Brother Bob Pellien: Hello, and welcome everyone to this program That’s in the Bible. I’m Bob Pellien.

[On-screen text]

Brother Bob Pellien

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: In our episode for today we’ll be responding to a question of a Mr. Randy Capilitan who asks—which is a very common question that we receive here—but Randy asks, “What is the true name of God? Is [Jehovah] the name of God? Is it necessary to call Jehova as His name?” 

Different variations of this question have, like I said, often been received here [at] our program and asked. So today we’re going to use once again the Holy Bible as a basis to respond to Randy’s question and questions regarding the name of God that we’ve been receiving regularly concerning the different names of God. 

How should we address God, dear friends? Does God even have a name? This is a very important question on our episode for today, and it’s especially important for those who want to properly worship God. So for us living in this day and age in the Christian Era, we follow the lead of our Lord Jesus Christ since He’s the begotten Son of God, He’s the one of course qualified to teach us how to approach God as His children. And Lord Jesus Christ does truly teach us this and let’s read His words. In the Book of Matthew 6:9: 

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven,…

[Matthew 6:9 New King James Version] 

Brother Bob: Dear friends, Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray. He said “in this manner, pray.” And if we read all the subsequent verses following that, [it’s] all the different guidance that He gave them relative to proper prayer. What was the first that we just read? How to address God. What did He teach? He said, “Our Father in heaven.” So He taught His disciples (likewise, all of us), He taught us how to pray and how to address God. And He does so by showing us how to call upon God. And what He taught was to call Him (God) “Father.” We call God our Father. 

Now, did Christ put into practice what He instructed His disciples concerning how to address God, when Jesus Himself prayed? Did He use a personal name of God when He addressed God? Let’s, let’s check in the Book of John 17:1: 

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,

[John 17:1 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: What did Jesus do when He prayed to God? He addressed God as “Father,” not any specific personal name. Now, how else can we call God? The apostles gave us some important additional insight on that. How did the apostles also call God in the Book of Acts 4:24: 

So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 

[Act 4:24 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: The apostles also prayed to God, and likewise addressed Him as “Lord.” So we’re also taught then to refer to our Creator as “Lord.” And that’s because He’s the One and Only true and Almighty, all-powerful God that we all came from. Therefore, He is our Father, and we should obey Him, because He is our Lord God. 

Brother Bob: Now, dear friends before we start reading additional biblical passages here regarding the name or names of God, a couple of things we should understand regarding the significance of a personal name. Now without getting into them, the specific meaning of any particular name, let’s just understand first: what’s the basic purpose of a personal name in the first place? Is it not to be able to identify one person from another? This is why there’s always a link between name and identity. And the truth is that names are a part of every culture, and they’re of great importance, both to the individual who receives the name or has been named, and to the societies that have given them a name. Why? Because it’s what helps distinguish one individual from another. That distinction is made by virtue of name. 

OK, with all that having been said, because there is only one true God, with no one else to mistakenly identify as another god, there’s only one God. He does not have, nor does He need to have a personal name like the rest of us do. Again, why? There’s only one true God so there’s no need to distinguish Him from any other. 

So in view of this, let’s study the different names or appellations, that the Bible does attribute to God and their meanings. For example, the Holy Scriptures [introduce] various names and appellations of the one true God throughout the history in the Holy Scriptures. For example, in Exodus 3:14, God addressed Himself to Moses. Did God address Himself to Moses with a personal name? What did He say? “I am who I am.” 

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

[Exodus 3:14 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: Or in some other translations of the Bible, when God introduced Himself to Moses, He said, “I will be what I will be.” We can see how [the Bible] makes very clear here that there was no one else that could be referred to as God. There was no need for God to give a personal name. He just said, “I am who I am.” “I am who I will be.” That’s it. He is God. He is the Father. He is the Creator in Isaiah 42:5 and 8. He also called Himself as “Lord”: 

Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it,

And spirit to those who walk on it:…I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.

[Isaiah 42:5,8 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: And also in the book of Exodus 34:14. He likewise used the name “Jealous”:

(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),

[Exodus 34:14 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: In Amos 5:27 [and] Amos 4:13, He was also named “God of hosts”: 

Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus,” Says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts….For behold, He who forms mountains, And creates the wind, Who declares to man what [b]his thought is, And makes the morning darkness, Who treads the high places of the earth—The Lord God of hosts is His name.

[Amos 5:27, 4:13 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: In Isaiah 57:15. He is also named as “Holy”: 

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

[Isaiah 57:15 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: What can we see? We can see here that when it comes to the names of God, the Bible gives so many various names. It would be wrong to just hone in on any one of them and say, “That’s the ultimate.” No, there’s no such basis for that. 

Brother Bob: We find it necessary for a moment here, dear friends, let’s pause and tackle the claim of some who say things like this: “Jehovah. That’s His one and only name, Jehovah.” And there’s another group popping up nowadays [and] they’re using the term“Yahuah.” And they’re insisting that’s the one and the only name of God and the only name that should be used in reference to God. 

Since we already stated that God does not have a personal name like we do. 

[On-screen text]

God does NOT have a personal name

Brother Bob: Why? Because there’s no other true God to distinguish Him from. Let’s learn how this term “Jehovah” came about, and how it has also came to be viewed in the way that it’s being viewed by others in the world nowadays. 

Dear friends, if we reference Hebrew manuscripts; Hebrew of course being the language of the Old Testament, one of the names of God cannot be pronounced and it cannot be pronounced because it consists of four Hebrew consonants: Y, H, V, H. 

[On-screen text]

4 Hebrew consonants:

Y H V H

Brother Bob: The Hebrew letters: Y, H, V, H, commonly referred to as the Tetragrammaton. So when the Scriptures were being read during that time and when one came across these four consonants (Which were not intended to be pronounced. They’re consonants.) What would be pronounced [instead] is one of the other names of God. For example, as we read earlier when God said, “I am who I am,” or “I will be what I will be,” or simply, “Lord.”

[On-screen text]

I am who I am – Exodus 3:14 NKJV

I will be what I will be – Exodus 3:14 CJB

Lord – Isaiah 42: 5, 8 NKJV

Brother Bob: None of these are, of course, a personal name. Where and when did the name “Jehovah” come about? It was over 1,000 years after the Bible’s completion. It appears first and about 1520 A.D. when some thought these four consonants (which was, as I said earlier, not intended to be pronounced at all), they thought, “Well, it should be pronounced.” So you might wonder how did they pronounce a word or come to pronounce a word that has only four consonants and no vowels? Well, what did they do? They simply just used the vowels of another word.

And we can read this in the New international Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Let’s take a look at what’s recorded here in Volume 2 pages 69 and 70: 

[On-screen text]

The form Jehovah arose out of a misunderstanding which in turn arose out of the reluctance of pious Jews to pronounce the divine name (c. 300 BC). Instead they uttered the word ‘adonay, my Lord. In the MT [Masoretic Text] the divine name was written with the consonants of YHVH and the vowels of ‘adonay, as a reminder to say the latter whenever the word was read. The divine name appears as yehowah in the MT…. The form Jehovah is thus a malformation giving what is virtually a transliteration of a word which is found in the text of the Heb. OT, but which was never actually used as a word.

[New international Dictionary of New Testament Theology Vol. 2, pgs. 69-70]

Brother Bob: And you know, dear friends, the same point was made in the reference of Harper’s Bible Dictionary, page 1,036. Let’s take a look at how they described what happened:

[On-screen text]

The hybrid word ‘Jehovah’ is a combination of the vowels of ‘Adonai’ with the consonants of the tetragrammaton; its appearance in the KJV was the result of the translators’ ignorance of the Hebrew language and customs.

[Harper’s Bible Dictionary, p.1036]

Brother Bob: “Jehovah,” as the supposed name of God, in which some believe is His only true name, [is] a mistaken form of the divine name of the Creator. To insist on using this term in reference to God is [to] propagate an error. It should be understood that God’s name cannot be played with. It’s important that God would be always addressed correctly. God’s name must not be taken in vain, used uselessly, for He had laid down a very important prohibition on those who would invoke His name. What was that prohibition? Well, let’s, let’s go ahead and read that in Exodus 20:7: 

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. 

[Exodus 20:7 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: Let’s simply follow the teaching. Follow the example of our Lord Jesus, our Savior, and address God as “Father.” This is what we should all believe. This is what we should all follow because that’s in the Bible. 

Dear friends, when you’re ready to learn more about the fundamental teachings found here inside the Church Of Christ, please visit us online, incmedia.org. Or visit any of our various social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter). To speak to a minister of the Gospel and worship with us, you can find a directory of our houses of worship online as well. And if you have any questions about the Bible, please email us for a chance to be featured on the show. I’m Bob Pellien. Thank you for joining us and we’ll see you again next time right here on That’s in the Bible.

[Show open]

Brother Bob Pellien: Thank you very much everyone for joining us in our studio audience here for That’s in the Bible Live. We appreciate [you] joining us in our study, and we believe that we will spend this time together and it will be beneficial for everyone. On this show, That’s in the Bible, we explore the Bible’s teachings on just about any topic imaginable and questions come into us from places all over the globe. We always get the answers to all these questions directly from here–the Holy Scriptures, also known as?

Audience: [Mixed answers]

Brother Bob: The Bible, yes. You’re a very funny audience. I can tell this is going to be a very nice session. Our question for today, let’s take a look at it first. It proposes a very interesting question that we’ll address and talk about today. Let’s take a look at it.

[Video begins]

[On-screen text graphics]

Why are there so many different Christian teachings and Churches?

Feraidoon Hezoda

Feraidoon Hezoda: So many church[es], but so many bibles. So many teach the people. Why don’t [they] teach the people one thing if one Bible [comes] from God?

[Video ends]

Brother Bob: Well we thank Mr. Hezoda for that really wonderful question. We’d like to thank him for his question and we hope to receive many more questions as we go along. It’s really not surprising from someone, or anyone, viewing Christianity from outside of it. They would be perplexed or even confused when they see all the different denominations, all the different churches, all the different religions, so a full spectrum of religious beliefs all under the umbrella of so-called Christianity. And that’s very confusing to many people. So, we’re very thankful for that question because it’s a really relevant question in the minds of many people nowadays. 

It’s our belief, inside the Church Of Christ, that there is only one true faith, one set of true doctrines, and one true service to God. Not many. We believe in that adamantly. Only one basis of faith, one sole basis of faith, and that, of course, is the Bible.  Although the Bible may be translated—it’s been said in an article not too long ago, it’s been actually translated into 1,854 different languages and dialects all over the world. It remains for us the absolute sole basis of our faith. Why do we believe that to be the sole basis of our faith? Why do we believe that there is only one faith that one must embrace when wanting to serve the one true God? Okay, let’s turn to the Holy Bible and begin researching the responses to the important question posed by Mr. Hezoda. In Ephesians chapter 4:4-6:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

[Ephesians 4:4-6 New International Version]

Brother Bob: There are a lot of times in that verse where the word one, o-n-e, is used. I would like to ask the studio audience here this afternoon, reading the verses along with us on the screen, how many faiths are there based on what we just read? How many faiths, studio audience?

Audience: One.

Brother Bob: One faith. How many bodies, studio audience?

 Audience: One.

Brother Bob: How many Lords?

Audience: One.

Brother Bob: We believe there is only one true faith. Why? Because?

Audience: That’s in the Bible.

Brother Bob: We believe that there is only one true God because?

 Audience: That’s in the Bible.

 Brother Bob: We believe that there is only one body because?

 Audience: That’s in the Bible.

Brother Bob:  Because that’s in the Bible. What’s being referred to as that one body? We often read in Colossians 1:18, here in this program: “And he is the head of the body, the church;…”

Brother Bob:  What is it?

Audience: The church.

Brother Bob:  The church. One faith, one body, one church according to the Holy Scriptures. And that’s what we believe. Again, once more, studio audience. Why? Because?

Audience: That’s in the Bible.

Brother Bob: Here’s the thing, if all of that is so clearly indicated in the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, why do things get all twisted up? Why do things become confusing and why do people become so perplexed as they view the religious scene of the world nowadays? What’s happened? What we read was not so complicated. That’s pretty direct. Do you agree?

