What's wrong with Christianity?
"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the Truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." ~ James 5:19-20 (YaAqob 5:19-20)
Things have become bent over the centuries. You may know many of the things contained on this page, but perhaps if they are presented to you clearly enough, you may agree with the unquestionable conclusion that the world has strayed far from the faith once delivered to the saints.
But if you honestly feel these facts are incorrect, point out the mistakes and I'll receive a true blessing for having learned the Truth. Please don't discuss what you disagree with, simply PROVE what is in error to me with the Truth, and I'll align with the Truth.
Or, if Yahuah doesn't mind that men of the past have changed a few things, then all I really need is the Scriptural evidence that such change is fine, and I'll fall right in line behind what those Scriptures teach us.
Piecing together the true facts on the development of what we have come to believe is often not pursued by the average person.
We can see what's wrong with the other religions of the world easily, because we look at their development; but what about
Christianity? Are there facts to uncover that may reveal any errors of the past?
Well, yes there are. Some foundational errors may be found in the writings of Constantine's
"historian", Eusebius, who wrote the Ecclesiastical History, and recorded the "Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine".
The RCC (and the Protestants) consider Eusebius to be a "Church Father".
But, the official outlawing of the 7th day Sabbath was through the Council of Laodicea in Phrygia Pacatiana 364 A.D.
Canon XXIX.: "Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord's Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ."
Judaize? Is Yahusha a "Judaizer"? Did He not give Israel the Torah? There's only one body of Mashiak, not two. And, Yahusha is the Mashiak of Israel, so why would an Israelite have to change their way of living (religion) to accept their own Mashiak? If we are to walk as Yahusha walked, it would be hard to explain why we would not have a Passover, or Sabbath day (the real one), or the appointed festivals He lived by (and as Alahim, gave them to Israel). Also, it is far more likely that Goliath of Gath had an Easter basket and solstice tree than our Mashiak
did; after all, these items are rooted in idolatry, not the Torah of Yahuah.The "universalizing" of the diverse religions of the Romans has had its effect.
Constantine started the ball rolling, the goal being to purge the "new" faith of all remnants of the Ioudim (Yahudim).
It was altered beyond all recognition. If only the Pagan elements in Christianity burned people like hot sauce; maybe then they would notice them.
From the writings of Eusebius, we have the result of Constantine's edict (321 CE) clearly shown to us:
"All things whatsoever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lord's day." ("Lord" being Baal).
(Eusebius, Commentary on the Psalms, quoted by Moses Stuart, Commentary on the Apocalypse, vol. II, 9.40.)
That statement shows that Constantine indeed was "transferring" the "duties" of the Sabbath to Sun-day.
It was an edict enforced under pain of death. When Yahusha told us, "pray that your flight not be in winter, or on a Sabbath" (Mt. 24), do you imagine He was only talking to future "Judaizers" that may still be clinging to the "non-Catholic" error of resting on the real Sabbath? If we were trying to solve a mystery, or a calculus formula, we'd make certain of getting the correct answer, no matter how many variables there were. Yahuah does not change or vary His ways, yet people can't seem to solve the most simple of puzzles concerning how the true Sabbath became "Satyr-Day", and the Pagan's "Day of the Sun" became Rome's day of rest. Constantine did not outlaw Pagan practices in the least, but "universalized" the diverse beliefs of his empire.
Yahuah gave instructions not to ADD or TAKE AWAY from His Commandments (Dt. 12:32).
Catholicism added 7 "sacraments" that the Word of Yahuah knows nothing of, and took away
7 appointed times (see Lev. 23, Dt. 16), which we see Yahusha observed faithfully.
For more detail, see the notes from the seminar/study: HOW MUST WE LIVE?
WHO OR WHAT ARE "MESSIANICS"?
Messianics are followers of Yahusha ha'Mashiak of Natsarith who also obey Torah (The Covenant with Israel).
While there is a Christian misunderstanding of this term "Messianic", perhaps this can be better understood if properly explained. Men and women who were raised in "Jewish" homes and synagogues occasionally find their Mashiak, and they are given the label "Messianic" to distinguish them from "Christians". Christians have preferred to refer to themselves as "Gentiles", and they usually consider those raised in "Judaism" as non-Gentile. A Gentile is, by Scriptural definition, anyone that is a foreigner to the Covenant with Israel, and thus an unbeliever. Usually, they were considered to also be idol-worshippers.
This distinction between a "Jewish" (Yahudi) believer in Yahusha and a "Gentile" believer in Yahusha creates a "two-body" system, yet in Mashiak there is only one body. This is the "wall of separation" or "dividing wall" between the native-born Israelite and the foreigner brought near through the Covenants that was abolished in Yahusha's flesh, in order to create in Himself ONE NEW MAN. Gentiles who convert (obey the Covenant and trust in Yahusha's atonement) are no longer "Gentiles", so in reality they become "fellow citizens" of ISRAEL. There is to be no distinction:
"For it is by
(chasid,
unmerited
lovingkindness) you
have been saved,
through faith-and this
not from yourselves,
it is the gift of (Alahim),
not by works (of
men's hands, i.e.,
circumcison),
so that no one can
boast. For we
are (Alahim)'s
workmanship, created
in (Mashiak Yahusha) to do
good works, which (Alahim)
prepared in advance
for us to do. (These
"good works"
are the Torah, the
Covenant with Israel).
