whence all the confusion in churches? by C.J. Koster
It is
estimated that 2300 different Christian denominations exist in the world. Is
that no confusion? Where is that Faith which was "once and for
all" (Jude v. 3 NEB), delivered unto the set-apart ones? Vince's
Expository Dictionary says the word means "once for all, of what is of
perpetual validity, not requiring repetition". Where did error creep into
the True Faith?
Right
back in the Old Covenant we read how apostasy set in. In the history of Judaism
we read how they were misled by their religious leaders to stop calling on the
Name of Yahueh. This decision was totally unscriptural and was born from a
mistaken reverence for the name. This was how the Name started to be hidden and
eventually substituted by something else. But also, the Scriptures (the Word) were
gradually being replaced by the Talmud and Mishna.
"Your
tradition" and "teaching
for doctrines the commandments of Men", Yahushua called it in Matt. 15
and Mark 7. In Mark 7:8 He says, "For laying aside the commandment of
Yahueh, ye hold the tradition of men". In verse 9 He repeats,
"Full well ye reject the commandment of Yahueh that ye keep your own
tradition." And for the third time in verse 13, "Making the
Word of Yahueh of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered
...". In the majority of churches it is
taught that the Pharisees and Scribes kept the Law of Yahueh strictly. No! The
Master says three times in this chapter that they held on to their traditions,
man-made laws, laying aside the Law of the Mighty One! The Jewish People today
admit that the avoidance of the Name was caused by a misinterpretation of the
Third Commandment. In the Encyclopedia Judaica under "God, Names of, YHWH" we read,
"At least until the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C.E, this
Name was regularly pronounced - But at least by the third century B.C.E.
the pronunciation of the name YHWH was avoided and Adonai,
'the Lord', was substituted for it - the custom was later introduced of
saying simply in Hebrew 'ha-shem' - The avoidance of
pronouncing the name YHWH is generally ascribed to a sense of reverence. More
precisely it was caused by a misunderstanding of the Third Commandment. The
true pronunciation of the name YHWH was never lost. Several early Greek writers
. . . testify that the name was pronounced 'Yahueh' (Emphasis mine). If the
Name, the very identity, of the One that we should worship, be hidden, then we
start erring. And if His Name is eventually substituted by the name of an idol,
then we find that error has led to idolatry!
The key
to the knowledge of the Almighty and His Word has been taken away. "Woe
unto you, lawyers! (or Scribes) for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye
entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered",
Yahushua said to them in Luke 11:52. The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible
says in Vol. 2 p 407, "The Name of (the Mighty One) is the key to
understanding the biblical doctrine of (the Mighty One)." The confusion
had started: the Name, the key to understanding the Scriptures and its Author,
had been taken away and the Scribes tried to justify this change by
misinterpreting and twisting the Third Commandment.
In that
same period, we read in the Mishna how they added 39
additional, unscriptural laws on Sabbath keeping - adding to the Word of Yahueh
as He clearly prohibited in Devarim / Deut. 4:2.
These 39 laws contributed to Satan's plan to make the Sabbath a burden instead
of it being a delight (Yesh 58:13). Indeed "teaching
for doctrines the commandments of men." Yahushua warned the lawyers against
burdening the people with man-made laws in Luke 11:46, "woe unto you
also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens
grievous to be borne ..."
After the
New Covenant (New Testament) was written, the theological school in Alexandria
took over. The Messianic Faith was polluted with Greek philosophies, especially
those of Plato. The Scriptures was completely "spiritualized".
Indeed, to spiritualize the Scriptures is the easiest way to bypass Scriptural
Truths. Clement and Origen were the champions of this spiritualization of the
Scriptures, thereby accommodating Greek philosophies and beliefs into Messianic
worship.
But
further confusion came about in the Fourth Century when Emperor Constantine as
emperor of the Roman Empire, fraternized with the persecuted believers in Rome.
The Babylonian cult prevailed in Rome. Constantine wanted peace amongst the
different religions and he saw to it that a merger of all religions was
established. This merger, religious syncretism, formed the basis of the Roman
Catholic church which was subsequently established
(The Two Babylons - Rev Alexander Hislop).
Emperor Constantine enacted the Edict of Constantine in the year 321. Sunday
was commanded to be observed as a rest-day in honour of "the venerable Day
of the Sun". Many authorities relate the fact that Constantine had always
been a "sun-god worshipper". This suited the sun worship of the pagan
religions and the gap which existed between paganism and the Believers in Rome
was soon eliminated in the year 364 when the Church, at the Council of Laodicea
passed a canon (law) that "Christians ought not to Judaize
and to rest on the Sabbath, but to work in that day. But preferring in honour
of the Lord's day ... if they desired to rest
..." That is where the Church transferred the set apartness of Sabbath to
Sunday! In the 6th Century, at the Synod of Orleans all manual work on the
Sunday was finally forbidden. Meanwhile, back at the Council of Nicea in the year 325, Constantine as chairman, saw to it
that "Easter Sunday" and the "Trinity" (both coming from
pagan religions) were adopted into the Church. This religion, formed by merging
pagan religions and the already apostate Messianic Believers, was subsequently
the only religion tolerated in the "Christian" world for more than 1000
years. And in these Dark Middle Ages the Scriptures was also withheld from the
people, only the Priests being allowed to read it.