Audience: Yes.

Brother Bob: What has transpired? Allow me to cite, this time, the writings of Apostle Peter. II Peter 3:16:

Speaking of this as he does in all of his letters. There are some things in those [epistles of Paul] that are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist and misconstrue to their own utter destruction, just as [they distort and misinterpret] the rest of the Scriptures.

[2 Peter 3:16 Amplified Bible]

Brother Bob: Why is it all so perplexing for so many people who are trying to serve God and understand the truth? Answer of the Bible, what was it? Because there are preachers who are misinterpreting, there are preachers who are twisting, and there are preachers who are misconstruing things that they see and read. And, of course, therefore leading people away from the truth. And they do so because they are not understanding what they are reading. So, what was the warning? Verse 17 will explain. We will continue reading:

Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard,…

[2 Peter 3:17 Amplified Bible]

Brother Bob: Dear friends, that’s a very important warning from the Lord. That’s not from me or from the kind of individual that invited you to join our study here this afternoon. That’s the Lord Himself through the apostle Peter saying, let me warn you, you need to guard against something. What? Let’s continue:

Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard, lest you be carried away by the error of lawless and wicked [persons and] fall from your own [present] firm condition [your own steadfastness of mind].

[2 Peter 3:17 Amplified Bible]

Brother Bob: What was the warning? The warning was that there could be those that would mislead you and try to carry you away from the spiritual condition you need to remain in. It happens because there are preachers who are teaching but not understanding what they are teaching. So what do they end up doing? They end up misinterpreting, as we all read it together, and twisting the message. 

So, by show of hands, how many of you have seen preachers online, or turning on the television on a Sunday morning, and you could see them preaching the most confusing and perplexing ideological principles and trying to convince people to believe? How many of you have seen this confusion that we just read about being done by preachers in the world nowadays? A lot. That’s why the question from Mr. Hezoda is such a common question. Why [are there] so many religions? Why are [there] so many things being taught? And there’s the Bible’s answer. There are those who are twisting and teaching false things. 

The question now we pose together is this: well if that is what is transpiring, why [are] there are so many people that are becoming so easily victimized and led by such individuals who have unscrupulous ideologies and unscrupulous intentions when they put and hold the Bible in their hand? Why are people allowing themselves to become victims? Okay, you’re with me on the question, right? 

Follow along, as God inspired the apostle Paul to give an answer to that. In Apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy. Here in II Timothy chapter 4, let’s read together verse 3:

For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction,…

[2 Timothy 4:3 Amplified Bible]

Brother Bob: Allow me to pause. What was the prediction of the Lord, here, through the apostle? Prediction about people? What did he say? They’re not going to tolerate sound doctrine. They are not going to want sound biblical truth anymore. So what did He say would transpire?

…but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold,

[2 Timothy 4:3 Amplified Bible]

Brother Bob: Why do people become victims? Because they embrace this exact principle forewarned by the Lord through the apostle. They gather for themselves preachers who will tell them what they’re itching to hear, or preachers that will tell them what they believe is okay. Let’s just consider a very obvious example, and that’s the mantra of Protestantism. What’s Protestantism? What’s the mainstay of Protestantism? Faith alone. “Just believe. Just accept Jesus as your Lord and personal savior and that’s it. You will be saved.” A person will hear that. Consider the verse we just read together, right, people will gather preachers that will tell them what they’re itching to hear. “Faith alone? I just need to believe and I will be saved? That’s easy! I like it. I think i’ll go join that religion.” No longer discerning whether or not that principle is true or not.  

So what have these preachers done, not in our measurement, but what have these preachers done in the eyes of God? It’s not for us to give answers to these questions. We just turn to the pages of the Holy Scriptures for the answers. This is [always] our way. Mark chapter 7, verse 6 and 7:

Jesus answered them, “How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you! You are hypocrites, just as he wrote: ’These people, says God, honor me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me. It is no use for them to worship me, because they teach human rules as though they were my laws!”

[Mark 7:6-7 Good News Translation]

Brother Bob: They may have tried to honor the Lord, but they failed. Why did they fail? Well, Mr. Hezoda noticed—Mr. Hezoda the one who asked the original question—and maybe there are others in the studio audience or on the online audience viewing our program, or on Direct TV channel 2068 who are also viewing our program. They are here who might have that same kind of question. But here inside the Church Of Christ, we adhere to a very, very important biblical principle, which has been missed by all of those preachers and have been noticed then by Mr. Hezoda and, like I said, so many others. It has caused so much perplexity and confusion in organizations all claiming to be under the umbrella of Christianity. They have missed an important biblical principle, which we’ve got to hold tight to. And we do, here inside the Church Of Christ. 

What principle do I refer to? We are not allowed to go beyond what is written. Whose rule is that anyway? We turn again to the Holy Scriptures for a response. Apostle Paul wrote the following. I Corinthians, chapter 4, verse 6:

Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.

[1 Corinthians 4:6 New International Version]

Brother Bob: Beloved audience, whose rule is it? Is it our rule? We believe in this rule. Why? Because?

Audience: That’s in the Bible.

 Brother Bob: What was the rule? Don’t go beyond what is…?

Audience: Written.

Brother Bob: Don’t go beyond what is written. You can’t add to it. When we pose questions, you just have to turn to the Holy Scriptures and get the answer from God. He inspired, more or less, forty-two different chosen writers over a time span of so many years to compile these truths. So that when we pose questions, we won’t have to try to dream up our own opinionated answers. It’s there. Here inside the Church Of Christ, this is how we learn. This is the way that we are taught. It may not be the most entertaining format, but we are preserved from the opinions of any individual, and we are, therefore, tied to the truths of God recorded, here, in the Holy Scriptures. We always adhere to the instruction that we have just read together, “Don’t go beyond what is written.” Everything that we believe has to come from the Holy Scriptures. 

So, I pose this question to the audience, once again. Did anyone know that that was the commandment of God before we just read it from the Bible and put it up on the screen, that you could not go beyond what was written? How many knew that rule of God before we just read it together? Raise your hand. More or less. About a half. So there’s the answer to Mr. Hazoda’s question: half did not even know that that was a rule. And because half and so many others and preachers and such in this world also do not yet know that rule, they just go and preach whatever they think. Their own idea of right and wrong, good and bad, and that confuses and perplexes people such as Mr. Hazoda and so many others to wonder why is Christianity all under the umbrella of Christianity all teaching so many different things? Well there you go. There’s the Bible’s answer. Because there are people out there teaching things that have been added to it or subtracted from it and confusing people. 

So upon close examination you will see that many churches and religious groups and preachers, like what was mentioned by the individual who posed the question for today’s episode in that opening video, he’s noticing the preachers that are just not following that rule. Instead what’s being put forth, sad to say, are teachings inspired—and we heard that as we have read Mark chapter 7—teachings inspired by man’s own rules. Not God. And these falsehoods have been inserted in every Christian-professing religion since the very beginning. The very beginning of Christianity. Except for one. Except for one. The true Church Of Christ built by Jesus. And beloved guests, audience online and on Direct TV, today, here in this studio audience, and on the online studio audience as well, you have found that one true Church Of Christ established by Jesus that does adhere to the instruction to use the Bible as the sole basis of our faith. Do not add to it, do not subtract [from] it. You must continue therefore to study with us. For now, that’s all we have time for, but may it inspire you to continue learning more and continue studying with us here inside the Church Of Christ. 

We want to thank, so much, our studio audience for joining us, taking the studio tour, and posing questions as many of you have done. There is no question that is too basic. There is no question that cannot be answered by the Bible when it comes to our lives, when it comes to our salvation. If you would like to know more about the basic fundamental teachings found inside the Church Of Christ please visit

[On-screen graphic]

Learn more at incmedia.org

Brother Bob: And pause it because I want to ask you to memorize it in case you haven’t yet. Please visit incmedia.org. Okay say it without me. Visit?

Audience: incmedia.org

Brother Bob: There you will find many more of these episodes of That’s in the Bible, as well as episodes of The Message. You will find our doctrines and teachings in the Church Of Christ that are in Spanish, in French, in German, in Italian, etc. And there you will find the beliefs we embrace inside the Church Of Christ. These are the things that we believe because…?

Audience: That’s in the Bible.

Brother Bob: You can send your video questions just like the gentleman did there. Send your video questions to

[On-screen graphic]

[email protected]

Email us your questions

Brother Bob: If you would like to see your questions answered here, of course, on this program…?

Audience: That’s in the Bible

Brother Bob: You’re getting slower. We’re almost finished now. That’s okay. Thank you very much for joining us. We’ll see you again next time.

[Show Close]

[Show open]

[Video starts]

Chuck Horner: I’m Chuck Horner, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in South Hayward. My question is what must we do to be right with God to be saved?

[Video ends]

Brother Bob Pellien: Welcome everyone, and thank you particularly so much, Mr. Horner, for your question for today. And your question is a question that’s, well, it’s often heard from people who are really seeking to understand about God’s ways. The problem is that many people, however, have made the mistake of drawing their own conclusions, even their own strategies, let’s say, about how to put themselves right with God. 

[On-screen text graphic]

QUESTION: What must one do to be put right with God?

Brother Bob: But as always, here in the Church Of Christ, and on this program, That’s in the Bible, the answer to your question will always come from this book—the Holy Scriptures.

So what has the Apostle Paul, for example, said, Mr. Horner, about your question? Did he provide any warning or guidance to us? We turn to the book of Romans 10, verse 2 and 3. He gave this warning:

I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God; but their devotion is not based on true knowledge. They have not known the way in which God puts people right with Himself, and instead, they have tried to set up their own way; and so they did not submit themselves to God’s way of putting people right.

[Romans 10:2-3 Good News Translation]

Brother Bob: So Chuck, the answer to your question is not, therefore, just being devoted to God as so many people think. Chuck, what will be the danger if one would just choose their own way of putting themselves right with God? Their own strategy to do that? Here in Proverbs 14, and let’s listen together what’s recorded here in verse 12. It says this:

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

[Proverbs 14:12 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So clearly here, Chuck, the Bible teaches that although it may seem right to a person—their own strategy, their own idea, maybe just being devoted or whatever—but the Bible says what seems right to a person may in fact lead them to death. And it’s not only the death referred to here. It’s not only the ending of our biological life, it’s also the infliction of a second death—a death. And how does the Bible further describe that death? It’s mentioned in the book of Revelation chapter 20, verse 14 like this:

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

[Revelation 20:14 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: The Bible calls it a second death, a death in the lake of fire. So in fact, what if a person will decide to make the next step and say, “Well then I guess if it’s not my own strategy that I need to implement to make myself right with God, then what do I need to do?” Maybe they’ll conclude, “Well I just need to be worshipping God. As long as I’m worshipping God, then I’ll be right with God.” The Lord Jesus answers that question, Chuck, like this. In the book of Matthew 15, verse 9, he said it like this:

And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

[Matthew 15:9 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So although they may make their own conclusion like, “Well all I need to do is to be worshipping,” Jesus responds how? He said, well, their worship will be in vain. Why would it be in vain? If they’re still using doctrines or commandments of men as the basis of their worship that makes the worship vain or useless. So we must acknowledge that this vain worship is the result of man’s being separated from God in the first place. Separated from God due to what? The iniquities and sins, as was mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah in 59: 2. Because of sin, because of iniquity, man has become separated from God:

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

[Isaiah 59:2 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: In fact, if we read Apostle Paul’s statement in Colossians 1: 21, what did he call people that have been separated from God because of sin? He referred to them as, “enemies:” 

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet know He has reconciled

[Colossians 1:21 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: And who has committed sin? Romans 5:12 makes mention all people have committed sin. People need to be reconciled to God, need to have themselves put right with God. 

