for a quick fix, either.

Really, there's only one reason for hope. Thankfully, it's a pretty big one.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. 

                                                                                        - John 3:14-15

In this passage, Jesus cited a miracle from the book of Numbers, when God was punishing Israel for instance number 867,213 of disobedience and faithlessness. God sent serpents to

torment the Israelites. Many were bitten and died, but even then, God made a way for those who repented to live. The Lord instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and lift it up among the congregation. Those who were bitten but looked on the serpent lived.

If there's one thing that hits home at this time of year, it's that sin has bitten us all. Maybe that lesson is hitting you harder this year than in the past. Maybe virus-forced disruption to your usual preparation routine has left you wondering whether you've done enough to be worthy to take the Passover. Or maybe the time you've spent thinking during extended periods of down time has convinced you that you aren't.

In the example Jesus cited, there was Iittle the Israelites could do. They were bitten. They were dying. They couldn't hobble over to Moses. They couldn't touch the pole. All they could do was look at the bronze serpent in faith. And hope.

Good thing that was the one thing they needed to do.

And it's the one thing we need to do, too. Your eternal life doesn't hinge on your ability to fully remove leaven from your home, your vehicle or your church hall. It doesn't hinge on washing feet. It doesn't hinge on drinking bread or wine in the same room as your pastor - or even on a specific day. It hinges on recognizing that you aren't worthy and never will be, on repenting of your sin, and on placing your faith in God's promise of salvation to those who fully place their faith in Jesus' sacrifice for them. In His work instead of yours. That's more important to your future than deleavening, washing feet, wearing a mask or bathing in hand sanitizer.

Best of all, you can do at home.

In fact, please do it at home.

Stay safe, and know that even when we don't have time to post, you're still in our thoughts and prayers.

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )
Acts 17:11
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Our prayer for you this Feast of Tabernacles

Every year, As Bereans Did likes to offer some food for thought with regards to the fall holy days. This year, we spent some time in prayer trying to narrow things down, because we found several topics that sounded interesting to explore further. But we kept coming back to the same thought:

Anyone who's checking this site during the Feast of Tabernacles is probably not having the "best Feast ever." What you need is encouragement, not an argument.

We know that the Feast can be a challenging time for those who are questioning within the Church of God movement. We've been there. It feels like everyone around you is having the time of their lives. They are rejoicing amidst the sight-seeing adventures, snorkeling and winery tours. Meanwhile, the same canned, reheated sermons and polite lunchtime fellowship are leaving you feeling spiritually empty.

Maybe you're excited to see some old familiar faces - faces of acquaintances you haven't seen since the last split. Maybe they're back! Or maybe your Feast site was closer to home, or in a dream destination they've always wanted to visit. A principled choice, indeed, for folks who left a handful of years ago, saying they wondered if those who lead your organization had ever really been "called."

Or maybe the division within the COGs is hitting you in a different way this year. Your site is smaller than ever before, with friends you're missing noticeably absent. Maybe you're making plans to meet them for lunch when your respective services on the opposite sides of town get out. Or maybe you're praying not to run into them at all, as the friendship dissolved, tragically and painfully, during the last split.

How can this be in God's one true church? Celebrating God's true festivals? In His chosen place? There must be something wrong with you.

Oh yes. Something is wrong. But it's not with you.

We're so, so sorry that you're feeling this way. Truly. We've been there, and it's no fun.

But we're glad these questions are coming up. God often uses pain to wake us up and reach us. It's hard to get our attention when we're comfortable and content.

Trust Him. Listen and follow Him. His sheep hear His voice. And know that we are earnestly praying for you at this time. And that we're here for you, because of you. And that things will get better.