When the
Reformation began at the beginning of the 16th Century, the printing press was
also invented and the Reformers had the Scriptures translated and distributed
to all those who wished to have it. The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of
Yahueh, was again being used by the heavenly Father to convince sincere
Believers of Scriptural Truths. Luther took his stand. Calvin received more
Light. We must remember however, that both these sincere men were both educated
in the teachings of the Roman Catholic church. Luther
was a R.C. priest himself. That is why they both retained much of the R.C.
doctrines and brought it with them into their newly formed churches. The
Anabaptists saw water baptism and took their stand. Step by step the
Reformation grew as Truths were revealed. But every group still retained much
of the pagan beliefs and names that were totally unscriptural. The origin? From pagan religions, of course! In the last
four centuries, heavenly Light has been breaking through into the hearts of
searching Believers.
The
darkness of the Middle Ages began to give way to the Light of the Word -
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a Light
unto my path", Psalm 119:105". "The Commandment of Yahueh
is pure, enlightening the eyes", Ps 19:9. What does the Scriptures say
about this Reformation that started more than four centuries ago and which is
still continuing?
"
... for the wisdom of their wise (men) shall perish, and the understanding of
their prudent shall be hid ... And in that day shall the deaf hear the Words of
the Book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and the
darkness", Yesh 29:14,18. "Knowledge shall be increased ...
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried' but the wicked (lawless)
shall do wickedly (lawlessly): and none of the wicked (lawless) shall
understand; but the wise shall understand", Dan 12:4,10,
Companion Bible. "The entrance of Thy Words giveth
light; it giveth understanding unto the simple",
Ps 119:130. "The Law of Yahueh is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of Yahueh is sure, making wise the simple", Psalm 19:7.
And now
in this end-time, the path of the righteous "is as the shining light,
that shineth more and more unto the perfect
day", Prov 4:18. The division between light
and darkness is getting bigger and bigger, Rev 22:1. The lies which have been
brought from paganism into the churches, and have caused all the confusion, are
being laid bare in the Light of His Word. The father of all lies, Satan, has
deceived the whole world (Rev 12:9) and his master plan has been exposed. He
has seen to it that the Ten Commandments are being ignored or annulled in the
churches. This resulted in innocent believers in churches to be held captive by
Satan, being still in bondage to sin (transgression of the law - 1 Yohanan 3:4), slaves of sin (Yohanan
8:32, 36), "slaves to impurity and to lawlessness" (Rom 6:19
NASB). But Satan’s onslaught was not only against the last six Commandments of
the Decalogue. No, his master plan was to subvert the first four Commandments,
bringing the people into confusion as to WHO should be worshipped and on
WHICH DAY. The first four Commandments stipulate very clearly the
identity of the Mighty One - His Name - and His Day.
However,
the arch deceiver succeeded to institute Sunday instead of the Scriptural and
Set-apart Sabbath and also getting the world to worship "God"
instead of Yahueh. "God" - the idol of the old Germanic
tribes! (See Webster's Twentieth Century Dictionary and Encyclopedia
Britannica, 11th Edition).
What will
happen to this "Confusion"? The shocking truth is that Babylon means confusion!
The prophecy for the end-time is given in the closing chapters of the Book of
Revelation. This Babylon (confusion) is going to fall, will receive plagues
and be burned with fire. This clear verdict we read in Rev 14:8-11; 16:19;
17:1-18; 18:1-24 and 19:2. But by His Favour, His saving and delivering call
comes to us in Rev 18:4, "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not
partakers of her sins (transgression of the law), and that ye
receive not of her plagues". The Bride of the Messiah is
preparing herself, Rev 19:7,8. Do you want to be part
of those who have overcome and that will enter into the New Jerusalem? And what
is the Seal of the overcomers? The Scriptures says
they have the Name of the Lamb and the Name of His Father written in their
foreheads, Rev 14:1, Greek text. Of the New Jerusalem we read in Rev 21:27,
"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing
that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh
as lie ..." And what bigger lies do we find than the lie of His Name
being "God" and that "the Sabbath has now been changed to
Sunday"!!!
The overcomers who will enter into the New Jerusalem
"shall see His face; and His Name shall be in their foreheads",
Rev 22:4. "And let him that heareth say, Come and let him that is a thirst come. And whosoever will
let him take of the water of life freely", Rev 22:17.