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-

[Romans 5:12 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: But it is not just by saying, “Well I’m going to worship, I’m going to be devoted, I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that.” If then, it’s not just following what we, ourselves, may think is the good way or think is the right way of serving God, putting ourselves right with God, maybe following some trending, religious ideology of the times. Then what must you mean all people do to achieve the needed reconciliation with God? Is it, like others would say, is it just proclaiming that we have faith in God, faith in Jesus, and then automatically we’ll be saved? Again we turn to the Holy Scriptures once more to the words of our Lord Jesus in the book of Matthew chapter 7, verse 21:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.

[Matthew 7:21 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: What’s to be done? We have got to do the will of the Father in heaven. What is the will of the Father in heaven that all must do in order to put themselves right with God? Again we turn to the Bible. Ephesians 1:9 and 10:

Having made known to us, the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth- in Him.

[Ephesians 1:9-10 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So Chuck, that’s the will of God that you, me and all people have to comply with. The will of God that all would be gathered together in one, in Christ. When the first century followers of Christ in the Apostles heard the Apostles teaching these things, how did they comply? How did they fulfill that will of God and thus make themselves right with God? Romans 12, verse 4, verse 5:

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

[Romans 12:4-5 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: What did they do? They all joined together in one body with Christ as the head. They joined together. Although they were many, they joined as one in Christ. And they joined in that one body. All of them were so many. What was the one body into which they joined together? In Colossians 1: 18, the body was identified:

And He is the head of the body, the Church

[Colossians 1:18 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: That body is the Church. Which Church is the body of Christ, according to the Bible? Here in Acts 20, verse 28, the name of the Church is made mentioned like this:

Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ, which he has purchased with His blood.

[Acts 20:28 Lamsa]

Brother Bob: The Church? Church Of Christ. So then, Chuck, the Bible responds to your question, how do we put ourselves right with God? The Bible tells us how not to do it and the Bible tells us how to do it.

[On-screen text graphic]

Find a congregation near you:

iglesianicristo.net/directory

Brother Bob: And the Bible tells you, me, and all people who want to be saved to fulfill the will of God, which is to be part of the body of Christ, the Church He shed his blood for, the Church Of Christ, the Iglesia Ni Cristo. Chuck, that’s in the Bible.

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Do you have questions about the Bible?

Send us your videos: [email protected]

Brother Bob: There’s no question that is too basic, no question that cannot be answered by the Bible when it comes to our lives and of course, our salvation. And we’ll respond to them here on this program.

If you’d like to learn more about these basic, fundamental teachings found here inside the Church Of Christ, visit incmedia.org. There, you’re going to find various religious programming that will answer your spiritual questions. Thank you for joining us today and we’ll see you again next time on That’s in the Bible.

Brother Bob Pellien: Thank you all very much! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome everyone to this program That’s in the Bible Live today. 

I’m Brother Bob Pellien and we thank you all for joining us today, being our studio audience. We are very thankful, as well, to all those who will be watching this recorded broadcast later on in various Church mediums like Direct TV, incmedia.org, INCTV America, and several others. 

Now those who have been tuning into our program on a regular basis, you know already that in this show, That’s in the Bible, we explore the Bible’s teaching on many topics. Topics relating to salvation and relating to proper service to God. 

Today’s topic:

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Brother Bob: If you’re celebrating Easter, you’re probably one of three types of people. You may be like the first: you’re fully aware of everything about Easter, you’re aware of the origins of the Easter holiday, and, for you, it’s really nothing that you’re too concerned about. 

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1 – You’re fully aware of the origins of this holiday and it’s really nothing that you’re too concerned about.

Brother Bob: Or you might be the second type of person. Maybe it could be described like whether or not you know the origins, or you really know the history of Easter in the essence of this holiday for you, but it’s just fun, right? 

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2 – Whether or not you know its origins or history, in essence the holiday is just a fun thing to participate in.

Brother Bob: It’s nice to participate in the various traditions of Easter. Or you might be a third kind of person. You maybe don’t know much yet about Easter or the origins of the various Easter traditions, but you are interested to find out.

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3 – You don’t know much about Easter or the origins of its traditions, but are interested to find out.

Brother Bob: We challenge you. We ask you today to fit yourself into one of those personas as we go on in our study together. Our That’s in the Bible team went out right here in the San Francisco Bay trail. They gathered some video interviews of real people just talking about how they celebrate Easter. I’m very sure that many of the things that you’re about to hear may seem very familiar to you. Let’s take a moment and look.

[Video Starts]

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Interviewee 1: We celebrate Easter every year. 

Interviewee 2: Personally, my husband and I don’t really celebrate it.

Interviewee 3: I celebrate it at church and with my family.

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Interviewee 4: I celebrate it with the family. That’s the most important thing. So friends and stuff like that little most important family.

Interviewee 2: I don’t celebrate Easter by going to church, but I certainly do plan Easter egg hunts for my kids. 

Interviewee 1: I not only celebrate Easter at church, but I also celebrate with my family. 

Interviewee 4: You know, of course the Easter egg basket though

traditional stuff, but some of us go to church. Some don’t. Then we just get together and just eat and have a good time and celebrate.

Interviewee 3: Last year I did little goodie bags [that] said ‘Jesus is alive.’ 

Interviewee 5: Being Christian I go to church and put my family together. We pray. But of course, being here in Western country you have to do what kids like. So egg hunt for the kids!

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Interviewee 1: Well before that is Lent, I believe, and you’re supposed to give up stuff for Lent.

Interviewee 3: And as far as 40, the Lent thing, I grew up Catholic so I kind of used to do that but I didn’t really understand it. 

Interviewee 1: I was going to give up sweets or something this year, but anyway, not really good at giving up anything. 

Interviewee 2: We just try to say, “Hey, remember you celebrated Easter,” but not really opening up a Bible or something to explain to them what it is because we ourselves are not very educated in that area.

Interviewee 3: My family does that. It kind of kicks off the 40 days before Easter, which is the day Jesus rose from the dead.

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Interviewee 2: So I don’t know. It’s just happy, fun, bunnies and stuff. Where I grew up from…grew up at and I’m not Christian so we were not educated

with it. 

Interviewee 3: I think it’s just mostly [a] time of just really reflecting on the reason why all this was happening and who Jesus was.

Interviewee 2: We still try to educate them [on] what it what it is. It’s not all about candy, right? But we certainly try to make it fun.

Interviewee 3: I’ve had funny stories like I’ve taught Sunday school on Easter, and we’ve asked the kids, like, “Where did the Easter eggs come from?” And one kid said, “Jesus laid them,” which is really funny, but, we had to tell them what the meaning was behind that. It’s just all symbolism, but what does it really mean? it just means new life that, you know, Jesus died so that we can live again with him.

[Video Ends]

Brother Bob: So there you go, a full spectrum of ideas and perceptions of about Easter and how to celebrate it, and things like that, right? Now whether or not you celebrate Easter for its religious aspect, as you heard a couple of them say, or you’re just into it because well, it’s family fun time. 

As we saw, there’s a lot of ways to celebrate Easter being undertaken in the world nowadays. So what does celebrating Easter—back to our original question right? What does celebrating Easter, what does it really say about you? 

Brother Bob: What we will do is briefly go over a few of the popular symbols, or let’s call them traditions, practices of this holiday called Easter. Let’s first start with the term itself—Easter. You might be surprised about the meaning of that term. According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, let’s take a moment to read what is recorded here on on page 6: 

Since Bede the Venerable (De ratione temporum 1:5) “the origin of the term for the feast of Christ’s Resurrection has been popularly considered to be from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre, a goddess of spring. 

[New Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 5 Page 6]

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Pagan Fertility Goddess

Ishtar (Babylonian)

Ashtaroth (Hebrew)

Astarte (Greek)

Eastre (Anglo-Saxon)

Easter (English)

Brother Bob: Easter was also known to the Babylonians and others as Ishtar, Easter, and other similar names in ancient religions, all connected to what is now been Christian-ized into mainstream Christianity today.

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“Easter” – goddess of Fertility

Rabbit – Symbol of Fertility

Brother Bob: What’s another tradition of Easter? They said it on the video. Easter eggs. 

Audience: Eggs.

Brother Bob: And bunnies.

Audience : Bunnies.

Brother Bob: Easter eggs and Easter bunnies. By the way, just a little side biological note, bunnies don’t lay eggs. They’re mammals. But that’s another whole discussion. 

Easter Bunny, Easter eggs, and the symbols all of those kinds of symbols, which are quite synonymous with the Easter holiday. In this Catholic Dictionary on page 169, what is noted here regarding those traditions like Easter eggs, Easter baskets, and things like that, it’s not of course into Holy Scripture. So, where then, what then, is it all about? Take note:

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Easter eggs may possibly be a “baptized” pagan custom, since they are an obvious symbol of fertility, and many places it is still the practice to paint the eggs and bring them to church and decorated baskets for a blessing before or after mass. Chocolate eggs and such like-fooleries are a degeneration of no significance. 

[A Catholic Dictionary Page 169]

Brother Bob: That is the official book of Roman Catholicism. These things are from what origin? The Bible? No, they are from pagan origins. But what’s paganism in the first place? What’s the big deal? That’s what a lot of people say. “Pagan. So what?” Can we say so what? What do we need to understand about paganism? What is a pagan? Here’s one definition. You can see it on the screen from dictionary.cambridge.org. The Cambridge Dictionary says:

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paganism

noun

a religion that worships many gods, especially a religion that existed before the main world religions

Brother Bob: Easter bunny, Easter egg, the Easter goddess of fertility from the Babylonian goddess of fertility, Easter, Ishtar, those are ancient pagan gods and goddesses that come not from the Bible. 

What does it say, then? I pose this question to everyone: what does it say about anyone who is okay with that? In the New Encyclopedia Britannica and on page 605, what do they have to say about some of these origins of various Easter traditions? I quote:

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As at Christmas, so also at Easter, popular customs reflect many ancient pagan survivals-in this instance, connected with Spring fertility rites, such as the symbols of the Easter egg, and the Easter hare or rabbit. 

[New Encyclopedia Britannica MACROPEDIA, 15th Edition, Vol 4 Page 605]

Brother Bob: So the Easter egg [and] the Easter rabbit are symbols of spring fertility rites used in ancient pagan worship to ancient goddesses of fertility, not anything that has to do with Jesus and His death and resurrection whatsoever. 

Brother Bob: Everyone has heard about Lent, and, a couple of those that we interviewed outside here on the trail, as you saw [in] the video, they spoke about the 40 days of Lent. We all know that it’s the 40 days of fasting done in the Catholic Church in preparation for Easter. In the Catholic Encyclopedia on page 69. This important statement was made:

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No distinct traces of the quadragesimal observance are discernible until the fourth century. The decrees of the Council of Nicea in 325 contain the earliest mention of Lent. 

[The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 1 Page 69]

Brother Bob: A popular 40 day period prior to Easter is called what, studio audience?

Audience: Lent? 

Brother Bob: How many days is it? 

Audience: 40.

Brother Bob: 40. It was invented in the Bible. It was instructed to be done in the Bible. True or false?

Audience: False.

Brother Bob: Where did it come from, then? Lent is not a biblical instruction. It was made up, as you saw me read from the Catholic book. The Catholic Church invented it—brought it into use. What century? Fourth century. And what year? 325 AD at the Council of Nicea. 

And to learn more about these and in greater depth thorough detail, we would like to recommend checking out incmedia.org/easter. You can learn more about the history of Lent, many things about Lent, more things about the Easter traditions themselves, the Holy Week, stations of the Cross and all that leading up to Easter and the various celebrated practices and traditions of each one of them relative to what the Bible actually says about them. 

Everyone should become very well educated about all the history of those things, but here right now, knowing—that was just some highlights, right? Knowing where Easter truly came from and where the traditions really came from, out of the three types of people, then, which type of person are you? Are you persona number one? You knew these things already, but to you, “No big deal. I like chocolate.”

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1 – You’re fully aware of the origins of this holiday and it’s really nothing that you’re too concerned about.

Brother Bob: Or maybe your persona number two. 

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2 – Whether or not you know its origins or history, in essence the holiday is just a fun thing to participate in.

