There has been an increased amount of excitement in the past year when it comes to Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.  Much of that was based on the gains people have made in a short amount of time, yet most people don’t really know what Bitcoin is or what relevance it may actually have in the future. There have also been governmental attacks on Bitcoin in some countries, and biblical “scholars” have suggested that Bitcoin is the “mark of the beast.”

To begin with, what are Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies?  An article written in February 2018 from cnet titled, “What is Bitcoin? Here’s everything you need to know,” states the following:

“Bitcoin was invented in 2009 by a person (or group) who called himself Satoshi Nakamoto. His stated goal was to create ‘a new electronic cash system’ that was ‘completely decentralized with no server or central authority.’

Continue reading "Is Bitcoin the Mark of the Beast?"

This subject has been covered, over the years, in sermons and other material, and in our Statement of Beliefs, you will find the following:

“Our doctrines and practices are based upon a literal understanding of the teachings revealed in the entire Bible. We believe that the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments are God’s revelation of His Will to man, inspired in thought and word, and infallible in the original writings; that said Scriptures are the supreme and final authority in faith and life, the source of Truth and the foundation of all knowledge.”

We have also produced a booklet entitled “Old Testament Laws – Still Valid Today?” and another booklet with the title “God’s Law…Or God’s Grace?” plus many other booklets that will reflect our belief in the inerrancy of the Bible; that it is without error or fault in all its teaching. We also produced a Q&A in January 2006 which addressed the question: “In the Bible, God gives specific instructions and commandments. But weren’t Paul’s writings driven by the prevailing culture at that time?” This is still available on our website, where the question is thoroughly answered.

Continue reading "Do You Believe the Bible in its Entirety?"

One correspondent wrote to us: “If you rest on the seventh day you do well, but New Testament churches very obviously functioned on the first day of the week. Acts makes consistent, repeated, and clear use of ‘the first day of the week’ (check out Acts 20:6,7 & 1 Cor.16:1,2…).”

Let us look at those two scriptures that have been used to think that the first day of the week was kept rather than the Sabbath. We need to keep in mind that the biblical Sabbath is the time span from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. The Bible calls it the seventh day or the last day of the week. On the other hand, Sunday is the first day of the week, even though some mistakenly refer to it as the “Sabbath.”

Acts 20:6-7 reads: “But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.  Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”

Continue reading "Did the New Testament Show That the Early Church Kept the First Day of the Week?"

In a previous Q&A “How Long Did it Take Noah to Build the Ark?” it was shown, applying several assumptions, that it could not have taken more than 75 years to build the ark – not the 120 years that some have assumed.   Nevertheless, that is a considerable amount of time.

In Genesis 6:15, we read about the specific dimensions that God gave to Noah: “And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.” Wikipedia states that “The Near Eastern or Biblical cubit is usually estimated as approximately 457.2 mm (18 in).” Therefore, applying this to the ark, the length would be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high.

A newspaper report in July 2016 gave details about a project that had recently completed in the USA. It read: “A $100 million representation of Noah’s Ark opened to ticket holders Thursday in Williamstown, Kentucky, but critics say the religious enterprise shouldn’t have received government tax breaks.

Continue reading "How Was it Possible for Noah and His Family to Actually Build the Ark?"

Let us look at the passage of Scripture that gives us a view of the problem that had caused such anguish for God. Genesis 6:3 is very revealing:

“And the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’”

There have been two different explanations over the years about the period of 120 years, and it is worth reviewing these first.

Some believe that this period of 120 years was the maximum time that men would live in the future. Up until this time, many had lived way beyond 120 years – note that Adam lived until he was 930, Seth 912, Enosh 905, Cainan 910, Mahalalel 895, Jared 962, Enoch 365, Methuselah 969, Lamech 777 and Noah 500 (see Genesis, chapter 5). However, after the Flood we read that Noah lived a further 350 years; Shem lived until he was 600, Arphaxad 438, Salah 433, Eber 464, Peleg 239, Reu 239, Serug 230, Nahor 148, Terah 205 (all of these are shown in Genesis 11), Abraham 175, Isaac 180.

Continue reading "How Long Did it Take Noah and His Sons to Build the Ark?"

As far as we can ascertain from historical records, the true Church of God has always refused to charge money for its literature and other material which proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The Church has also refused to charge for other spiritual services which it might provide, such as conducting weddings or funerals or anointing of the sick.

We state the following on our website:

“Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD, and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge.”

When others realized that God was blessing such an approach, they also began to offer their religious material “free of charge,” but many times, they state that it can be received for a suggested donation of a certain amount. We do not engage in such questionable conduct.

Continue reading "Why Do You Not Charge for Your Literature and Your Other Services?"

The passage reads, in the New King James Version: “You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the LORD your God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God.”

Alternate renditions of this verse might make the intended meaning a little bit clearer.

The New International Version says: “You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both.”

The New Living Translation states: “When you are bringing an offering to fulfill a vow, you must not bring to the house of the LORD your God any offering from the earnings of a prostitute, whether a man or a woman, for both are detestable to the LORD your God.”

Continue reading "Would You Please Explain Deuteronomy 23:18?"

The Bible gives us several reasons for ancient Israel’s request, and it shows not only why this desire was sinful, but also, how the fulfillment of Israel’s desire has been causing much pain and suffering for Israel and all of mankind.

To see the context, note 1 Samuel 8:1-5:

“Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel… but his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make for us a king to judge us like all the nations.’”

Several factors come into play here. First, Samuel should not have made his sons judges over Israel. Second, rather than demanding a king, the elders of Israel should have waited for Samuel to reverse his decision and dismiss his sons as judges. After all, Samuel was aware of the fact that Eli had not restrained his wicked sons and that, as a consequence, God made Samuel a prophet (1 Samuel 3:11-14, 20).

Continue reading "Why Did Ancient Israel Ask for a King?"

Here is the verse:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23—the first part—refers to the penalty of sin. Romans 3:23 adds, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, all people are under the death penalty because all have sinned (See Romans 5:12).

Sin is the breaking of God’s Law—it is rebellion against God, our Creator (compare 1 John 3:4)! Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s warning (Genesis 2:16-17; 1 Timothy 2:14) when Satan lied to Eve:

“’You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Genesis 3:4-6).

Continue reading "Which Death is Romans 6:23 Referring to?"

To explain the issue more fully, the Bible teaches that Jesus is the Messiah and that He will sit on the throne of David after He returns. In Matthew 1 and in Luke 3, we find the genealogy of Jesus through Joseph (the book of Matthew describes Christ’s legal genealogy through His stepfather Joseph) and through Mary (the book of Luke describes Christ’s natural genealogy through His mother Mary). For a further explanation, see our free booklet, Jesus Christ—a Great Mystery.

In the genealogy set forth by Matthew, King Jeconiah of Judah is mentioned (Matthew 1:11), but in both genealogies, Shealtiel and Zerubbabel are mentioned as well (Matthew 1:12 and Luke 3:27). They were descendants of Jeconiah, who is also named Coniah and Jehoiachin (Matthew 1:11; compare Margin in the new King James Bible). Jeremiah 22:30 states that none of Coniah’s descendants “shall prosper, Sitting on the throne of David, And ruling in Judah.” This curse is repeated in Jeremiah 36:30, where the following is added: “I will punish him, his family [lit. seed] and his servants for their iniquity…”

Continue reading "Does the Genealogy of Jesus, as Set Forth in Matthew and Luke, Contradict the Scriptures Stating that God Cursed King Jeconiah?"