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But... for those who came here for some comic relief, or miss the usual level of snark ABD delivers, we're throwing in our top 5 Feast of Tabernacles ideas as a bonus:

• Beachfront resort towns seem like a counter-intuitive spot for God to place His name annually during the Atlantic hurricane season. Thanks to the late feast this year, most sites seem to have dodged the bullet – unless you had reservations in the Bahamas. (All joking aside, we pray for those in the Bahamas. If you have excess second tithe, consider donating it here to the disaster fund administered by the Grand Bahama Port Authority). But if the National Weather Service can predict paths with somewhat reliable accuracy several days out, surely the Lord can do even better. Maybe the Feast was never intended to be celebrated in the New World – or even after the fall of the Temple. 
• Speaking of Jerusalem – if you're not keeping the Feast there, you may be doing it wrong. Those who support celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles based on the claim that nothing from the Sinai Covenant has passed except the sacrifices need to explain why it's ok to celebrate the festival in locations like Panama City Beach. In a hotel, rather than a palm frond sukkot. (Wait, I know! Because they're not up to hurricane construction codes: see also previous point).
• If you subscribe to the view that the holy days were established at creation, then there's precedent for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles elsewhere. However, we'd like to see hard evidence that He has placed His name somewhere besides Jerusalem, after the fall of the temple. Aside from Panama City Beach, that is, where as many as 11 Church of God groups keep the Feast in separate venues. After all, things did not go well for Israel after Jeroboam changed the date and location of the festival. (I am starting to notice a pattern. See both points 1 and 2).  
• That Paul's dogged determination to get to Jerusalem for ONE Pentecost celebration is not a mandate for the entire gentile world to celebrate the Hebrew festivals. Scripture doesn't clarify whether Paul went primarily to celebrate the festival or to publicly exonerate claims against him through fulfilling a Nazirite-like vow. What it does make clear, though, is that he spent two uninterrupted years at the School of Tyrannus in Ephesus, more than a thousand miles from Jerusalem. And that when he finally did make his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he didn't try to convince the Ephesian brethren they were obligated to join him. 
• That, despite recent claims from the United Church of God, you do not need to celebrate the Hebrew festivals to enter the Kingdom of God.  One recent Beyond Today article we find particularly annoying tries to link the Hebrews 10:25 admonition to assemble with meeting to celebrate the holy days. The author completely inserts this idea into the text, which primarily deals with not losing the faith and assembling to encourage and serve one another. Not to mention that the concept is in complete contradistinction to Acts 16: 30-34. Paul and Silas had the perfect chance to instruct the jailer – likely a Philippian gentile – on UCG's finer points of salvation. Alas, they did not. 

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )
Acts 17:11
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Rock Valley & Oak Stone Christian churches: Trendier, Gentler COGs

It's become popular in recent years for churches and ministries to incorporate numbers into their name or logo. Ken Ham's Answers in Genesis organization stamps a 1:1 shorthand trademark on its materials. A group of Michigan churches called 2|42 embraces the practices listed in Acts 2:42-47 as a means of making disciples. Hebrew Roots ministry 119 alludes to the Psalm 119 reference to David being a man after God's own heart.

Turns out that even Armstrongism isn't immune from this trend.

We at As Bereans Did recently learned about the existence of 14:12 churches. What are 14:12 churches? As of now, there appear to be two – Rock Valley Christian Church in Murrieta, California, and Oak Stone Christian Church in Dallas, Texas. While Rock Valley has been around for many years, Oak Stone is less than a year old, and was planted by Rock Valley's pastor, David Liesenfelt.  These churches rally around Revelation 14:12 because its members “keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus,” according to Liesenfelt.

Stereotypical Pinterest church sanctuary photo

But Rock Valley and Oak Stone don't just have a trendy tagline. They have the telltale matching pallet wood backdrops and string light accents to back it up. Drums and electric guitars accompany their contemporary Christian worship services. Their web sites are peppered with Christian-ese terms like “non-denominational” and “church plant.” To the unsuspecting passer-by, they look like any other community church.

Rock Valley sanctuary, courtesy of YouTube

And therein lies our problem.

COG-Lite

We have mixed feelings about criticizing these 14:12 churches. They appear more relaxed than any Church of God we've ever seen. We see jeans in the audience, and even hands lifted in worship. They've ditched British Israelism and a few other points of Armstrongist nonsense. To be honest, if our extended families continue to attend the COGs, this seems like the kind of place we hope they end up.