Brother Bob: You didn’t know these things before. You didn’t know that it was rooted in a history of service to Ishtar, Babylonian goddess of fertility. Her symbols were the egg and the rabbit. “I didn’t know that.” But even after learning it here now, it’s not really too concerning of an issue. It’s not really going to “pull at your heartstrings”, as the saying goes. Or you are person number three?

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3 – You don’t know much about Easter or the origins of its traditions, but are interested to find out.

Brother Bob: Now that you know that its practices are not from the Bible, but instead from ancient worship to pagan gods, you are very concerned about that, and you would like to know what is actually written in the Holy Scriptures so as to properly commemorate the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Are you one, two or three type of a person? If you are a person number one or two, you are definitely entitled to your way of thinking. That is your right and we respect everyone. But if you are the third type of person, we share with you now, today, what the Bible actually teaches to protect us, and to keep us from straying away from God, our Creator. 

Today, we turn to the Bible, inside the Church Of Christ. We are guided by the Bible only to know what is right and wrong, good and bad for us to do and to know what is acceptable to God when it comes to our service to Him. The Bible is the sole basis of our faith. 

Brother Bob: So having said all that, let’s take a look together right now at the things the Bible actually does say, or more importantly does not say about Easter. 

Most Christian-professing religions consider this to be the most sacred of seasons. Easter, for many, is the one holiday of the year they strive to be religious. What did they do? Well, they probably gather up the families for a special meal, they participate in various traditions, like we heard from the interviews that we did, and from the history and we all know the Easter baskets and all those kinds of things. 

As we look at the following Bible verses I asked you then to consider evaluating your own self. Should we all go hide easter eggs? Should we? Should we color the egg? Should we make chocolate Easter bunnies? I can’t believe I’m saying something against chocolate again. Here I go. Do all those things and say maybe “It’s fun. It’s enjoyable. The kids are happy. What’s wrong with that?” The children may like it. And isn’t it true, those of us who are parents, isn’t it nice to see your children happy? What parent doesn’t want that? 

But what does the LORD Himself say about adopting these practices, which, by the way, as we’ve been saying, have their origins in paganism which remember is the worship to ancient gods and goddesses. What does the Lord say about that? 

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paganism

noun

a religion that worships many gods, especially a religion that existed before the main world religions

Brother Bob: It doesn’t have anything to do with worship to God nor in remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. So what then is the instruction of the LORD exactly? All right, let’s get to it. Jeremiah the prophet, Chapter 10, verse 2:

Thus says the Lord, “Do not learn the way of the [pagan] nations, … 

[Jeremiah 10:2 Amplified BIble]

Brother Bob: That’s a very clear directive, “Do not learn the way of the pagan nations…” But not only have people learned them, they have learned them and incorporated them into their culture, incorporated them into their practices. And they call it service to the LORD in remembrance of Christ. No, no, no pagan ways are from the Catholic Church. People are practicing them with all kinds of enthusiasm. But what is it that the LORD said? You saw it on the screen. 

Thus says the Lord, “Do not learn the way of the [pagan] nations, … 

[Jeremiah 10:2 Amplified Bible]

Brother Bob: Don’t do it. And as we’re discussing many may want to respond to say that, “Those details about pagan roots and all that, that’s not important, right?” You know, “It’s okay if we ignore—let’s not just pay attention to the roots of those practices, their origins, as long as we have good intentions and we’re trying to do it in our service to the LORD, right?” That would be the mindset of a lot of people. 

Are there any biblical principles or expectations of God that we can read here in the Holy Scriptures that have to be considered when answering that question? 

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Brother Bob Pellien | Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: Let’s just say right out absolutely, yes. And here’s one of them. Exodus chapter 20: 

“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,… 

[Exodus 20:3-5 New International Version]

Brother Bob: God gave a very clear and definitive answer, did He not? He said, “Don’t have any other gods, don’t make any image of them, and don’t bow down. I’m a jealous God.” That’s not safe then to do that, because God said he would be jealous. Why? Because they’re replacing Him with [a] pagan goddess. They’re replacing God. And of course, you would be saddened by being replaced by another, which, what’s the very meaning of the word “jealousy”? Being sad because you have been replaced by another. 

“But wait!”, you may say, you know, “You mean to say that the practices of Easter wouldn’t constitute the replacement of God, would it?” Yes! Clearly that would not be okay with the Lord. 

What then is essential and a real element of Easter that one should consider before you will entertain the idea of applying Easter practices and then say, “It’s my intent to give honor to God. It’s my intent to give honor to His son, our Lord Jesus Christ”? The celebration is an obvious service to another God, in that God’s name was Easter name for the goddess Easter. 

[On-screen text graphics]

Pagan Fertility Goddess

Ishtar (Babylonian)

Ashtaroth (Hebrew)

Astarte (Greek)

Eastre (Anglo-Saxon)

Easter (English)

Brother Bob: And that’s not in the Bible. Dear friends, that’s what is called idolatry, worship to false gods or goddesses. And that’s what God does not allow, of course. 

What then, I pose this question, what does it say about you if you don’t care about that? Do you care about what God cares about? God will not tolerate, then, any service to other gods or other goddesses like Easter, the Babylonian goddess. That’s very clear. But many still believe that all of this is truly harmless. It’s truly harmless. 

Isn’t it possible to just say traditions like the Easter Bunny, it’s just for fun. It’s just for the children and it’s really harmless. Can we say that? These things may not be in the Bible. Many would say, “I know it’s not biblical, but surely the LORD would accept them as a service to Him. It’s not as a worship to Him, right?” 

We can’t answer that, but God Himself gives a profound answer about that and it was mentioned and recorded here. I quote Matthew. I quote the Bible once again, Matthew chapter 15, verse 9: 

And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’“ 

[Matthew 15:9 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: What did it say about their worship? It’s vain, it’s useless. But can’t we just overlook the pagan origins of these things and just let it be enjoyed? Why dig into the roots and details about all these things and read God’s responses in the Holy Scriptures?

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Brother Bob: “What if my personal celebration of Easter is just for fun and what if I don’t even mean it as a form of worship?” I know. That question continues to be asked by a lot of people, but here’s the thing, we can’t just ignore warnings. Consider that. I’m going to repeat it. We cannot just ignore warnings given to us in the Holy Scriptures. “Warning? What warning?”

Let’s let’s take a look at an example. This is mentioned here by Apostle Paul in Colossians chapter 2, verse 8. “Beware.” What’s the meaning of that word, by the way, “Beware”—it’s already announcing what? Danger, right? “Beware! Watch out!”— 

Beware, lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

[Colossians 2:8 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: What was the warning? The warning was about traditions that are not rooted in Christ. The traditions of Easter are not rooted in Christ, they are rooted in paganism. So the Bible is giving a warning about that, we can’t just ignore the warning. 

If there’s danger and you proceed to the danger, whose fault is it then if you get hurt, right? Since Christ did not give any instructions about Easter practices, we’re not going along with the whims of traditions, especially since traditions came from pagan service to false gods. 

But, this is important also, this isn’t to say that all family traditions are bad. There is a specific kind of tradition that we are instructed to avoid above any other. What is that? That’s called a prohibited tradition. Jesus Himself spoke of it in these terms. I’d like to read from the book of Matthew chapter 15 verse 3:

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?” 

[Matthew 15:3 New International Version]

Brother Bob: What kind of a tradition is bad? A tradition that goes against the commands of God. Christians are cautioned not to observe sinful traditions that break God’s laws, break God’s commandments. 

Some of you may say your families wouldn’t understand you if you choose not to observe a holiday with them like that. What if your excuse would be that, “Well, my family celebrates Easter and they gather up together, and the children are given Easter eggs and Easter baskets. And there’s chocolate bunnies for everybody. And it’s just a big family happy gathering. And they’re not going to understand if I will say, ‘I’m not going to join in the normal family Easter traditions.’ And in fact, they will get angry with me. They might even ostracize me from the family.” 

The apostles give any important advice to anyone that may find themselves in that kind of a situation, that kind of a circumstance. Well, yes, absolutely. I’ll read that from the writings of Apostle Paul to the Colossians 2:16:

“So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.”

[Colossians 2:16 New Living Translation]

Brother Bob: So, dear friends, if [you’re] joining us in our program, be it in our studio audience or anyone watching and incmedia.org, or any of the other outlets wherein this program shall be broadcast, if you are joining us and you find yourself in that very situation, based upon what we have read, we give this: stand your ground. And never allow yourself to be drawn into services, to false gods or goddesses like Easter in order to conduct practices of any kind to pagan gods and goddesses. Why? It’s kind of like the same question again in another format, right? Why? 

Brother Bob: Does the Bible say anything more about these things? I want something very specific. There’s a very powerful pronouncement in the Holy Scriptures as to why. I have to say this slow, I want you to catch it, okay? Why it is so very dangerous for anyone to participate in any of them, any popular pagan practices. Consider what I now read, also the writings of Apostle Paul, 1st Corinthians chapter 10, verse 20:

No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 

[1 Corinthians 10:20 New International Version]

Brother Bob: That’s the Bible. Obviously, therefore, we can have no part in that at all. If we truly want to serve God, here inside the Church Of Christ, we will have no part in those things. 

How about you? How about you? Another guiding, divine principle by which Christians should base their service to God, and, let’s say even their way of life, there’s a principle that has to be understood very well. 1 Corinthians 4:6. Let’s take a look at this and this is in the format of an instruction to us all:

Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” …

[1 Corinthians 4:6 New International Version]

Brother Bob: What’s an important principle? Don’t go beyond what’s written. Don’t invent things and pretend to call it service to the Lord. 

That’s a very direct instruction we receive there, which we take very seriously here inside the Church Of Christ. What would be an example of going—listen to the question. What would be an example of going beyond what is written? 

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Brother Bob: Easter traditions. Easter practices. Therefore your decision right now, today must be to adhere to the truth that comes from the word of God. When you choose to do that, what must you also leave behind? A command of the Lord I quote Titus 1:14:

Don’t pay any attention to any of those senseless Jewish stories and human commands. These are made up by people who won’t obey the truth. 

[Titus 1:14 Contemporary English Version]

Brother Bob: What’s the instruction? Don’t pay any attention to those things that are made up by people who refuse to embrace the truth. Don’t pay any attention. That’s not our advice to you. That’s not our counsel. That’s not our words. That’s the word of God in the Holy Scriptures. He said, “Don’t pay any attention to that.” 

So, dear friends, will you obey the truth? If there are religious practices such as Easter that do not come from God, be careful, don’t follow those practices. They oppose the will of God. 

Before we finish up here in just a moment, let’s ask another question or two. How are we instructed to live our lives? There’s an important—I’ve been seeing Bible principles, but if we could call this a Bible principle as well or an instruction regarding our life. What is it? Ephesians 4:17 reads this way: 

Therefore I say this – indeed, in union with the Lord I insist on it: do not live any longer as the pagans live, with their sterile ways of thinking. 

[Ephesians 4:17 Complete Jewish Bible]

Brother Bob: Is that complicated? Is it hard to understand? The LORD said how to live our life. If up to this moment we have been living it and allowing ourselves to embrace pagan practices and cultural anomalies in service to their ancient pagan gods, God said, “Don’t do that.” And we learned that a lot of them are being taught and embraced within Catholicism. We read the Catholic Dictionary, Catholic Encyclopedia, a couple different of the Catholic Encyclopedia quotes. Do they deny that their teachings and practices came from paganism? Let’s be fair, if we’re going to quote these things and speak of that, let’s give them the chance to admit or deny or respond. Think that’s fair? What do you say? 

Audience: Yes.

Brother Bob: That’s very fair, right? Let’s take a look at another reading from the book written by a Catholic priest. This is their official response and the book is entitled The Externals of the Catholic Church. Let’s take a look at it. Let’s take a look at it together—Externals of the Catholic Church page 156:

It is interesting to note how often our Church has availed herself of practices which were in common use among pagans, … Thus it is true, in a certain sense, that some Catholic rites and ceremonies are reproduction of those pagan creeds; but they are the taking of what was best from paganism, the keeping of symbolically practices which express the religious instinct that is common to all races and times. 

