Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 5/7/2008

Question
QUESTION: Dear Greg,
I am on a very spiritual journey right now, and I feel as though the spirit of God within me is guiding me towards Him. I was raised Catholic, and while I do go to church now, I don't feel as though Catholicism is meeting my spiritual needs. I am okay with this, because I feel that God is with me, guiding me down a path of discovery, and I have faith that S/He will bring me to where I need to go. But, I digress.
I am currently in the last days of a Bible study course I took this semester. I wanted to really study the Bible and find the wisdom within it. Afterall, it's probably the greatest link that we have with God and Jesus. However, I found in reading the bible a few teachings that have me stumped, and I was hoping that you would be able to give me some guidence on the matter.

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” - Matthew 7:6

This quote from Jesus seems to indicate that his teachings were not meant for any gentiles (which also seems to indicate that Jesus disliked anyone that was not a Jew

The other concept that troubles me is the 144,000 Jews who are the chosen ones to be saved when Jesus comes again (as I am sure you know, this is found in Revelation).

I guess my concern is this: how are any of the modern Christian religions fulfilling what the Bible teaches? If Jesus wanted his words to stay only within the Jewish religion, how do any of today's Christian religions apply? We no longer celebrate passover, or keep the Jewish sabbath day, or enforce circumcision- meaning we have broken all of the biggest rules God set forth for His people within the Bible. Was it not Saint paul who broke the rules that Jesus stated in order to bring Jesus' words to the non-Jewish people? How was it that his opinion about who should hear Jesus' words trumped Jesus' own opinion? Also, if only 144,000 Jews are going to heaven, how can any Christian expect to be saved?

I am deeply troubled by these things. If the Bible really is the truth, then wouldn't it seem as though the Jewish faith is still the only true faith in the eyes of God? I really appreciate your time and thoughtfulness when answering these very troubling questions for me. God bless you, and thanks again.





ANSWER: Emily,

Christians greetings and thank you for your questions. I will do my best to help.

First, I would like to ask you to clear up a few things that will help me give you proper answer. I hope that you do not mind?  :-)

1. You You said that you are "...on a very spiritual journey right now...". Would you mind elaborating on that for me?

2. You ascribed God as "S/He". Would you please elaborate on this?

3. What is the "...last days of a Bible study course...". What is this, and who is the author?

Until you get back with me on this questions, I will briefly address the ones you had about Matt. 7:6, and the 144,000.

Matt. 7:6

Give not that which is holy unto dogs.
The dog was regarded an unclean animal by the Jewish law. They probably represent snarling, scoffing opposers. The characteristic of dogs is brutality. To try to instill holy things into such low, unclean, and sordid brutal minds is useless.

Neither cast pearls before swine.
The swine were also unclean. They would have no use for pearls, and perhaps would rush upon those who scattered the pearls. So, too, there are men so dull, imbruted and senseless, as to reject the pearls of truth. It is our duty to help and to try to save others, but we must use common sense.

144,000
Revelation 7:4-14

You misunderstand what these Jews are, and what they are to do. The existence of a remnant of Jews is tied to the covenants God made with the nation Israel. The unconditional covenants must have a people to carry out their fulfillment. Even though Israel has often strayed far from the Lord, He has always had a believing remnant. In New Testament times there were always a believing, expectant nucleus to whom the promises were reaffirmed. Presently a remnant of Israel are turning to Messiah, Jesus and receiving His salvation.

Shortly after the Rapture, there will be another remnant of Jews who turn to Christ. These converted Jews are called servants of God and they are extremely successful in ministering to others. Not long after this elect group is announced by John, he describes a great multitude from all nations who have been converted to Christ as a result of their labor and who are willing to prove their faith through martyrdom.

BTW, these Jews will not be only ones going to heaven. The Bible teaches us that when a Christian dies, their spirit is ushered into the very presence of the Lord Jesus, and He is now in heaven. 2 Cor. 5:6-8

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Elder Greg Madden


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Greg:

Thank you for your response. Here is the follow up to your questions...