But here's the thing.  Rock Valley and Oak Stone are more into evangelism than their COG predecessors. They, unlike many COGs, appear to get visitors who have no connection to Armstrongism.  And also unlike other COGs, which scare people away with their hotel meeting spaces and three-piece suits, their atmosphere seems culturally congruent. Visitors have no reason to suspect they are witnessing anything other than a small, yet vibrant, Christian church plant.

As xHWA so aptly explained, we don't blame those who were drawn into the COGs early on. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. It's hard to criticize those who wanted to please God and showed the courage to turn away from long-held mainstream traditions, regardless of the personal cost. And we sympathize with those raised in the tradition who feel pressure to stay, despite their questions. But in 2019, with decades of documentation, resources and good old Google available, it's hard to understand making the decision to join.

Unless you don't know what you're joining. Unless you're not getting the full story.

The Rest of the Story

This is our impression, as well as the impression of one Google reviewer, who really enjoyed the church, but eventually left because he was uncomfortable with the ambiguity of Rock Valley's Statement of Beliefs, as well as its anti-Trinitarian stance.

“Transparency from the church leadership, a clearly defined statement of beliefs and a truly Biblical theological position from a church group is a high importance to me.”

(We won't make a big deal about the Trinity today, although you're more than welcome to check out our musings on the topic.)

  The vagueness of Rock Valley's statement of beliefs is a red flag.  But it was an even bigger red flag when Liesenfelt wasn't transparent with ABD about his theological background. After reading about his churches, I emailed Liesenfelt with several questions, including asking from which seminary he received his certification.


“I never attended seminary,” he responded. “My authority comes from Jesus Christ.”

We believe Liesenfelt is telling the truth when he says he didn't attend seminary. However, Liesenfelt also runs abudantliving.org, a web site featuring his sermons, radio shows and  other material he produces. On abundantliving.org, Liesenfelt states that he graduated from college in 1990 with a degree in Theology. We later asked Liesenfelt why he did not disclose this fact when responding to our seminary question, since we were clearly seeking details about his theological training. As of the time this piece was posted, he has not responded to the question. It has been almost a month since we posed this question to him.

We are reasonably certain we know the source of some of Liesenfelt's theological training. According to The Worldwide News' June 5, 1989 edition, Liesenfelt received his Associate of Arts Degree from Ambassador College at Big Sandy, Texas - an unaccredited institution founded by Herbert W Armstrong. Armstrong founded and ran the Worldwide Church of God, which is discussed in Walter Martin's book, The Kingdom of the Cults, until his death in 1986. Since then, WCG has splintered into hundreds of smaller organizations that retain different permutations of Armstrong's teachings.

Does attending Ambassador College disqualify Liesenfelt from the role of pastor? Of course not. Does membership in a questionable religious institution disqualify him pastoring, teaching or other theological commentary? Again, I obviously don't think so, since everyone at ABD is in the same boat. But if you call yourself a pastor, and you're asked about your religious training, and have religious training from a specific institution, hiding it is concerning. Admit it. Affirm what you were taught, if you still believe it. If not, state where you have turned or departed. Especially if you are a Bible teacher, when the Bible exhorts us to tell the truth and avoid deceptive words and behavior. Liesenfelt's answer feels like more than an oversight to us. Further, it seems congruent with the reviewer's assessment of Rock Valley leadership.

Filling in the gaps

We're left to Liesenfelt's own answers and posted sermons to try to determine how much Ambassador College material is left in his teachings. He doesn't promote British Israelism - the theory that the United States and Western European peoples are direct physical descendants of the lost 10 tribes of Israel - which we applaud.

The Old Covenant law, including a seventh-day Sabbath and the Holy Days (as interpreted by those who founded Ambassador College), is still emphasized. The sites include many topics that are borderline Evangelical, we still see some key Ambassador College/COG buzzwords, like "Law of Liberty," "Faith Without Works," "Lean Not On Your Own Understanding," "He Who Endures To The End Shall Be Saved," and more.

You might ask, those are just Bible verses, what's the harm? Anyone who has spent any time in a COG knows these old, familiar verses. You've heard them over and over and over again. These ones aren't chosen at random - they know it and we know it.