[Externals of the Catholic Church – Page 156, By John F Sullivan]

Brother Bob: Do they admit or deny? They admit it. They know it. The Catholic Church admits that their practices originate from paganism and their excuse for using unbiblical practices, “Well, we got their best. We got the best from paganism.” Not a good reason, not a good reason at all. 

For those who will say, “Well, they celebrate Easter to remember the life and death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Catholic Church also claims that in some of their writings. Did Christ, however, prescribe that we would commemorate his death, His resurrection by chocolate Easter bunnies and Easter egg hunts? You can’t read that anywhere in the Bible. What can you read in the Bible from 1 Corinthians chapter 11? 

To finish up what actually is to be done to remember the crucifixion, the death, followed by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ—11:24 and 25:

and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 

[1 Corinthians 11:24-25 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: What can we all see here? “Do this in remembrance of me.” Take from the cup. Take of that one bread. It’s my body, it’s my blood, do this. This is what’s to be done in the remembrance of that sacrifice, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, not Easter bunnies, as good as chocolate is. That’s not the way. The pagans, they were ignorant of God’s teachings through Christ. So the Christians were therefore warned not to live as pagans. 

As Christians, we are bound to obey what we learned from our Lord Jesus Christ, as recorded in Scripture, wherein we are not ignorant of these things. Now, neither are you. With this knowledge, what seemed before maybe like a harmless holiday, is actually, now you understand it, is deeply rooted in false religious beliefs and celebrating it would have dire consequences to your spiritual health. 

So we’ve come full circle. 

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1 – You’re fully aware of the origins of this holiday and it’s really nothing that you’re too concerned about.

2 – Whether or not you know its origins or history, in essence the holiday is just a fun thing to participate in.

3 – You don’t know much about easter or the origins of its traditions, but are interested to find out.

Brother Bob: What does celebrating Easter and the traditions, what does it say about you? It says you are either number one, number two, or number three. We hope you are a number three, and that we’ll see you again soon just as engaged, just as eager to learn as you are right now. 

Thank you for joining us in this episode of That’s in the Bible live. We’ll hope that you will visit incmedia.org and iglesianicristo.net when you are ready to learn more about the fundamental teachings found here inside the Church Of Christ. 

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Learn more at incmedia.org

Brother Bob: We’ll also help guide you to the nearest House of Worship near to your residence, where you can meet ministers and undergo important series of Bible study lessons. 

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Find a house of worship near you: IglesiaNiCristo.net/directory

Brother Bob: We also have Facebook pages and there you can view more of our shows and content and see how the Church also gets involved with the community there. 

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Follow us on Facebook:

/IglesiaNiCristoNewsandUpdates

/IglesiaNiCristoMedia

Brother Bob: You can go to incgiving.org. 

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Learn more at incgiving.org

Brother Bob: You can even volunteer along with us to partner up with our community outreach programs and outlets to have an impact in the world around us. If you have other questions about the Bible, we have a team of ministers always standing by to provide answers. Those answers will always come from the Holy Bible. If you’d like, you can also email us at [email protected]. 

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[email protected]

EMAIL US YOUR QUESTIONS

Brother Bob: I’m Bob Pellien and we’ll see you again next time on That’s in the Bible. Thank you all very much!

[/expand]

Voiceover: Next on That’s in the Bible!

Patrick (Michigan, USA): Why is Easter in March?

Nida (Phoenix, Arizona): What does Palm Sunday have to do with Easter?

Brother Bob Pellien: The Bible’s response is simple and direct.

Julie (Sydney, Australia): Hi, my name is Julie, and I’m from Sydney, Australia. And my question is “Should Christians really be celebrating Easter?”

Brother Bob: How can we, in the true Church Of Christ participate in what comes from service to an ancient pagan goddess?

[Show Open]

Brother Bob: Hello, I’m Brother Bob Pellien. Thanks for joining us on this special episode of That’s in the Bible, where today we’ll answer people’s questions about the Easter holiday. 

Our first question for today comes from Patrick McDonald in Michigan. Let’s hear what Patrick asks about Easter.

[Video begins] 

Patrick: Why is Easter in March?

[Video ends]

Brother Bob: Thank you for your question, Patrick. You know, Easter is not always in the month of March. In fact, let’s take a moment to quote an excerpt from a book entitled My Catholic Faith written by Louis LaRavoire Morrow, and he writes—on behalf of the Catholic Church—their explanation about the choosing of the date of Easter. Here’s what’s cited in that book on page 81:

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[Source: My Catholic Faith, pg. 81]

Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon of spring; the feast therefore is moveable, and can fall between March 22 and April 25. The Paschal season lasts till Trinity Sunday; till then joyous alleluia resounds.

Brother Bob: So here, Patrick, the Catholic Church writes not only about the moveable date of the Easter, here in this book My Catholic Faith, they also write about a season that they have created that begins with Ash Wednesday, which is also a moveable season.

But what is that season they call Lent? What’s it all about? They answer that in another of their books entitled The Visible Church. On page 184, they write:

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[Source: The Visible Church, pg. 184]

Lent is a season of penance set apart by the Church in memory of the fast of our Lord in the desert,… The date of the beginning of Lent varies from year to year, according to the date of Easter. In Latin it is called Quadragesima (fortieth), from which are taken the Italian Quaresima and the French Carame. The English name is from Anglo-Saxon Lenten, which means Spring.

Brother Bob: So there they speak of the season beginning with Ash Wednesday, which they call Lent. It’s a season of penance and that week [actually] leads up to Easter Sunday. They have Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. And during that week they have what they call Holy Thursday. They have also Good Friday, they have Holy Saturday, which are special holidays inside the Catholic Church all pertaining to Easter.

Which brings us right into the next question, which is a question specifically about that Palm Sunday from Nida who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Let’s listen to her question.

[Video begins]

Nida: What does Palm Sunday have to do with Easter?

[Video ends]

Brother Bob: Thank you, Nida. Palm Sunday, one week prior to Easter, is what was made by the Catholic Church and they write about it also in this book entitled The Visible Church. Let’s turn to page 171 where they write:

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[Source: The Visible Church, pg. 171]

It is likely that the use of palms in our churches began in early Middle Ages… The palm is a symbol of victory. Among pagan nations victorious armies decked themselves and their chariots with palm branches. The Jews used palms to express rejoicing especially on their great Feast of Tabernacles.

Brother Bob: Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, is a Sunday which they use a lot of palms in their mass, and it has its roots in ancient pagan culture wherein their pagan armies would use palms as a symbol of victory with their armies. And maybe they would say, “Well, we would want to use that ancient pagan custom and attach it to Christ for a victory. Let’s call it a victory of Jesus and let’s also use that pagan cultural tradition. Let’s turn to Holy Scriptures for the Bible’s response to that way of thinking. In Titus chapter 1 verse 14:

Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.

[Titus 1:14 New King James]

Brother Bob: When the Jews of the first century incorporated those pagan practices and began to use them during the time of our Lord Jesus Christ—that being the use of palms—which is currently being used today, and Palm Sunday in the Roman Catholic Church, the Bible’s response is simple and direct. We should not implement, we should not use or give heed to such kind of Jewish fables and such and the commandments of men and not of course most especially the commandments and traditions of ancient pagan cultures. Palm Sunday is something that we should not participate in inside the true Church.

Another question submitted by Julie from Sydney, Australia. Julie asks this:

[Video begins]

Julie: My question is should Christians really be celebrating Easter?

[Video ends]

Brother Bob: I think of all, that’s the most important question. Should we be celebrating it? Even if we will master all of its history, master all of the traditions attached to Easter, and understand all of their roots and origins, it follows [that] question that you ask. Should we participate in it? Should we incorporate that mindset that “well because it’s fun and because children enjoy it by having Easter eggs and chocolate Easter bunnies, and we have Palm Sunday, and we have Easter celebrations. Should true Christians of today participate?

It’s important to understand the origins of the whole Easter [tradition]. The Catholic Church wrote inside their Encyclopaedic Dictionary on page 161 a very important piece of information that we have to consider when answering that question “Should we participate in it?” They wrote:

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[Source: The Catholic Encyclopaedic Dictionary, pg. 161] 

EASTER (etymology uncertain: St. Bede derives it from Eastre, a forgotten dawn goddess). The English name for the Sunday of the Resurrection of Our Lord,… Meat, eggs, and other foods formerly forbidden in Lent are blessed and there are still numerous local customs, some of pagan origin.

Brother Bob: In this Catholic Encyclopaedic Dictionary, they write about Easter, [mentioning] that it is derived from Eastre, a forgotten dawn goddess. Should we, whether it’s from Eastre or it’s from Ishtar, from Babylonian and ancient Egyptian times and if it has such kind of origin, how can we in the true Church Of Christ participate in what comes from service to an ancient pagan goddess? What does the instruction of God through the apostles have to say if there’s a tradition or if there’s something that is absent from the Bible (which Easter is absent from the Bible) if there is a holiday being practiced today called Easter with a season of Lent leading up to it having various practices of pagan origin? What are the instructions of the Lord for all who want to serve the Lord properly today?

Apostle Paul wrote the following, I Corinthians chapter 10 and beginning in verse 20 it says:

No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.

[1 Corinthians 10:20 New International Version]

Brother Bob: That’s a very powerful response of the Lord here, dear friends, through the apostles. “I do not want you to be participants with demons” and if in the eyes of the Lord participating in traditions and practices that have their origin and roots in service to ancient pagan goddesses—if he considers that a demonic practice, then as members of the Church Of Christ, we’ll follow that instruction of God through the Apostle Paul when he said, “I do not want you to be participants in that.”

Here inside the Church Of Christ, we will not participate in the practices that are correlated with Easter traditions of today not found in the instructions of our Lord in the Holy Bible. In fact, there is another instance wherein Apostle Paul was addressing such things in his letter this time to the Ephesians. What did he write to them about these pagan traditions and pagan cultures? Should we allow them to be incorporated into Christian practices in service to the one true God?

Here is what he wrote in his letter to the Ephesians. I quote 4:17:

Therefore I say this—indeed, in union with the Lord I insist on it: do not live any longer as the pagans live, with their sterile ways of thinking.

[Ephesians 4:17 Complete Jewish Bible]

Brother Bob: Dear friends, the instruction is clear. Do not live in the ways of paganism. If these practices of Easter—being it with the rabbit, and the egg, and the Palm Sunday palms, and the various other elements and such holidays as Easter have their roots in paganism—God prohibits his people from participating. 

Response of someone: “Hey, it’s no big deal. We’re just going along with the tradition for fun. We’re not connecting ourselves to its roots in paganism. We just want do it because it’s fun for the children,” they would say. Or “It’s just something that’s part of our lifestyle of today in service to the Lord.” If we will violate these principals of God and then try to call it a worship to Him, will He find it acceptable? 

God’s answer was written in Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Here in chapter 2 in verse 22 as well as 23. He writes:

These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

[Colossians 2:22-23 New International Version]

Brother Bob: If we would put into practice that Lenten season, whether it’s to be fasting and self-abasement, allegedly, in service to the Lord in attempt to prepare for Easter, the Lord calls such regulations that are imposed by human traditions in such things is that, He said they will have no value. They teach that it will restrain a person from sin and it will give glory to God. It will cleanse them from their human iniquities. The Bible is clear. It has no value in such ways.

Well, dear friends, members of the Church Of Christ, therefore, do not participate in the practices of the Easter and Lenten season. Instead, we give thanks to the Father for sending His Son to redeem us through his shed blood on the cross and we will worship Him with all our heart and soul in compliance with the laws and ways of worship given in the Holy Bible. That’s all we have time for today. Dear friends, what you have heard is just an introduction to the teachings of the Bible taught in the Church Of Christ.

We invite you to learn more and join with us. And if you have questions you’d like answered on this show, email them to us and we’ll use the guidance of the Holy Scriptures to help you find your answer, the truth that’s in the Bible. Thanks for watching. I’m Brother Bob Pellien and we’ll see you again next time.

Should We Observe The Sabbath?

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I’ve read that the Bible indicates that the Sabbath is on Saturday. Why then is the Sabbath celebrated on a Sunday instead of Saturday, even though the Lord told us to keep the Sabbath?