1. The only way I can describe this journey is to say that I am filled with an intense, driving force to find the truth about God. I spend much of my free time reading everything I can about all the world's religions, as I firmly believe that God bestowed a little bit of the truth in all of His/Her people all over the world (for why would he/she favor one of his creations over another?). I pray often, explaining to God that I am trying to figure him/her out. I don't feel fulfilled by the Catholic church at this point because I don't feel like they have the answers I am looking for. Therefore, I am trying to figure out who does- I want to find a set of beliefs that sits "right" with me, that I feel comfortable believing in.  

2. When I say S/He, I mean just mean God the entity. In the bible, God has been described as both a mother and a father figure. Also, since man and woman were both created in the image of God, I have to imagine that God possesses both male and female traits. I prefer not to refer to God as just a "He", for I feel like I am only acknowledging one "side" of God in doing that.

3. Sorry for the confusion here. I was just saying that I took a Bible study course this past semester, and I have just finished that course. It was a very objective study of the Book, and the whole thing left me rather unsettled. I saw countless contradictions, and I read about events that made me upset. One of those was Jesus' seemingly harsh interaction with the Gentile woman- which is what provoked my question to you.

The only thing that I can say is that, after reading both the Old and New Testaments objectively, I am finding that it seems that the Jewish religion is a better representation of what God originally wanted, according to the Bible. After reading what God asked of his/her people, and even reading about what Jesus wanted from his own followers, it seems as though modern Christianity has strayed so far from those original ideas (such as Paul preaching to the Gentiles).

For example, God said keep holy the sabbath... the sabbath was always celebrated on Saturdays. What gave the church the authority to change the sabbath day to Sundays? God also said to always celebrate the passover... but we as Christians have forgotten the passover ritual, and have replaced it with communion- a completely different ritual. Who has the authority to make these decisions? Why would God ask for one thing, only to change his mind in the New Testament? I guess my frustration stems from the massive inconsistencies between the Old and the New Testament. A Christian might say, "well, only the New Testament matters," but since all the prophecies that Jesus relies on to prove his divinity are located in the Old Testament, it certainly cannot just be thrown out.

I hope further elaboration on this topic helped. Again, I appreciate your time and your thoughtful repsonse. God bless you.

Emily

Answer
Emily,

Thank you for answering ythese questions. This does help me in responding to you.

First, I want to encourage you to continue to read the Bible. It is in it's pages you will find all that you are seeking for.

Second, I want to encourage you to consider making a commitment to Christ as Lord and Saviour.  Christian is not just a religious person or merely a member of a church; a Christian is one who has been forgiven of his or her sin and has an ongoing personal relationship with God. Not only this, a Christian is someone that Jesus Christ lives in, one that has been born again (John 3.3) and lives in the assurance that Jesus paid the price for them to be right with God and go to heaven.

The Good News of Jesus Christ is . . .

1) God loves everyone and wants them all to live forever in His presence. John 3.16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

2) We are separated from God by sin. The Bible defines sin as things we do that are displeasing to God. As humans, not only have we done things that displease God, we cannot stop doing those things on our own. This is why the Bible calls us "sinners." Many sincerely believe that performing good works or religious acts will cause God to cancel out the wrong things that they have done. Spiritual and physical death came into our world because of sin. Physical death is a separation from loved ones on earth; spiritual death is separation from God. Romans 3.23 says, " . . .for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

3) Sin brings death. Romans 6.23 tells us that " . . . the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Physical death is separation from loved ones on earth; spiritual death is separation from God.

4) Through Jesus, God has provided the way for us to come to Him and be forgiven of our sins. Romans 5.8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God sent His Son, Jesus, to die and pay the price in full for all the wrong things we have done. We no longer have to be separated from God!.

5) We must individually admit to God that we are sinners and in an attitude of repentance (which means that we have changed our minds, the way we think, and turn away from sin to follow Christ), personally ask Him for forgiveness, the free gift of eternal life and to come into to our lives. Romans 10:9,10 says "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Its as easy as A.B.C.

A. Acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness .
B. Believe that Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins on the cross.
C. Confess Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.

Thirdly, as you continue to read the Scriptures, you will find that God is always exspressed as male. Though He is not male in "gender", His attributes is exspessed as Father. you are correct that we are created in His immage, but that does not mean anytomicly, but spiritually. God created us as living souls/spirits. The Bibles teaches us that God is a Spirit, and in the same manner the real person that you and I (and everyone) is an eternal, living soul.

God is in the eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign, and immutable triune God; and in the unity of the Godhead where three personalities, equal in every divine perfection and attribute, execute distinct, harmonious offices, in the great work of redemption. This does not mean that there are three “people” called God, but rather a way of saying God eternally exists in three personally distinct ways. Scriptures declare that there is only one God, Who is eternally (past, present, and future) manifested as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Another way of understanding this definition of the nature of God is to understand His attributes. His omniscience (He knows all things), His omnipotence (He is all powerful), and His omnipresence’s (He is everywhere at the same time, and at all times). His omnipresence’s allows us to see how He can be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time. Being omnipresent He is not only everywhere at the same time, He is everywhere at every time. God is here, now, at this present time. But He is also in the future. He is already there because He is not limited by time. He is also in the past. You see, time is linier. Time had a starting point (Gen. 1:1) and it will come to an end (Rev. 10:6). But God is eternal. He has no beginning, and He will have no end. Therefore time itself existents within God, God is not limited within time. God is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit eternally (in the past, in the present, and in the future).

Finnaly, conserning the keeping of the sabbath. You see Emily, it was the custom of the Jews to come together on the Sabbath, which is Saturday, cease work, and worship God.  Of the 10 commandments listed in Exodus 20:1-17, only nine of them were reinstituted by in the New Testament. (Six in Matthew 19:18, murder, adultery, stealing, false witness, honor parents, and worshiping God; Romans 13:9, coveting. Worshiping God properly covers the first three commandments) The one that was not reaffirmed was the one about the Sabbath. Instead, Jesus said that He is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8).

In creation God rested on the seventh day. But, since God is all powerful, He doesn't get tired. He doesn't need to take a break and rest. So, why did does it say that He rested? The reason is simple:

Mark 2:27
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:  

In other words, God established the Sabbath as a rest for His people, not because He needed a break, but because we are mortal and need a time of rest, of focus on God. In this, our spirits and bodies are both renewed.

The O.T. system of Law required keeping the Sabbath as part of the overall moral, legal, and sacrificial system by which the Jewish people satisfied God’s requirements for behavior, government, and forgiveness of sins. The Sabbath was part of the Law in that sense. In order to "remain" in favor with God, you had to also keep the Sabbath. If it was not kept, then the person was in sin and would often be punished
(Ezekiel 18:4; Deut. 13:1-9; Num. 35:31; Lev. 20:2).

But with Jesus’ atonement, and justification by faith (Rom. 5:1), we no longer are required to keep the Law and hence the Sabbath which was only a shadow of things to come.

Colossians 2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:  
2:17
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.  

This passage is critical to understanding how the New Testament sees the theme of the Sabbath, together with its sub-themes of rest and worship, are fulfilled in the person of Christ. Paul declares that the old Sabbath law is no longer applicable, because the reality to which the law pointed has arrived. The rest which the Sabbath promised is found in Jesus and his finished work, the worship which the Sabbath enjoined is offered through Christ. We are not under Law, but grace (Rom. 6:14-15). The Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus because in Him we have rest.  

Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Therefore we are not under obligation to keep the Law and this goes for the Sabbath as well.

However Emily, we would all do well to recall the words of the Holy Spirit through Paul, who warned against divisions over these matters, saying that the "strong" should bear with the "weak", not causing them to stumble, and that while two may disagree over whether one day is more sacred than another, each should be fully convinced in his own mind (Rom. 14:1–8).

Please let me know what you think, and thanks again for your questions.

Elder Greg Madden