Therefore, remember
that you who were formerly
Gentiles in the flesh,
and
called
"uncircumcised"
by those who call
themselves "the
circumcision" (that
done in the body by
the hands of men)-
remember that at
that time
you were
separate from (Mashiak), excluded
from citizenship
in Israel and foreigners
to the covenants of
promise, without
hope and
without (Alahim) in
the world. But
now, in (Mashiak Yahusha), you
who once were
far away, have been
brought near through
the blood of (Mashiak).
For He Himself is our
peace, who has made
the two one,
and has destroyed the
barrier, the dividing
wall of hostility,
by abolishing in His
flesh the law with its
commandments and
regulations (the
ceremonial law, not
the Torah).
His purpose was to
create in Himself one
new man out of the two, thus
making peace,
and in this one
body to reconcile both
of them to (Alahim)
through the (tree), by
which He put to death
their hostility."
Eph 2:8-16
The
conclusion to draw
from these clear
writings is that there
is
no one
who currently
obeys the
Covenant that is a
"Gentile"
- they may have
been "formerly
Gentiles in the
flesh", but are now
members (or better, "fellow
citizens") of Israel.
This is not an
allegorized, "spiritual"
Israel as many have
supposed through other
misunderstandings,
such as the doctrine
of "Replacement
Theology".
While the term
"Israel" can
be used to apply to a
geographic area, in
Scripture this term
refers to those who
have joined
themselves to Yahuah
through His Covenant,
also known as His
Torah (the Ten
Declarations/Words).
Through the centuries,
there has been a "Gentilization"
of the faith, a falling-away
(apostasy) from Torah
observance, and the
adoption of formerly
Pagan terms and
observances. The
Sabbath and moed'im
(appointed times) were
sabotaged/replaced,
the Name was
destroyed/ruined in
favor of non-specific,
generic references,
and over time the
persecuted became the
persecutors.
"Consequently,
you are no
longer
foreigners and aliens
(Gentiles,
goyim), but fellow
citizens with (Alahim)'s people and
members of (Alahim)'s household, built
on the foundation of
the apostles and
prophets, with (Mashiak Yahusha) Himself as
the chief cornerstone.
In Him the whole
building is joined
together and rises to
become a (qodesh,
set-apart) temple in (Yahuah). And
in Him you too are
being built together
to become a dwelling
in which (Alahim) lives by His
Spirit."
Eph 2:19-22
Congregations that separate themselves apart from the concepts in the above texts are of man-made origin, and have produced the "denominationalism" we see in today's world. We should all strive to enter into the Covenant, and believe in the atoning work of Yahusha. The great fear that many seem to have is that the "Commandments are too difficult to obey", and if we obey the Commandments of Yahuah, we are "legalists". Better to be legalists, than illegalists, eh?
"
Great shalom have they which love thy TORAH: and nothing shall offend them." Psalm 119:165"Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring
-those who obey Alahim's Commandments
(TORAH) and hold to the testimony of Yahusha." Rev 12:17COMPARE CHRISTIANS AND MESSIANICS HERE: http://www.fossilizedcustoms.com/messianicchristian.html
The meaning of the word
(and etymological source) CHAPLAIN: orig. "custodian of St. Martin's cloak"Chaplain:
1340, from O.Fr. chapelain "clergyman" from M.L. cappellanus "clergyman" orig. "custodian of St. Martin's cloak" (see "chapel"). Replaced O.E. capellane, from the same M.L. source.A chaplain today does not care for, wear, or even possess a cape, with the exception perhaps of certain bishops within the Catholic or Anglican Churches. The pope wears a cape, and you may recall the style of royal cape worn by kings that often is made of leopard skin. People today who are called chaplains can read (clergy), however they are not the custodians of the cloak of Martin. The word "clergy" is from the Greek clericos, becoming the Latin clericus, and simply means "literate one" -- a person that can read. So, the words clergy, cleric, and clerk are all derived from the Greek word meaning "literate one". They simply took on secondary meanings because the common people were so "illiterate" - their oppressors were those who could read, and education was controlled because knowledge was power - and still is. Your chaplain can read, so he is "clergy", and so are you if you can read this. If he "oppresses" you now, it is only to repent and obey your Creator, Yahuah. The term "chaplain" used here is a pronoun, and not a nicolaitan pedestal to stand upon.
It is not a
rank, but pertains
to a particular
"job",
nothing more.
For those
interested,
the crown
and scepter of a
king are both
symbolic of:
crown:
the horns of an ox,
symbolizing strength
and power.
scepter:
a shepherd's staff
to prod or pull,
directing the sheep.