Sulamithe

Zurich, Switzerland

Brother Bob Pellien: Thank you so much, Sulamithe, for your question, and it’s so nice to receive a question all the way from Zurich, Switzerland. I think this is the first time that we’ve had a question from Switzerland and we’re very thankful and we welcome you all from Switzerland.

Regarding your question concerning the Sabbath, there are so many questions that come up about the Sabbath and a lot of those questions are just like yours. 

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Sabbath

Brother Bob: The questions are also asked by many preachers and people who have just not yet fully understood the topic about the Sabbath. So we’ll turn to the Holy Scriptures and ask these important questions that you’ve raised. To begin with, Sulamithe, your question already assumes that we should all be adhering to the Sabbath and the Sabbath rules in our era of time, albeit on a Saturday, Sunday, or any day at all for that matter. The very first thing we need to address is do we need to define who God commanded, really, to first observe the Sabbath in the first place? 

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Question: Should we be celebrating the Sabbath?

Brother Bob: The second part of the question is, until when? Well we have to determine that first before we can claim whether or not we should even be celebrating that ourselves and then determine, as your question posed to be done on a Saturday or a Sunday. 

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Question: Should we even be celebrating it?

Brother Bob: What does the Bible say about the Sabbath? 

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What does the Bible say about the Sabbath?

Brother Bob: Let’s begin turning to the pages of the Holy Scriptures. Malachi in chapter 4, verse 4:

“Earnestly remember the Law of Moses My servant, the statutes and the ordinances which I commanded him on [Mount] Horeb [to give] to all Israel.

[Malachi 4:4 Amplified Bible]

Brother Bob: So dear friends the Sabbath was definitely a commandment of God—was one of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses. No question about that. 

Brother Bob: But to be observed by whom? 

The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant.

[Exodus 31:16 New International Version]

Brother Bob: Answer of the Bible: to be observed by the people of ancient Israel. Why? As a symbol of the Lord’s covenant with them. It was also an observance commanded by God to commemorate something else. What’s that? Let’s turn to Deutoronomy 5:15:

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

[Deutoronomy 5:15 New International Version]

Brother Bob: So dear friends, God commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Sabbath and to commemorate how God delivered them out of Egypt. 

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God commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Sabbath

Brother Bob: Are you an Israelite that was enslaved in Egypt? Because the instruction was very clear: to remember that he brought them out of their enslavement in Egypt. If you were there, if you were a slave in Egypt, you should be celebrating the Sabbath. If not, well, then not. 

Brother Bob: In fact can we even pinpoint in the Bible specifically where God actually gave the instruction to stop it, where he took away or retracted the commandment? 

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God gave the instruction to stop the Sabbath

Brother Bob: In Hosea 2:11, the Bible answer this way:

“I will put an end to all her festivities—her annual and monthly festivals and her Sabbath celebrations—all her religious meetings.”

[Hosea 2:11 Today’s English Version]

Brother Bob: Dear friends, that was God himself speaking very clear saying they got to put a stop to it. The Prophet Jeremiah also gave testimony further to God’s decision to put an end to the observance of the Sabbath. What did he have to say? The prophet Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations, chapter 2 verse 6:

“He smashed to pieces the Temple where we worshipped him; He has put an end to holy days and Sabbaths. King and priest alike have felt the force of his anger.”

[Lamentations 2:6 Today’s English Version]

Brother Bob: So dear friends, what does this show? Well it shows that after the Israelites turned away from God, their observance of the Sabbath had become actually abominable in the sight of God. 

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The Sabbath became abominable to God

Brother Bob: The Sabbath ended completely and the Sabbath was never again commanded to be observed after the time of the Israelites. God put a total and complete end to that commandment. 

Brother Bob: Inasmuch as we’re living much later, was there any guidance from Jesus and His disciples concerning the Sabbath in this, what is known as the Christian era of time, and thus would be followed by the Church? 

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Question: Is there a Sabbath in the Christian time?

Brother Bob: There is. The Lord Jesus himself stated that it’s lawful to do good on the Sabbath. 

How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.

[Matthew 12:12 New International Version]

Brother Bob: He was criticized harshly for that. He healed sick people on the Sabbath day and so many other things. When the Pharisees saw him doing this on the day that, well the Jews had considered a sacred day, they accused him of not even being from God. But we all know that our Lord Jesus Christ did not commit any sin when he did not observe the Sabbath. Why not? He knew there was no more Sabbath. He knew it. The Christians in the Gentile world, likewise, they too did not celebrate the Sabbath. Let’s take a look at the evidence for that. Here in Colossians chapter 2, verse 16, we’ll also read verse 23:

“Let no one criticize you in matters of food or drink or for not observing festivals, new moons or the Sabbath. “These doctrines may seem to be profound because they speak of religious observance and humility and of disregarding the body. In fact, they are useless as soon as the flesh rebels.”

[Colossians 2:16, 23 Christian Community Bible]

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Apostle Paul considered the Sabbath useless

Brother Bob: So dear friends, here Apostle Paul regarded the observance of the Sabbath as useless, a useless doctrine. Those who observe the Sabbath, despite having known the true God and been in the true faith, are turning back and are being again enslaved by weak and miserable principles by observing special days, special months, special seasons, special years, or Sabbaths. We have learned the instruction for the Sabbath [has] nothing to do with what day Christ was risen from the grave as you, Sulumithe, posed in your question. Maybe some other preachers may be teaching that or suggesting that in their service. 

Was the Sabbath observance changed from Saturday to Sunday? 

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Was the Sabbath changed from Saturday to Sunday? 

Brother Bob: Simply, no, because the real question is whether a Christian should even be observing the Jewish Sabbath to honor God’s covenant with His ancient nation. A covenant which they ended up breaking anyway. When that covenant was broken, so too was God’s instruction to observe it’s remembrance. It was God himself who put an end to the observing of the Sabbath.

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It was God Himself who put and end to the Sabbath

Brother Bob: Sulumith, from Zurich Switzerland, and everyone of us joining us in this program, that’s in the Bible.

Thank you so much for your question about the Sabbath and we hope that you will also send more questions to this program. 

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Do you have questions about the Bible?

Send us your videos to: [email protected]

Brother Bob: There’s no question, in fact, that is too basic, no question that cannot be answered by the Bible when it comes to our lives, when it comes to our salvation. If you’d like to know more about the fundamental teachings found here inside the Church Of Christ, please visit incmedia.org. 

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incmedia.org

Brother Bob: There you’ll find a variety of programs, just like this one, dedicated to answering your spiritual questions. Thanks for joining us. I’m Bob Pellien. We’ll see you next time on That’s in the Bible.

Brother Philip: I’m Brother Philip Velasquez and thank you for joining us on this podcast episode of That’s In The Bible, where your questions are answered straight from the Holy Scriptures.

Our question for today comes from Yolanda in Sacramento, California, and she asks, “If God created us in His image, was He man or spirit?”

Thank you for that question, Yolanda. Before we go on to answering that question, let’s first read the actual verse in the Holy Scriptures. Here in Genesis 1:27 this is what we could read:

So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

[Genesis 1:27 New International Version]

Brother Philip: No wonder why Yolanda asked this question. Since we humans were created in God’s image then others would ask, “Is God human?” Well, dear friends, the answer is no. God is not human but a spirit, as attested to by our Lord Jesus Christ written here in John 4:24:

God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

[John 4:24 New King James Version]

Brother Philip: Our Lord Jesus Christ described our Almighty God as being a spirit. What did our Lord Jesus Christ mean when He said that God is spirit? Let’s go to Luke 24:39. This is what the Holy Scriptures teaches us, our Lord Jesus Christ himself:

for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

[Luke 24:39 New King James Version]

Brother Philip: According to our Lord Jesus Christ, a spirit has no flesh and bones just like human beings have. And because God is without flesh and bones, as He is a spirit, what did Apostle Paul say about Him? Let’s go to Apostle Paul’s testimony here in 1 Timothy 1:17:

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

[1 Timothy 1:17 New King James Version]

Brother Philip: Apostle Paul explained that God is invisible, meaning He has no physical image. So in Genesis 1:27, the verse we read earlier on, when it says that we were created in God’s image, it wasn’t His physical image being referred to. In what sense then, are we said to have been created in the image of God? In what way did God intend us to be like Him or in His image when we were created? Let’s read 1 Peter 1:15-16:

but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

[1 Peter 1:15-16 New King James Version]

Brother Philip: Apostle Peter quoted a command of the Almighty God to His people or creation. What did God say? “Be holy for I am holy.” So we human beings were created in the image of God, not physically, but in holiness just as God, our Creator, is holy. It is in that sense that man was created in the image of God. But is it the question now? Did we human beings live up to be in God’s image as He intended us to be that we be holy like Him? The answer is no. We all have failed and we can read this in Romans 3:23:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

[Romans 3:23 New International Version]

Brother Philip: Because of our sins or breaking the commandments of God, we have all fallen short of God’s expectations and intentions in creating us. We are not able to live up to God’s image. Who was the only one who lived up to God’s image according to His plan? Who was the one who lived up to be found in the image of God in holiness? Let’s go 2 Corinthians; we can get the answer there. [chapter] 4, [verse] 4, this is what apostle Paul teaches us:

whose minds the gods of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

[2 Corinthians 4:4 New King James Version]

Brother Philip: Our Lord Jesus Christ is the image of God. Why was he said to be so? What quality did our Lord Jesus Christ have, which is why He is the only who has met God’s expectation of man whom he created to be in His image? Well the answer can be found here in 1 Peter 2:21-22:

For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

[1 Peter 2:21-22 New King James Version]

Brother Philip: Christ committed no sin and therefore He is holy. He is perfect; the only one who is able to live up to God’s image of being holy. How about us, the rest of humanity? Does that mean there is no way for us to be reconciled to God and be restored to live up to the reason why we were created to be the image of God in holiness? There is a way and here’s how. Let’s read Romans 8:29:

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

[Romans 8:29 New King James Version]

Brother Philip: How can we be the image of God as He first intended when He created us, in spite of our sins, and in spite of us being unholy and being separated from Him? Well this can happen through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, remember, Who is God’s image. So, by conforming to the image of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, we will be restored to be in God’s image in holiness. And how did our Almighty God intend to conform us to the image of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ? By making us a part of the one new man of which Christ is the head the Church is His body. What’s the name of this Church, which is the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of which we should become members in order to conform to the image of God in holiness? Let’s read here in Ephesians 4:11-13:

And he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, some to be evangelists, others preachers or teachers. The common object of their labor was to bring the Christians maturity to prepare them for Christian service and the building up of the church of Christ, until we all reach the unity of the faith and a fuller knowledge of the son of God and attain to maturity even to the measure of stature of the fullness of Christ.

[Ephesians 4:11-13 Norlie’s Simplified New Testament]

Brother Philip: Dear friends, we were created in the image of God, not in His physical image, but in holiness, meaning God intended for us to be holy like Him. But because we failed to live up to this, and were consequently separated from Him, the only way to be reconciled to Him once again and be conformed to His image of holiness and to live up this expectation is to be a part of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, a member of The Church of Christ.

Well that’s all that we have time for this episode. We hope that you’ll tune in next time where we will be able to answer more of your questions from the Holy Scriptures. Please feel free to e-mail your questions to [email protected]. Matthew 7:7 of the New International Version:

Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be open to you.

[Matthew 7:7 New International Version]

Brother Philip: That’s in the Bible. Thank you for joining us on this podcast episode of That’s In The Bible.

Brother Bob Pellien: Hello, and welcome, everyone!

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Brother Bob Pellien | Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: I’m Brother Bob Pellien and thanks for joining us today in this episode of That’s in the Bible. Today we’re going to be addressing what you may have seen on social media recently. There’s quite a debate brewing. A lot of elementary schools are removing Halloween, and the parents are in quite an uproar about it saying things like, “Well, schools are just taking away the fun for the children. It’s a nice candy day for the kids.” Dear friends, there would not be such a debate if in fact everyone really understood the symbolism of Halloween, the origin, the history, and what it is all about. That’s precisely what was written into our program by Dianey. She wrote and she asked us this question, “Why shouldn’t we celebrate Halloween, and how did it start?” 

