Q&As

Questions and Answers

What does the Bible mean when it talks about the "synagogue of Satan"?

Actually, the term “synagogue of Satan” is used only twice in the
Bible, namely in Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9. Before analyzing
these two passages in detail, let us first get some background:

The
word “synagogue” is used in several places in the New Testament. The
word is derived from the Greek word “sunagoge” and means, literally, a
“bringing together.” The Greek word “sun” means “together,” and the
Greek word “ago” means “to bring.” (Compare “Expository Dictionary of
New Testament Words,” by W. E. Vine). Young’s Analytical Concordance to
the Bible defines it as a “place where people are led together.”
Although originally used for religious or other gatherings of Jews, the
word was later also applied to religious or other gatherings of
Christians.

The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the
Bible confirms this understanding. They write, under number 4864, that
the word means “an assemblage of persons; spec. a Jewish ‘synagogue’
(the meaning or the place); by anal. a Christian church–assembly,
congregation, synagogue.”

In his letter to the “twelve tribes
which are scattered abroad,” James addressed “brethren” from those
twelve tribes (James 1:1, 2). He wrote primarily to brethren from the
house of Israel–who were NOT Jews (For more information, please…

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In 2006, the Church of God and Orthodox Christianity kept Pentecost on the same day. Does this mean that all have been obedient in keeping the annual Holy Day of Pentecost, as instructed by God in the Bible?

It does not mean this at all.

This year, the Church of God and
the Orthodox Catholic and Protestant world kept Pentecost (meaning:
count 50) on Sunday, June 4. But this is merely coincidental. There are
many years when the Church of God and the Orthodox Christian world
celebrate Pentecost on different days. Why? Because the Church of God
determines the correct date for Pentecost by counting 50 days from the
Sunday [after the weekly Sabbath] which falls within the annual Holy
Days of Unleavened Bread, as instructed in the Bible (Leviticus 23:11).
In other words, we are not to count from the weekly Sabbath that falls
within the seven Days of Unleavened Bread, but from the SUNDAY on which
the wave sheaf was offered — and it is that SUNDAY, that must fall
within the seven Days of Unleavened Bread (compare Leviticus 23:14-15;
Joshua 5:11).

However, the Orthodox Christian world does not
count in this way. It determines the date of “Pentecost” by using
Easter as a starting point for counting 50 days. Easter, however, is
not the correct starting point, as it is not even mentioned in the
Bible, and as it is not a feast to be kept by…

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Is it true that Christ's message to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation applies to all of us today? If so, what are the points of encouragement and admonitions to take note of? Are those "safe" who belong to an organization which does "the Work of God"?

As we point out in our free new booklet, “The Mysteries of the Bible,”
Christ’s “message pertained to the Church of God for all times,
including seven historic Church eras… [and] also… seven local
Church congregations at the time of John” (p. 23). In this Q&A, we
will strictly address Christ’s timeless message to individual
Christians.

Christ’s message INCLUDES a warning and admonition to
all Christians throughout the existence of the Church. This can be seen
by Christ’s repeated admonition to ALL seven churches, to “hear what
the Spirit says to the churches” (compare Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29;
3:6, 13 and 22).

We should, first of all, take note of the fact
that Christ addresses true Christians in the Church of God, who have
received God’s Holy Spirit! He is not talking to people who are not a
part of the Church! Still, we find that Christ is warning ALL OF US not
to lose God’s Spirit. He is admonishing ALL OF US to make every effort
to succeed–to “make it into the Kingdom of God.” His warning is real
and stern. He utters His warning to awaken Christians out of sleep and
lethargy, and to encourage them to continue–and…

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Would you please explain the concepts of First Tithe, Second Tithe, Excess Second Tithe, Tithe of the Tithe, and Third Tithe?

We will be glad to explain.

First Tithe is the first ten percent of one’s “increase,” referring to his or her job earnings and/or other income, such as proceeds from rental, interest or gains from stocks or other investment. It is to be sent to God’s Church in furtherance of the preaching of the gospel.

Are we to pay tithe from the gross (before taxes are deducted from our paychecks) or from the net (after deduction of taxes)? It has been the long-standing policy of the Church to advise that there is no duty to tithe on the gross, as this would be impossible in certain countries, where taxes are so high. At the same time, the Church has always emphasized that it is up to the individual whether he or she wants to tithe from the gross or the net. Many tithe from the gross, following the principle as expressed in Luke 17:10, but this is a personal decision, based on personal circumstances. God looks at the heart of a person. If one chooses to tithe from the net, he would then be obligated, of course, to pay tithe on any tax refunds he might receive in the next year.

Some teach…

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When should a person be baptized?

Baptism is not for children. But once a person is old enough to comprehend the meaning of baptism, when should his baptism occur? We have answered this question in our free booklet, “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation,” beginning on page 24. We are quoting the relevant sections below. Following these quotes, we will also quote from the writings of the Worldwide Church of God, under its late human leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, to show that our position today is exactly identical with what had been taught under Mr. Armstrong.

In our free booklet, “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation?“, the following is pointed out on pages 25-27, under, “When To Be Baptized”?

“Consideration for baptism requires an in-depth personal examination. It is not something to rush into. It is not a decision to be made based on emotions. We don’t simply “give our heart to the Lord.” We need to understand, repent and believe, as previously discussed. Why? Because baptism is a covenant—a contract—with God. Baptism represents an agreement that we make with God to obey Him—a promise to live by His requirements for the remainder of our lives. If we break that promise later, God certainly holds us accountable for doing so.