In one sermon, titled "The Whole Gospel in one Bible Chapter," Liesenfelt asks his audience which one chapter of the Bible they would use to preach the gospel to an unbeliever. Audience members had many suggestions, including Romans 8, Hebrews 10 and John 3. Instead, Leisenfelt explained that Leviticus 23 was the best source for explaining God's "plan of salvation."

We agree, in a roundabout way, that Leviticus 23 does point to God's plan. And that plan was the coming of Jesus Christ, the One whom the holy days foreshadowed, and our salvation by grace through faith in Him. The holy days do not lay out a jigsaw puzzle we must piece together in order to attain salvation. They demonstrated the insufficiency of Israel, the law and anything else besides the Messiah to save, and pointed Israel to Him as their only hope. And as Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 3:12, Israel didn't see it.

And Liesenfelt doesn't seem to see it, either. His message on the Leviticus 23 "gospel" dwells on the fact that those in "the world" see the Holy Days through a veil, which is lifted when they turn to God. Those who read scripture in context will note that 2 Corinthians 3:13 specifically tells us this passage refers to Israel - specifically when Israel focuses on the Sinai Covenant. Sadly, the COGs unknowingly fall into the same trap.


Rock Valley's typical Christmas sermon sounds like a slightly better-marketed version of the moldly leftovers the COGs serve up each December. We note Pastor Liesenfelt quoted The Golden Bough, a tome that rejects the story of Jesus Christ as nothing more than a re-iteration of other ancient Mesopotamian religious myths. In short, if you put stock in The Golden Bough, you have no business professing faith in Christ. Incidentally, most of the other sources Liesenfelt cited were ones ABD has researched and addressed. In his message, Liesenfelt encouraged his audience to think critically about what they had been taught and why they do what they do. He also claimed that he had “never seen a source that disagreed” with his assessments. Well, now you have.

It's annoying to see a hip, trendy church try to spin WCG's 1967 anti-Christmas material, or really, Alexander Hislop's 1800's anti-Catholic propaganda, as cutting-edge truth. But it's just Christmas, not a matter of life and death. We bring this up simply as anecdotal evidence of how far Rock Valley Christian Church and Oak Stone have or haven't fallen from the Ambassador College/WCG Tree. We'll drop it and get back to actual matters of life and death.

Seek and ye shall find?

We find some of Rock Valley's doctrinal statements – and by extension Oak Stone's – to be vague.

To be fair, Rock Valley's statement of beliefs includes a handful of long statements that sound relatively convincing. But they preface it with the statement that “any listing of specific beliefs will fall utterly short in that we accept the teaching of the Bible as our primary source of belief.”

We honestly do appreciate churches that have the courage to say “we don't know,” because we recognize there are places where scripture is murky. But that's not seems to be going on here. Rock Valley's statement of beliefs seems intentionally vague to us in some key areas – specifically, the area of salvation. We initially asked Liesenfelt for clarification on his teachings in this area – specifically whether keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days are required for salvation. We got this answer:

“Jesus is the only true judge, so the question you are asking should only be answered by the One Who alone has the authority to give life (salvation) to whom He wills.”

True. But a pastor's role is to help shepherd and guide the flock on eternal, spiritual matters. There is no greater spiritual matter than your salvation. We are all to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. But a pastor's key job is to lead and feed the sheep.  If your pastor – regardless of the denomination – can't or won't tell you what he believes you need to do to avoid damnation, we suggest that you walk away.

We also initially asked Liesenfelt whether he taught that salvation is a one-time event or an ongoing process that can be. He replied that is both, and gave the following explanation:

“The Bible declares that a person is saved when they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the person who continues to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, and the person who endures to the end, and does not reject the salvation offered, shall be saved.”

This sounds like the common Armstrongist teaching of ongoing justification, and so we asked for more clarification whether this was what he taught. We also asked what he believed we must to do maintain our state of justification before God – since Liesenfelt stated that we are saved upon professing faith – and what exactly we must persist in until the end. To date – nearly a month after our inquiry - he has not responded.

We understand that asking what one needs to do to lose his salvation is not a great question. It's not an indicator of an obedient, Christian heart that's eager to please God, as Liesenfelt stated on one of his radio programs about Law and Grace. Christians should be focused on obeying God and following the prompting of the Holy Spirit, not trying to tow the line. Searching for the line is not exactly in keeping with the focus and intent of Christianity.