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Question: Why shouldn’t we celebrate Halloween, and how did it start?

Dianey

Brother Bob: Well, Dianey, we’re not going to turn to the Holy Scriptures to find the origins of Halloween. 

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We’re NOT going to turn to the HOLY SCRIPTURES to find the ORIGINS of HALLOWEEN

Brother Bob: Why, you may ask? This is the program That’s in the Bible. Well it’s because that’s actually not in the Bible. 

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HALLOWEEN’S NOT in the BIBLE

Brother Bob: In fact, it has its origins in ancient pagan cultures, otherwise known as non Christians who are worshipping multiple gods. 

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Brother Bob Pellien | Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: So dear friends, before you place any of ourselves on either side of that ongoing debate, we need to educate ourselves. So together, let’s take a look into Halloween’s history. Where did Halloween come from? 

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Where did Halloween come from?

Brother Bob: In a book entitled Catholic Customs & Traditions, which is a popular guide written by Greg Dues. Here on page 196 this is what’s written:

There are several possibilities for the origin of the tradition of giving treats

as part of trick or treating…The more probable origin lies in the pagan New

Year celebration among the Celts. It was thought that the ghosts who

roamed freely that night would be satisfied with a banquet table laid out in

homes. For a while after Christianity arrived in Celtic lands, there was an

attempt to transfer this custom to the eve of All Souls Day (November 2).

Masked children would go from door to door to pray for the departed loved

ones in return for a treat.

[Catholic Customs & Traditions: A Popular Guide, pg. 196]

Brother Bob: So here, dear friends, we could see then, and Dianey, thank you for your question, the origin of Halloween and some of its customs in trick or treating and such, the origin of Halloween is not in the Bible at all, but rather it has its roots in ancient pagan cultures. 

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The ORIGIN of HALLOWEEN is NOT in the BIBLE at all 

Brother Bob: What is this Halloween holiday all about? Let’s delve into a little bit further so you know which side of that debate you should put yourself on. If we look further into the history of Halloween, for example, if we turn to the very popular Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume II, page 15, right here it says the following about Halloween:

HALLOWEEN (in Medieval times “All Hallows”) kept on October 31, the

eve of All Saints’ Day, was the Celtic festival at the end of summer named

Samhain. It was connected with…the practice of divinations and its

association with the dead, whose souls were supposed to revisit their

homes on this day.

[Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume II, pg. 15]

Brother Bob: So, once again, it did not have and does not have a biblical origin. But as we just read there, history tells us it instead has its origin in ancient pagan cultures, and refers back to particularly a Celtic festival at New Year’s time, the end of summer at the end of the year, called Samhain, and it was connected with divination.

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Why shouldn’t we celebrate Halloween, and how did it start?

Brother Bob: Now, the dead souls at that time—and this is an important thing—because the dead souls were supposed to return to their homes during that festival.

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Brother Bob Pellien | Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: Does the Bible have anything to say about these practices of Halloween, the divination, ghosts returning to the homes, the trick or treat and all the various things like that? All right then, let’s go to the Holy Bible. We turn to Leviticus 19:26 wherein it says the following:

“‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. “‘Do not practice divination or sorcery. 

[Leviticus 19:26 New International Version]

So the Bible does have a response regarding these things. It says first of all, “Don’t do that.” This is what every Christian should know about Halloween. The Bible specifically prohibits such things.

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Why shouldn’t we celebrate Halloween, and how did it start?

Brother Bob: And what about the pagan practice to prepare a banquet table for the dead returning to their home, which contributed to the current customs of receiving treats when you go to the homes and yell, “Trick or treat!” Trick or treating is an important and popular part of the Halloween festivities. Dear friends, the Bible also addresses that and does so here in the book of Job chapter 7: 

As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, So he who goes down

to the grave does not come up. He shall never return to his house,

Nor shall his place know him anymore.

[Job 7:9-10 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So dear friends, the Bible makes it very clear [that] there’s no returning to the home anymore as a ghost or as a skeleton or such things like that, the kind of costumes that parents put their children in, ghosts and skeletons and all that things is part of the traditions of this history we’re discussing here. 

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Why shouldn’t we celebrate Halloween, and how did it start?

Brother Bob: And they do so to get treats from the banquet table on that particular night. So, Dianey, we again, thank you for your question. Understand, the Bible clearly teaches against such things. So that is why Christians shouldn’t celebrate Halloween. 

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Christian should NOT celebrate HALLOWEEN.

Brother Bob: But let’s continue with both sides of the debate because some will say, “Well, even though it has those kind of pagan cultural origins, it’s just a fun thing for children to do. Why take it out of the schools?” They say, “Why not encourage the children to participate? It’s just fun. It’s an old tradition.” They say, “Kids love it.” We get it. We understand that side of the debate. 

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Brother Bob Pellien | Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: But look, here’s what the what the Scriptures and has to say. It was Apostle Paul’s a letter to Timothy where he addressed it in these terms. Let’s take a look here at 1 Timothy chapter 4, it says in verse 7 the following: 

But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself

toward godliness.

[I Timothy 4:7 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So the biblical instruction is very explicit, dear friends. It says to reject such kind of fables and exercise, instead, godliness. There’s another element of Halloween that I suppose many do not know, and that element of Halloween was described [also] in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Let’s take let’s take a look at it. It’s recorded in Volume II  also on page 15: 

The autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches,

hobgoblins, fairies and demons of all kinds…It was the only day in which

the help of the devil was invoked for such purposes.

[Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume II, Pg. 15]

Brother Bob: Imagine that, dear friends? Imagine Halloween was the day [on] which they were able to invoke or ask, and that was the practice, to ask the assistance of none other than the devil himself. Obviously we here inside the Church Of Christ use these reasons for not celebrating Halloween. How could we? 

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Why shouldn’t we celebrate Halloween, and how did it start?

Brother Bob: But then, maybe there would be those who would want to say, “Well look, we’re not thinking of it’s pagan origins and we’re certainly not going to invoke the help of the devil, of course. So we’re just doing this because it’s cute to see the children wearing costumes of the devil, costumes of ghosts, and costumes of all these different things and the children enjoy going to Halloween parties and they get all kinds of candy for their kids.” 

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Brother Bob Pellien | Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: So is there any biblical guidance that God would want us to know and understand as we listen to the ongoing debate at schools whether or not Halloween should be something Christians should participate in? Dear friends, we turn again to the Holy Bible and this time it’s Apostle Paul’s letter. He wrote the following to the Ephesians. Ephesians 4:17 which reads this way:

Here then is my word to you, and I urge it on  you in the Lord’s name: give up living as pagans do with their futile notions.

[Ephesians 4:17 Revised English Bible]

Brother Bob: Does the Bible give any instruction? Does the Bible give any guidance? What’s the instruction? Absolutely it gives us instruction. And what was it? He said, “Give up all those things that have to do with pagan origin.”

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GIVE UP all those things that have to do with PAGAN ORIGIN

Brother Bob: That’s the instruction, dear friends. So if we’re going to consider the ongoing debate, which side should we be on? Here inside the Church Of Christ, we’ll be on the side of doing it the Lord’s way and give up those Halloween practices that go against the teachings of God. 

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Why shouldn’t we celebrate Halloween, and how did it start?

Brother Bob: Why are so many people choosing pagan cultures and incorporating their traditions into the holidays of current times? There’s something that they have missed, and what they have missed was mentioned by Apostle Paul in  the format of a warning. What was the warning of the Apostle Paul given in the Holy Scriptures? Here’s what he said. He said it in his letter to the Colossians 2:8 is where it’s recorded.

Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-

sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.

[Colossians 2:8 New Living Translation]

Brother Bob: So, the Bible is very clear. It clearly issued the warning not to let anyone lead you astray with human traditions, human ideologies and philosophies that they have themselves simply invented or incorporated from pagan cultures. 

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Brother Bob Pellien | Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: There was a direct instruction as well, also from Apostle Paul, when he spoke in a similar way to the to the Galatians. Not only was his advice,” Don’t let someone lead you astray.” That’s what people miss. They missed the point that they’re being led astray by those things. But he went on to say to the Galatians in Galatians 1:8:

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to

you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 

[Galatians 1:8-9 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So dear friends, even if others will say or try to convince us,  “It’s just for fun.” And if they will say, ”No one thinks of it as pagan practice.”

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Why shouldn’t we celebrate Halloween, and how did it start?

Brother Bob: Truth of the matter is, it doesn’t erase where this holiday came from. Simply put, celebrating Halloween means to embrace something that is not Christian. To conclude, therefore, on that point I would like to read one more Bible verse. Apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 15:1-2:

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

[I Corinthians 15:1-2 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: Halloween, dear friends, may seem harmless on the surface. But after gaining this knowledge, we urge you to make an informed decision regarding whether or not it’s something you want to participate in, you want your children to participate in. Apostle Paul said to hold on to what was preached if we want to be saved.

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Brother Bob Pellien | Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob: Here in the Church Of Christ, we use the Bible only as the basis of our beliefs. We stand by it, no matter what people around us may say, or do, or believe about us. 

Dianey, we are so very thankful for your question. And when you’re ready to learn more about the fundamental teachings found here inside the Church Of Christ, please visit us online or visit any of our various social media accounts. 

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Learn more at incmedia.org

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Follow us on Facebook:

/IglesiaNiCristoNewsandUpdates

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Brother Bob: To speak to a Minister of the Gospel or to join us in worship, you can find a directory of our houses of worship online, also. 

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Find a house of worship near you: IglesiaNiCristo.net/directory

Brother Bob: If you have any questions about the Bible, please email us for a chance that your question would be featured on the show. 

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[email protected]

EMAIL US YOUR QUESTIONS

Brother Bob: Well, dear friends, I’m brother Bob Pellien, and we want to thank you once again for joining us! We’ll see you again next time on That’s in the Bible.

Voiceover: You might find yourself devoted to doing what you are really convinced and believe is the right thing, and trying your very best to be a good person. But, does it seem sometimes like God is not by your side? Does it feel like He isn’t accepting you? And when you pray, asking for help from God, does He answer? Unfortunately, this has left many asking the question: Why won’t God help me? 

Let’s find the answer in the Bible. 

[Show Open]

Brother Bob Pellien: Hello, everyone, welcome. Welcome to That’s in the Bible. The basis of the teachings here in the Church Of Christ is first and foremost, the Bible or the Holy Scriptures. So, we want to clarify that well, even if the Bible is asked and posed every imaginable question, but it does not answer just any and all questions. But regarding proper worship, regarding the right relationship with God, and most importantly, salvation; those answers are definitely here in the Holy Bible. 

Dear friends, as people continue to encounter deep heartbreak in life, some have begun to pose questions, as we’ve said, like “Why won’t God help me?” Many are feeling rejected by God or that He refuses to accept them. People believe that God should be hearing them and God should be responding to their prayers, helping them get through tough times in life. Because they’re in a church, they’re in a religion that’s offering up a kind or form of service to Him. 

Others believe it doesn’t matter to God which religion the person belongs to, or how the service that they’re rendering to God is done. Why? Well, because they believe what matters is that one will just be dedicated to serving God in the religion of their own choice. Though, to understand why God may not be accepting or listening to you, despite how devoted you may be to serving Him, well, we’re going to turn here to the Holy Bible, for the responses for the answers. 

There, we’ll study together:

Let’s turn to the Holy Bible for the answers. What we’ll read is here in Matthew 15:9, it says: 

And in vain they worshipped Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

[Matthew 15:9 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So dear friends, in rendering worship to God, one must make sure that this basis for doing so is not the commandments or the teachings of men. Why? God does not want and will never accept any worship that is based on man-made doctrines. Even if a person deeply believes in certain teachings, if those teachings are wrong, if those teachings are based upon man-made doctrines, their service rendered, becomes vain, or useless. Therefore, anyone who is worshiping God must understand that God will not accept his worship, and it is done based on man’s own instruction, rather than God’s will. What else must be considered? What if you think that you already know and recognize God? And maybe we know a lot of people who think that way. “I know God, I recognize God, then there’s no need for me to really determine if the teachings believed in are true or not, or if the need to obey God’s pristine commandments…well, that’s not what’s important,” others might think. How does the Bible respond to anyone holding on to that way of thinking? 