“God does…

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Do you teach that the Bible discourages or prohibits interracial marriages?

We do. It is important to understand what the Bible has to say about the subject of interracial marriages.

Let
us first of all explain that no ethnic group, race or color is superior
or better than another. The concept, as taught by Hitler and others,
that there exists a master race is simply demonic. This Satanic concept
was derived from the equally demonic concept of the Evolution Theory,
which holds that only the fittest animals survive and that those less
fit die out. Hitler, adopting racial theories taught by quite a few at
his time inside and outside Germany, applied the Evolution Theory to
man (after all, according to that abominable concept, man is just the
highest developed form of an animal). Hitler postulated that the
Germanic race was a superior master race to all other races. As
mentioned, this idea, which caused mass murders of millions of innocent
people, is clearly inspired by Satan and nowhere taught in the Bible.

God’s
Word teaches, however, that God created different races or colors for a
purpose. Biblically speaking, and as explained below, God created
basically three different races or colors–the yellow, the white and
the black. God made of one blood all…

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Why do you teach that only members of God's Church, who have been properly baptized, should partake of the symbols of bread and wine during the annual New Testament Passover service?

The Church’s teaching is based on numerous principles and implications, as revealed in Scripture.

The Old Testament demands that no one who is uncircumcised is to participate at the Passover (Exodus 12:48). Even though physical circumcision is no longer a requirement for New Testament Christians, they are to be circumcised spiritually (Colossians 2:11-12; Romans 2:26-29). This can only occur through the indwelling Holy Spirit, which God gives us after proper baptism. And so, we read that Christ’s disciples had been baptized (even though, in the extraordinary case of the eleven apostles, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit–they would receive it, however, on the Day of Pentecost).

We explain this often-overlooked fact that the Twelve Apostles HAD been baptized prior to the Passover, on pages 4 and 5 of our booklet, “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation“, under the section, “Were the Twelve Apostles Baptized?”: “… it does appear that some, if not most, of the apostles had been disciples of John the Baptist and had already been baptized by John—a baptism of repentance (compare Mark 1:4). As we discussed earlier, repentance is one of the necessary requirements for receiving God’s Holy Spirit, but it is not the only one. As such,…

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Do you teach a resurrection of the physical body?

It depends what is meant by that term. Also, we need to understand
that the Bible teaches a resurrection to immortal life and a
resurrection to a physical existence.

Regarding the resurrection
of those who died “in Christ,” that is, in whom God’s Holy Spirit
dwelled when they died, we read that they are resurrected with an
immortal SPIRITUAL body. God will raise them up to spiritual, immortal
and eternal life. God will not first resurrect their dead “physical
bodies” and then “change” them into spiritual bodies. Rather, God will
resurrect or raise the Christians with spiritual bodies, as the Bible
clearly indicates. We read the following, in 1 Corinthians 15:35-49,
about the “first” or “better” (Hebrews 11:35) resurrection to eternal
life:

“But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised up? And
with what body do they come?’ Foolish one, what you sow is not made
alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do NOT SOW THAT BODY THAT
SHALL BE, but mere grain–perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God
GIVES IT A BODY as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. All flesh
is not the same flesh… there are also celestial bodies and
terrestrial…

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Why do you teach that the bread during the annual Passover ceremony has to be unleavened?

To answer this question, we need to describe the historical background briefly.

As we pointed out in the Q&A of Update #137, dated April 2, 2004, the Bible distinguishes between the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. Both are annual Feast days, to be kept once a year. The Passover is to be observed at the beginning of the 14th day of the first month (which month is called Abib or Nisan), according to the Hebrew calendar (Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 28:16). The First Day of Unleavened Bread is to be observed at the beginning of the 15th day of the first month, according to the Hebrew calendar (Leviticus 23:6; Numbers 28:17). It was during the Passover night–the night of the 14th day–that the death angel passed over the Israelites who were in their houses (hence the name, “Passover,”), while killing the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:6-13). But it was on the 15th day–“on the day AFTER the Passover”; that is, one entire day LATER–that the Israelites went out of Egypt, and it is on THAT day (at the beginning of the 15th day of the first month) that we are to celebrate the Night To Be…

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Would you please explain the concept of "original sin" in light of Romans 5:12, 19?

Before analyzing the passage in Romans 5:12, 19, let us very briefly
discuss the concept of “original sin.” It was developed by Augustine,
based on a wrong translation of the Greek text in Romans 5. The
Broadman Bible Commentary points out, in Vol. 10, on page 195:
“Augustine, who knew very little Greek, followed the Latin
translation… and, on the basis of this mistranslation, developed his
doctrine of original sin, understood as inherited guilt, and the result
was a lurid picture of unbaptized infants in limbo. It is significant
that even Roman Catholic scholars, plagued most by this disaster, are
now saying bluntly the doctrine is not in Scripture.”

Simply put,
the concept of the original sin holds that we all “inherited” guilt or
transgression from Adam and Eve who “originally” sinned. According to
that concept, we inherited eternal death–which is the penalty for sin
(compare Romans 6:23)–even though we ourselves did nothing to deserve
this penalty. In other words, Adam and Eve’s original sin was somehow
arbitrarily transmitted to all, down to the last baby born before
Christ returns. From this UNBIBLICAL concept derived additional ideas,
namely:

— the Catholic concept that a baby must be baptized to
be freed from…

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