But here's the problem. If you teach any form of ongoing justification, you need to know where that line is. If you are saved by grace (as taught at Rock Valley) but have the power to stray or reject the offer of salvation (as Liesenfelt seemed to indicate), you better know where that line is. In short, if salvation is a pass-fail proposition, then you better make sure you pass. And you can't pass if you don't have a clearly defined set of rules.

In his Law and Grace radio programs, Liesenfelt explains that Christians are saved by grace, but that the Bible indicates Christians have an obligation to obey "the law" after they are saved.  While he focuses significantly on the Ten Commandments, Liesenfelt repeatedly brings up obedience to the Law.

But which part of the law? Just the 10 Commandments? Presumably not, because Rock Valley appears to observe the Leviticus 23 Holy Days. Do members of Oak Stone Christian church believe they are obligated to keep the whole law? The parts about mixed fabrics? Seclusion and purification days after childbirth? Unless my eyes deceive me, the pictures on Rock Valley's web site indicate neither pastor is following the whole law - specifically, the portions pertaining to beards for men.

Conundrums like this are why we believe Jesus warned us not to mix wineskins. Christians are not party to the to the Sinai Covenant. That covenant ended with the death of its Jesus Christ, its testator (Hebrews 9:16). The covenant is obsolete and vanished (Hebrews 8:13). Had it not, God would not have been free to enter the New Covenant.

Under the New Covenant, Christians have responsibilities for moral living and Christian growth into the image and stature of Christ under the New Covenant. Many Christians will debate, until they're blue in the face, whether Christians are once-saved-always-saved, or whether it's possible to throw away one's salvation. You can find passages in the Bible that support both. What you can't find, though, are passages that reinforce what many COGs teach: that you waver back and forth between saved and unsaved, for lack of a better phrase, whenever you break the select tenets of Law your splinter group chooses.

Is that was Oak Stone and Rock Valley teach? We don't know, because Liesenfelt won't answer. We suspect, however, that he, like others with an Armstrongist background, are
confusing the covenants. Was he trying to be evasive, or is the problem with the doctrine? Ongoing justification sounds good on the surface, but doesn't make sense when you actually tease it out. We're guessing the problem is a matter of cognitive dissonance based in faulty doctrine, but Liesenfelt's not-so-straightforward answers to other questions don't exactly give us confidence.

The bottom line

So why are we taking the time to post this? Is it because we want to smear Rock Valley Christian Church, Oak Stone Christian Church, and their pastor?

Definitely not. We admire these “14:12” churches for stepping away from teachings like British Israelism, knowing the potential cost. We liked a lot of we heard in Liesenfelt's messages on the critical doctrine of imputed righteousness . As we stated earlier, if our loved ones remain in the COGs, we hope they'll end up somewhere like this. Dare we recommend that established COG members dissatisfied with their current fellowship check them out?

At the same time, if you Google these churches, you won't find a lot of information. We think that potential members with no COG background need to have the facts before joining them. We're not confident that's happening. We think potential members should know they are visiting a non-Trinitarian sect, that embraces soul sleep, an alternative interpretation on salvation, and has its roots in Herbert Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God. If no one else is going to let them know, we will.

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )
Acts 17:11
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Boost Your Spiritual Credit Rating this Passover!

It's almost time for the Passover. Soooo... what's your spiritual credit score? Asking for a friend.

Over the years, we at As Bereans Did have poked fun at the transactional metaphors that the Churches of God use to quantify spiritual growth that “leads” to salvation. I have a few favorites - “sticker chart” and “spiritual batting average,” to name a couple.

But Edward L. Winkfield, managing editor of Pack's Real Truth magazine, took it to a whole new level in his recent pre-Passover article titled “Raise your Spiritual Credit Score.”

“This analogy is not farfetched when you consider that God openly says we must seek to be 'approved' of Him. (2 Tim. 2:15) - put to test by trial to produce truth and genuineness," according to Winkfield. 