And the Bible’s response is recorded in I John 2:3-4: 

If we obey God’s commands, then we are sure that we know him. If we say that we know him, but do not obey his commands, we are liars and there is no truth in us.

[I John 2:3-4 Good News Translation]

Brother Bob: So on the other hand then, dear friends, one who claims that by saying they know God, but does not obey Him, is called a liar. By whom? That’s written here in the Holy Scriptures, and of course, therefore cannot truly please God. Why not? Because the Bible said, “there’s no truth in [him].” 

There are those who are very devoted [to] bowing down to statues and images. But God said, do not bow down to statues and images. Therefore, those who would render worship within the context of following commandments that are not from God, [they renders] their worship in vain. That’s just one example. So dear friends, that person then, like so many others, has fallen into the wrong way of recognizing and the wrong way of serving God. Why? Because he’s not submitted to the righteousness of God, which is right here. The Gospel, as is mentioned in Romans 1:16-17, the righteousness of God, that’s the gospel. 

Well, what have they done, then? What have they done, instead of following the gospel instead of submitting to the righteousness of God? Let’s turn to the Bible’s answer once again, and we do so reading Romans 10:2-3:

I can assure you, that they are deeply devoted to God; but their devotion is not based on true knowledge. They have not known the way in which God puts people right with himself, and instead, they have tried to set up their own way; and so they did not submit themselves to God’s way of putting people right. 

[Romans 10:2-3 Good News Translation]

Brother Bob: Therefore, any recognition or service that they render to God, it’s not based on his words recorded here in the Bible. But instead, based on the ideas or the interpretations of people, their opinions, their own idea of righteousness; that kind of worship, prayers offered by those who are worshiping God from that mindset become what? Worthless or vain in the sight of God. 

So dear friends, if you’re going to worship God, no one can simply do it their own way. It must be done God’s way. How’s that? That’s by obeying His commandments. But you know, there are those who claim their basis of faith and their basis of serving God, well [what do they say]? “It’s rooted here in the Holy Bible and the word of God.” However, what did they do? They failed to comply with the policy or the rule of God regarding His commands. What’s that policy or rule? It’s recorded here in Deuteronomy 12:32, and it says this: 

“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; You shall not add to it, nor take away from it. 

[Deuteronomy 12:32 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: Therefore, dear friends, when a person is serving God, and what do they do, they add to it, or they take away from His commands—maybe by injecting their opinions or their interpretations or something like that—then they’re not observing carefully the rules, [the] commands of God. And then they render their worship and their service. But what happens to it? Their worship and services [become] unacceptable to God. But some ask this: “Can’t I just worship God anywhere I want, anywhere I choose?” We’ll tell you right at the outset, dear friends, the answer is what? No.

Why are we so sure about that? Because one of the commandments that God has given one of the commandments that He made, has to be observed by anyone and everyone who wishes to perform true and acceptable service to Him. And what’s that instruction? It concerns the specific place that the Lord has chosen, where His people should perform their services to Him. Where they could rightfully obey His commands and then that service would be acceptable to the Lord. 

So we’ll read the response of God, dear friends, here in Deuteronomy chapter 12, verse 5, then we’ll also go directly reading as well, verses 13 and 14:

Out of the territory of all your tribes the Lord will choose the one place where the people are to come into His presence and worship him. You are not to offer your sacrifices wherever you choose; you must offer them only in the one place that the Lord will choose in the territory of one of your tribes. Only there are you to offer your sacrifices that are to be burned and do all the other things that I have commanded you. 

[Deuteronomy 12:5, 13-14 Good News Bible]

Brother Bob: So dear friends, services performed by anyone that [is] not in the place chosen by God, well, they become unacceptable, worthless before His sight. It’s, therefore, necessary for one to examine first if his services to God are based on God’s commandments and if he’s offering those services in the one place chosen by God, where He promised to accept them. 

What else must be considered, dear friends? Who has the right to serve God and be confident it is the right way to worship God? They are the ones who truly serve God, and have been appointed or chosen, given the right to do so, the privilege to perform true service to Him. But you know, many would hesitate to accept that very direct statement. But let’s turn to the Holy Bible and hear what the Apostle Paul has written regarding this. I Timothy 1:12, it says this:

I gave thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength for my work. I thank him for considering me worthy and appointing me to serve him, 

[I Timothy 1:12 Good News Translation]

Brother Bob: Dear friends, he was appointed to serve; didn’t just decide and choose and do it any just way, no, he said there was a choosing there was an appointment to serve. What else proves that one cannot just offer their service to God and the Lord is going to find that acceptable without yet being appointed to do so first. Evidence of the Holy Scriptures is recorded also in the writings of Apostle Paul, this time in Colossians 1:12-14 It reads:

giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

[Colossians 1:12-14 New Kings James Version]

Brother Bob: Dear friends, we have to remember that ever since man committed sin, he’s lost that right to serve, lost the right to worship God. Man has been separated from God—in Isaiah 59:2 that’s stated very directly—when a man has been separated from God because of his iniquities, because of sin. So there’s a need to be forgiven for our sins. There’s a need to regain the right regain the privilege to serve God and be found with acceptable service. And as we just read, this is done how? Through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ shed on the cross. What happened? Redemption, they were redeemed by that shed blood. And as we’ve learned earlier,

we have to carefully follow God’s commandments regarding proper or true worship, no adding, no subtracting. 

So according to God’s commandments, there’s only one place where we can find those who are qualified. One place to find those who are accepted by God. One place has been redeemed or purchased by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore [given] the right to serve again. 

So who then do the apostles testify? Who are they? Who [did] the apostles give testimony to as was who was redeemed, who was purchased with the blood of Christ? Is it just anyone who wants to serve God? Anyone who says they’re serving God? Anyone who wants to be heard, when they pray? Acts 20:28 tells us this, tells us who they are. 20:28 reads this way: 

Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.

[Acts 20:28 George Lamsa Translation]

Brother Bob: Who did the apostles testify? They testify that it is none other than the Church Of Christ. What did they say about the Church Of Christ? It was redeemed or purchased with what with the blood of Christ, that’s the Church of Christ, then is that Kingdom of the Son, the Kingdom of the Son, where redemption is found. It’s where people can render true and acceptable worship the God. 

Many may have worshiped God in their own way. Wondering why they still felt as though God wasn’t with them. God wasn’t helping them. God wasn’t accepting them wasn’t hearing their prayers. 

Dear friends, today we have learned that worshiping God is useless if we do it our own way, instead of following the way God wants us to worship Him. To prove that we’ve truly acknowledged God, we have to obey Him. We’ve also learned that the way God wants us to obey Him is carefully not adding or subtracting from His commands. So when it comes to worshiping God, we must carefully observe that there is only one place where people can perform valid and acceptable service to God. Those that are qualified or those that have been appointed, chosen to serve Him, are therein.

So one must carefully make sure first, that he is among the ones appointed or chosen or elected by God by becoming a member, not just of any religion, but of the one that was redeemed, purchased with Christ’s blood. And the Bible clearly states that is none other than the Church Of Christ, which is why we always invite you continue learning about the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ. 

Visit us online, browse the different topics or set up an appointment to meet with a minister of the gospel here inside the Church Of Christ. If you have any questions about the Bible, or salvation, email them to us. I’m Bob Pellien. Thanks for watching. See you next time right here on That’s in the Bible. May you please [join us] in a concluding prayer. 

Almighty Father, dear God, we thank you for allowing us to hear from Your holy words, the guidance that is needed each and every day of our life. Father, we pray, most especially for all our guests and visitors joining us in our study, may they understand the importance of continuing their studies with us. May they understand the value of worshiping You properly guided by Your rules, policies, laws, commandments and instructions, so that we may serve You, O God, acceptable in Your holy sight. May You inspire everyone to unite under Your laws and commandments here inside the Church Of Christ. Please forgive whatever shortcomings You may see in us. Always bless this program, and all the programming inside Your holy Church, most especially when we assemble in the houses of worship, and we sing and pray and worship You Lord with all our heart. May You find us worthy, always and acceptable in Your holy sight. We pray for this always, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Brother Bob: I’m Brother Bob Pellien. Thank you for joining us on this podcast episode of That’s in the Bible. Our next set of questions comes from two individuals. And in fact, there are many who often ask questions like this. Let’s hear the first one from Ryan Foster from San Diego, California. His question is this:

[Video question]

Ryan Foster: My question is, who’s to say the Bible isn’t fictional?

[Video ends]

Brother Bob: And we have a lot of very similar questions. Let’s post up another one that comes from Magda Staunch from the faraway land of New Zealand. Here’s her question: “You get all your answers from the Bible. How do you know that it is the right book? What about the Quran and other religious books?” 

Brother Bob: Well, it’s true that there’s a lot of world renowned religions that use so many different books and claim those books to be the foundation of their faith because they are from God via the Quran of the Islam religion or be at the Catechism of Catholicism or other religious world renowned books that people use as the foundation of their faith. If all of those books were piled up in front of us on a table, and there they are all claiming to be the word of God in order to find which one truly is, one has to know the identifying characteristic of the word of God.

For example, if a person was given the assignment to find an automobile, but they don’t know what an automobile looks like, they don’t know how big it is, what it sounds like, what material it’s made of, they might go out on the street and get run over by an automobile and wouldn’t know yet that they have found an automobile because they need to know it’s identifying characteristics. The same with the word of God. So what did Jesus mention regarding the identifying characteristic of the word of God in the book of John 17:17 he said:

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

[John 17:17 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: Identifying characteristic: truth. That’s where many would probably want to inject and say, “Well what is true? Your definition of truth? My definition of truth? Or what is truth? Is truth measurable by what a yardstick?” How can truth be measured and verified? Let’s consider what was quoted by the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter 46, verse 11, it says:

Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

[Isaiah 46:11 New King James Version] 

Brother Bob: How is truth measurable? Not by a yardstick or some kind of measuring instrument like that. Truth is verifiable by its fulfillment. Like here, the prophet Isaiah quoting God saying, “What I have spoken, I will bring it to pass.” Very different than the word of men; we can say, “We will do this tomorrow, we will do that tomorrow or next week.” We don’t even know if we’ll be alive tomorrow or next week, it may not be within our human capacity to fulfill what we say. And therefore what we say, could not be verified as truth until it actually happens. The fulfillment is the evidence, the tangible verification that what was spoken is truth. 

So now we have that characteristic, the identifiable characteristic of the word of God. It’s truth. Of all the books there piled in front of us, one of them has to emerge and prove itself to really be true. True and proven so by the fulfillment of what is recorded therein. And we can cite so many, many [pieces of evidence] of that—what’s recorded here in the Bible. We are the mere eyewitnesses to their fulfillment; therefore proving what’s contained here is true. Truth is the word of God. 

But let’s just take a couple of brief examples, like the character of people in the particular timeframe that we all live in nowadays.There was a prophecy stated in the writings of Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy, 2 Timothy 3, beginning in verse 1:

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

[2 Timothy 3:1-5 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: There’s a prophetic statement of Apostle Paul regarding the nature of people. And we are all the living eyewitnesses that clearly describe the nature of people nowadays. If we took time to read for example, Daniel chapter 12 verse 4 [it mentions] our technological advancements because of the increase [of] the knowledge of mankind fulfilled in our time. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke all throughout chapter 24 of Matthew, regarding events like World War I, World War II and other events which we can clearly see fulfilled, all of which prove the Bible is true, the Bible is the word of God. All the other books may be nice reading, might discuss how to interact with people, love your neighbor, all such things, but do not pass the “truth test.” Only the Bible passes the truth test. Only the Bible therefore, is worthy of our trust as the word of God.

Thanks for listening. I’m brother Bob Pellien, and we hope you join us next time on That’s in the Bible. Please feel free to email your questions to [email protected]. For more programming of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ and to find a local congregation near you, please visit incmedia.org.