Before I get started today, I want to make a few things clear. Today, I'm not criticizing the COGs' timing for taking the Passover. I think the biblical instructions regarding frequency are a little less restrictive, but an annual observance definitely falls under the umbrella of “as often as,” so that's good enough for today.

I'm also not going to take issue with self-examination. While I think the COGs skew the idea, there's no denying that Christians should regularly analyze their thoughts, habits and behavior – particularly in conjunction with taking the bread and the wine.

But if I'm taking these concessions, then I expect you to meet me halfway. Because remember, I once was one of you. I know that, right now, many of you are thinking, I'm not in Dave Pack's group, I would never follow that man!

Stop.

I'm asking you to set your biases aside and be objective, since it's the season for self-examination. Remember that both Pack and the leaders of your group were influenced by and are, in many ways, imitate the same man. Remember that your traditions and ideas all came from the same place. Be honest about whether you see the same attitudes and motivations in your group's view of Passover.

What idea? The idea that we need to raise our approval rating with God in order to secure our salvation, at Passover and really, throughout our lives. Because RCG, and to an extent, all the COGs, twist the scriptures about pleasing God from the biblical picture of a beloved, grateful child of God trying to please a loving Father to a servant grasping to hold onto approval and perhaps, possibly, even gain a harsh taskmaster's approval.

But wait, Martha, isn't that exactly what the parable of the talents teaches us?

It's certainly the message that Winkfield gets from the parable. In his article, he explains that God uses similar principles of reward and punishment to “motivate and inspire” Christians.

“Clearly 'damnation' is not God's will for us,” Winkfield writes. “By obediently following His command to examine ourselves each spring, we can raise our spiritual 'credit score' as we seek God's divine approval.”

Interestingly, many get a slightly different message from the Parable of the Talents, the implications of which are easily missed by Armstrongists who don't believe in regeneration.

The parable doesn't give any indication that the two servants who were praised shared the third servant's negative impression of their master. The Expositor's Bible Commentary notes that slaves in the ancient world – apparently, such as these – were often entrusted with significant authority and responsibility. It would seem that the first two servants may have recognized and appreciated the investment their master made in them. The third, however, did not.

“What this servant overlooks is his responsibility to his master and his obligation to discharge his assigned duties,” according to Expositor's. “His failure betrays his lack of love for his master, which he masks by blaming his master and excusing himself.”

Unlike the other two, the third servant saw his master as grasping, controlling, and harsh. He lacked faith in and love for his master. Though he called him Lord, his heart was far from Him – like someone who was unregenerate and lacked the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by his attitude and lack of fruit. What frightens me is, the picture of the Master that the wicked servant paints is not entirely dissimilar from Winkfield's. I pray it's simply a coincidence. 

Just as the Master stated to the wicked servant, Winkfield reminds us that those who lend expect to get their money back, plus interest, within a certain time period.

"God similiarly seeks a return on His investment in us, which He considers our 'reasonable service'," Winkfield says. 

Here, Winkfield references Romans 12:1, in which Paul “beseeches,” begs, encourages or exhorts, us to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God, ones that He would find holy and acceptable. Why? Many translations place the word “therefore" as the first word of Romans 12:1, indicating the "why" - the reason we should choose to serve God as a living sacrifice - are all the reasons Paul has discussed up to this point in Romans, including the following:

• While we were sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)
• Eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23) 
• Only God can deliver us from our “body of death" (Romans 7:24-25)

You know, just to name a few.

If Paul is cautioning us to remember that God is awaiting our annual report and ROI, well, I just don't see it. Rather, it seems to me that he is reminding his readers of what God has accomplished by dying for us, and encouraging us to live for Him.

But no. Winkfield maintains that, through this "reasonable service," we could actually be “counted worthy” to enter God's Kingdom based on the judgment of our lives.

“It is through the righteous judgment of God, that we may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God (2 Thessalonians 1:5). This reveals that the only way into the Kingdom is through a judgment. Yet God is not the judge exclusively. He gives us ample opportunity to judge ourselves.”

Ironically, 2 Thessalonians 1:5 does commend the brethren at Thessalonica for being judged righteously, and counted worthy of the Kingdom. On what basis are they found worthy? Well, the preceding verses praise the Thessalonians for their growing faith, for the love they showed for one another, and for their patience and faith in the face of persecution.

It is on the basis of faith that God declares us worthy to enter His Kingdom. It was the same for Abraham (Genesis 15:6), as it was for the Thessalonian brethren as it is for us:

And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
                                                                                                                           - Genesis 15:6

Not only was Abraham's faith credited as righteousness, it happened before he was circumcised, before he attempted to offer Isaac, before anything mentioned in the book of James. But somehow, Winkfield misses this point, giving us five primary factors that God uses to calculate our score. (Spoiler alert: they weren't the same factors used to judge Abraham). His article is somewhat vague, mixing physical terms like our “current debt” of forgiveness and repentance, our “credit history” of appropriate spiritual growth level, and developing “new credit” with God created by overcoming sins and weaknesses.

However, in an article linked at the end of Winkfield's, RCG Pastor General David Pack himself reveals more specific criteria, although, again, we receive no quantifiable measure. According to Pack, these criteria include keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days, studying the Bible, watching prophecy be fulfilled, admirable personal conduct, and being fervent for “the work.”

“There is, in fact, revealed in God's Word, a certain spiritual 'seal of approval' that every Christian MUST obtain. Specific actions in a person's conduct confer this approval upon him, and, because God is not a respecter of persons, there are no exceptions to what He expects,” Pack writes. “Without these actions, a Christian, no matter how sincere, has no hope for salvation.”

Huh. Okay. I am having a hard time finding these specs in the verse where Jesus tells us what the work He expects of us:

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
                                                                                                               -  John 6:27-29

Pack's advice also seems to contradict Ephesians 2:8-9:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.

Winkfield, however, seems determined that the answer comes from working harder in the coming year:

“We can come to grips with our strengths and weaknesses and come up with a creative plan to do better. From there, we can go out and execute our plan with the time we have left,” he advises. “If successful, we can eventually be commended.”

Oh yeah. And do it with God's help. Kinda.

“Upon repentance, God frees us completely from the sins that bring the burdens of spiritual debt. This is vastly superior to trying to dig out of debt on your own. And, as God does His part to fix any 'credit' problem you may have, you must do your part to help build and keep it up.”

Actually, Romans 4 does talk about the work that we do to build and keep up our spiritual credit score. And not in a good way.

What then, shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about – but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
                                                                                                             -  Romans 4:1-5

Now, I know what you're thinking. Remember, I once was you. Martha, everyone knows Dave Pack's extreme. My group's isn't like RCG.

Might I remind you that Dave Pack came from the same place as the man in your pulpit? That virtually all the leaders in the COGs are vying to carry the mantle of the true church, rising from the Worldwide Church of God's ashes? That RCG's theology is just a more extreme continuum along the path of the theology Herbert W Armstrong developed? In fact, Pack's teachings really just flesh out many of HWA's teachings to their fullest extent, while others whitewash the full implications through convenient cognitive dissonance.

If, at Passover, you have elders remarking that "you're the cleanest you'll ever be," or that they don't want to do anything that will tarnish their newly-clean record, your church is simply at a different point along the same road.

Commemorating Christ's sacrifice with bread and wine is a command, but it's not magic. Doing it irreverently, without introspection is foolish, disrespectful and potentially dangerous, but there's no magic formula or outline defining "proper examination." Trying to quantify, and worse yet, to qualify, for approval and entrance into the Kingdom through our efforts and actions puts one in a dangerous position. Once we have become a new creation in Christ by the Spirit, we do not grow into his image by works of the flesh (Galatians 3:3).


If you are the Lord's, you have already been washed by his blood. (John 13:10). Examine yourself and "wash your feet", but if you have taken the bread and the wine, you are already unleavened (1 Corinthians 5:7).

So by all means, take the Passover. Eat the bread and drink the wine. Do it in remembrance of Jesus and what He did for you. Examine your heart and your mind. And when you find yourself unworthy, take heart. God already claimed you as His own when you entered the New Covenant. You already stand approved - not because of anything you have done, but because of what He did for you. 

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )
Acts 17:11
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